Improving oil recovery with ultrasound: mitigating asphaltene-induced formation damage

Abstract In the last two decades, ultrasonic wave irradiation has gained increased attention from both environmental and economic perspectives in the oil industry. This study investigates the effects of ultrasonic wave irradiation on the components of crude oil and asphaltene deposition in porous media. A series of various experimental methods, including gas chromatography, microscopic imaging, viscosity and average molecular weight measurements, and core flooding, were conducted before and after ultrasonic treatment. The results showed that ultrasonic treatment reduced the number of asphaltene clusters. Additionally, ultrasonic irradiation reduced the average molecular weight of crude oil by 7%. Ultrasonic treatment also decreased core damage by restoring rock permeability. The permeability of the core decreased dramatically from 131 to 27 mD (about 79%) after the injection of crude oil due to asphaltene deposition. However, after ultrasonic treatment, the permeability of the damaged core improved to 82 mD. The findings of this study are valuable for improved oil recovery projects aimed at reducing formation damage near production wells. Graphical abstract