Patent ID: 9068962
Filing Date: 2015-06-30
Classification: B01F,B01L,G01N

Abstract:
1. A method for determining an asphaltene yield curve and an asphaltene flocculation point, comprising: a. obtaining a crude oil sample; b. measuring an optical spectrum of the crude oil sample; c. setting a minimum titrant concentration; d. mixing the crude oil sample with a titrant to produce a crude oil-titrant mixture; e. filtering precipitated asphaltenes, if any, from the crude oil-titrant mixture to produce a filtrate; f. measuring an optical spectrum of the filtrate; and g. subtracting the optical spectrum of the filtrate from the optical spectrum of the crude oil sample; h. wherein the titrant concentration is increased and steps d-g are repeated until a predetermined maximum titrant concentration is reached; and further comprising: i. determining a fractional asphaltene precipitation for each concentration of titrant from the optical spectrum resulting from step g; and j. determining a flocculation point corresponding to an inflection point in the fractional asphaltene precipitation data generated in step i.