Efficient modelling of asphaltene precipitation

An efficient modelling technique based on the representation of the precipitated asphaltene as a pure dense phase is presented. The success of the approach is based on the division of the heaviest component in the oil into a non-precipitating and a precipitating component. The characterization of these components is discussed. This model was able to make quantitative predictions of experimental data from the literature as well as additional data from industry. This was achieved with only a small number of adjustable parameters (two or three). The mechanistic aspect of the model with regards to colloidal nature of asphaltene/resin micelles is also discussed. An algorithm for three-phase flash calculations with asphaltene precipitation is described.