Curtailing Asphaltene Deposition in Conventional Oil Reservoirs: Insights from Hassi Messaoud Field, Algeria

Abstract

     The Formation damage caused by asphaltene deposition is a significant challenge in the oil industry. Asphaltene, a naturally occurring molecule found in crude oil, can form solid deposits within reservoir rocks and obstruct the flow of oil through formations. This study aimed to diagnose and treat the asphaltene precipitation problem at the bottom of HMD1, which is a well located in the Hassi Messaoud field in southeastern Algeria. The production rate of the well rapidly decreased while the operating costs increased. Laboratory tests were also conducted to study the properties of the reservoir fluids and the effects of different treatments on asphaltene deposition. To evaluate the performance of the well, Saphir software was utilized, and the results showed that the value of the skin increased from 1.66 to 2.64, which indicated that the formation was damaged by sediment inside the pores. Laboratory tests revealed an unstable asphaltene state with a Colloidal Instability Index (CII) of 3.24. Pipesim software was used to simulate reservoir behavior and predict asphaltene deposition, indicating the well was in the asphaltene precipitation phase when the pressure was between 150 and 190 bar and the temperature was between 75 and 120 °C. The method used in this research contributes to preventing asphaltene formation before it occurs.