Characteristic flow rate of asphaltene particles in vertical wellbore
In order to prevent asphaltene deposition from clogging oil wells,it is necessary to clarify the transport characteris-tics of fluid carrying asphaltene particles in vertical wellbore.The law of terminal equilibrium settling velocity of irregularly shaped asphaltene particles was explored by static sedimentation experiment.The vertical wellbore liquid-carrying flow exper-imental device was used to investigate the influence of different factors on the critical velocity of asphaltene transport.The correlations for calculating the terminal equilibrium settling velocity and critical velocity of irregular asphaltene particles were established.It is found that the surface inhomogeneity of asphaltene particles increases the settlement resistance and makes the settlement equivalent diameter smaller than the measured particle size.The particle size is positively correlated with the critical velocity,while the liquid viscosity is negatively correlated with the critical velocity,and the particle concentration has little effect on the critical velocity of migration.Under the same conditions,the critical velocity of fluid carrying asphaltene is 1.182 times of the terminal equilibrium settling velocity.
vertical wellboreequivalent diameter of settlementterminal equilibrium settling velocitycritical velocityas-phaltene particle