adsorption studies can provide valuable insight into the mechanism of asphaltene deposition.

ANALYSIS OF ASPHALTENES AND CRUDE

OIL ADSORPTION ON SURFACES USING QCMD

Surface interactions of asphaltenes

in crude oil represent

an important issue for

the petrochemical industry.

QCM-D technology is helpful

for evaluating different approaches

to solve these problems.

In particular, the ability

to monitor different structural

arrangements of adsorbed

materials is useful for understanding

how asphaltenes adsorb

to surfaces.

QS 405-25-1

Introduction

Every day, the complex petroleum

industry faces the challenge of

handling fouling, altered wettability

and coking. A major cause of these

problems is the adsorption of petroleum

heavy ends at solid/liquid

interfaces that occurs at different

stages of oil production. Among

heavy ends in petroleum, asphaltenes

are often considered the

most problematic because of their

chemical nature and their tendency

to aggregate and form deposits under

certain pressure, temperature

and composition conditions.

CONCLUSION

QCM-D enables real-time characterization of asphaltene (in crude oil,

or purified from crude oil) adsorption onto different surfaces. The adsorbed

amounts and characteristics of adsorption depend on the solubility

state of the asphaltene as well as its origin. Furthermore, surface

adsorption varies to a small extent between different hydrophilic sensor

coatings.