1. What is asphaltene inhibitor?

Asphaltene inhibitor is a chemical additive specially used in the process of oil and gas gathering and transportation to prevent asphaltene deposition and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) release. In scenarios such as oil and gas extraction, transportation, and road construction, asphaltene components in crude oil or asphalt are easily deposited or volatilized due to factors such as high temperature and oxidation, leading to pipeline blockage, equipment corrosion, environmental pollution, and reduced road performance. Asphaltene inhibitors change their properties by chemically or physically reacting with asphaltene or related components, thereby reducing deposition and volatilization, and ensuring the efficient operation and environmental friendliness of oil and gas gathering and transportation systems.

2. Characteristics of asphaltene inhibitors

Asphaltene inhibitors have the following significant characteristics:

High efficiency: Even at low concentrations, it can significantly inhibit asphaltene deposition and VOCs release, reducing damage to equipment and environmental pollution.

Stability: In complex oil and gas environments or road construction conditions, it maintains chemical and physical stability and exerts a long-term inhibitory effect.

Compatibility: It has good compatibility with other chemicals and materials in the oil and gas gathering and transportation system, will not produce adverse reactions, and has little effect on the physical properties of asphalt.

Environmental friendliness: It will not produce secondary pollution during use, meets environmental protection requirements, and helps to reduce VOCs emissions.

Versatility: In addition to inhibiting asphaltene deposition and VOCs release, some inhibitors can also delay asphalt aging and improve its durability and thermal stability.

3. Classification of asphaltene inhibitors

According to their chemical structure and mechanism of action, asphaltene inhibitors can be divided into the following categories:

Ionic surfactants

Chemical structure: This type of inhibitor usually contains ionic groups such as long-chain alkylbenzene sulfonic acid, and its molecular formula can be expressed as R-Ph-SO^3-Na⁺, where R is a long-chain alkyl group.

Mechanism of action: It combines with asphaltene molecules through electrostatic action, changes its surface properties, and prevents its aggregation and deposition.

Application scenarios: It is widely used in crude oil pipeline transportation and storage tanks to effectively reduce asphaltene deposition.

Nonionic surfactants

Chemical structure: Common ones include alkylphenol polyoxyethylene ether, with the molecular formula of R−O−(CH₂CH₂O)_nH, where R is an alkyl group.

Mechanism of action: By reducing the interfacial tension between asphaltene and the water phase, it is dispersed in water, thereby reducing deposition.

Application scenario: Suitable for the treatment of water-containing crude oil to prevent the deposition of asphaltene in the water phase.

Amine salt

Chemical structure: Amine salt is a salt generated by the reaction of amine compounds with organic acids, such as octadecyl ammonium chloride generated by the reaction of octadecylamine with hydrochloric acid, with the molecular formula of C₁₈H₃₇NH³⁺Cl⁻.

Mechanism of action: Amine salt changes its polarity by chemical adsorption with the polar groups in asphaltene, making it less likely to deposit.

Application scenario: In the gathering and transportation system of oil and gas fields, it is used to prevent asphaltene deposition on the inner wall of the pipeline.

Polymer modifier

Chemical structure: Taking SBS (styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer) as an example, its structure is composed of styrene and butadiene arranged alternately to form blocks.

Action mechanism: Forming a network structure in asphalt to fix small molecules and prevent them from volatilizing and depositing.

Application scenarios: Commonly used in asphalt pavement construction and crude oil storage tanks to reduce VOCs release and asphaltene deposition.

Chemical smoke suppressants

Chemical structure: For example, compounds such as ammonium phosphomolybdate.

Action mechanism: With the help of the unique structure of the inhibitor itself, the VOCs in asphalt are inhibited by preventing the generation of VOCs or eliminating the generated VOCs components.

Application scenarios: Mainly used to reduce the release of VOCs during high-temperature processing or use of asphalt.

Adsorbent

Chemical structure: Physical adsorbents such as activated carbon, chemical adsorbents are some highly active small molecule organic substances.

Action mechanism: Physical adsorbents adsorb small molecules by providing a huge surface area; chemical adsorbents undergo cross-linking reactions with small molecule components in asphalt to change the properties of smoke.

Application scenarios: Applicable to asphalt storage, transportation and road construction to reduce VOCs emissions.

4. Application of asphaltene inhibitors

Asphaltene inhibitors are widely used in many fields, mainly including the following aspects:

Crude oil pipeline transportation

In the process of long-distance crude oil pipeline transportation, asphaltene inhibitors can effectively reduce asphaltene deposition on the inner wall of the pipeline, reduce the risk of pipeline blockage, and improve transportation efficiency. By adding an appropriate amount of inhibitors at the pipeline inlet, the pipeline cleaning cycle can be significantly extended.

Crude oil storage tanks

In crude oil storage tanks, inhibitors can prevent asphaltene from depositing on the tank wall and bottom, reduce the frequency of tank cleaning, and reduce maintenance costs. At the same time, inhibitors can also reduce the release of VOCs in the storage tank and improve environmental quality.

Oil and gas field exploitation

In the process of oil and gas field exploitation, asphaltene inhibitors can be used to prevent asphaltene deposition in wellbores and ground equipment to ensure the normal operation of equipment. By adding inhibitors to the oil production fluid, the problem of asphaltene blockage during oil production can be reduced.

Road construction

In asphalt pavement construction, adding asphaltene inhibitors can reduce VOCs release, improve the construction environment, and at the same time delay asphalt aging and improve the durability and performance of the pavement. For example, composite inhibitors (such as 4% SBS + 4% activated carbon) show good VOCs inhibition effect in asphalt mixtures.

Asphaltene inhibitors are important chemical additives in oil and gas gathering and transportation and road construction. With their high efficiency, stability, compatibility and environmental protection, they play an irreplaceable role in ensuring system safety, efficient operation and environmental protection. With the continuous advancement of technology and increasingly stringent environmental protection requirements, the research and application prospects of asphaltene inhibitors will be broader.

Asphaltene inhibitors Supplier

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