In a previous article (Molina V., D.; Energy Fuels 2017, 31, 133?139; DOI: 10.1021/acs.energyfuels.6b01887) the structural differences of asphaltenes in Colombian light crude oils from the same field, i.e., the Colorado oilfield, were presented. Colorado crude oil is a light crude with very low content of asphaltenes (<0.3%, w/w) and presents paraffin crystallization problems during its production. In the parafinic deposits, asphaltenes have also been found. In this work, a new methodology is proposed to determine the effects of chemical structure and concentration of asphaltenes on the wax crystallization of the crude oils from the Colorado oilfield. Six crude oils (from different sands) were fractionated in their respective asphaltenes and maltenes. The crystallization properties of crude oils and maltenes were obtained: wax appearance temperature (WAT), pour point, and crystallization enthalpy. Asphaltenes were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance analysis, mass spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy, and their main average molecular parameters (AMPs) were calculated. Partial least-squares regression (PLS) analysis was used to understand the influence of asphaltenes chemical structure on the crystallization processes. The proposed characterization?statistical analysis methodology allowed for the understanding of the effect of the average molecular structure of asphaltenes on the crystallization properties of paraffins from the crude oils of the Colorado field. The effect of asphaltenes was analyzed through correlation between the differences in WAT, the differences in pour poin,t and the relative crystallization (Cr) with the AMPs of asphaltenes. The AMPs of the asphaltenes causing the greatest impact on the increase of the crystallization temperature are the pericondensed carbons (Caaa), ratio of peripheral carbons/aromatic carbons (Cp/Car), and aromaticity factor (fa), and decreases in these properties are attributed to the length of the aliphatic chains (n) and the naphthenic rings (Cn); the concentration of asphaltenes (Coasf) has little effect. The degree of crystallization is increased by fa and decreased with Caaa, Cp/Car, paraffinic carbons (Cs), and Coasf. The pour point is only increased by fa and decreased withCaaa and Cn, and Coasf is negligible.
Año: 2017
ISSN: 08870624
Revista: Energy and Fuels
Editorial: American Chemical Society