Paper Number
IR15 

Session
Interfacial Rheology, Surfactants, Foams, and Emulsions

Title
Rheology of crude oils in flow assurance

Presentation Date and Time
October 14, 2024 (Monday) 4:45

Track / Room
Track 6 / Room 501

Authors (Click on name to view author profile)

  1. Varges, Priscilla R. (Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro, Department of Mechanical Engineering)
  2. Marín Castaño, Eliana P. (Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro, Department of Mechanical Engineering)
  3. Gonçalves, Cliff (Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro, Department of Mechanical Engineering)
  4. Karnitz, Osvaldo (Petrobras, Cenpes)
  5. Khalil de Oliveira, Márcia C. (Petrobras, Cenpes)
  6. Naccache, Monica F. (Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro, Department of Mechanical Engineering)
  7. de Souza Mendes, Paulo R. (Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro, Department of Mechanical Engineering)

Author and Affiliation Lines (in printed abstract book)
Priscilla R. Varges1, Eliana P. Marín Castaño1, Cliff Gonçalves1, Osvaldo Karnitz2, Márcia C. Khalil de Oliveira2, Monica F. Naccache1 and Paulo R. de Souza Mendes1
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 22451900, Brazil; 2Cenpes, Petrobras, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 22451-000, Brazil

Speaker / Presenter 
Varges, Priscilla R.

Keywords
experimental methods; emulsions; non-Newtonian fluids; real-world rheology

Text of Abstract
Flow assurance issues are extremely costly, both financially and in terms of safety. The main problems are the occurrences of hydrates, paraffins, and asphaltenes in water-in-oil emulsions, which in worst case scenario can occur simultaneously. Then, it is important to evaluate these effects concurrently, although in general the studies conducted consider the causes separately. One way to quantify the risk of a line blockage is through the determination of the rheological properties of the resulting fluids. This study aims to provide an investigation of the rheological properties of different crude oils under conditions that simulate the oil production environment such as high pressures and low to high temperatures. Advanced rheological techniques were employed to measure the viscosity, yield stress, and viscoelastic properties of crude oils and emulsions. Our analysis explores how factors such as cooling rates, pressure, presence of salt, and chemical composition of the oil influences their rheological behavior. Our findings highlight the importance of considering the collective impact of various components within the oil, offering a more holistic approach to addressing flow assurance challenges in crude oil production.