BASIC CONCEPTS AND FUNDAMENTALS. ASPHALTENES Asphaltenes are a faction of erude cil which is soluble in aromatics (eg, toluene) but insoluble in fins (€g, n-heptane). The actual chemical stracture of asphaltenes isnot known but we knoe ese molecules bave avery high molecular weight (> 1000) are polar, and contain oxygen, gen and sulfur atoms. The estimated stracture of one asphaltene molecule is shown below, ‘The solubility of asphaltenes in crude oil depends on composition, temperature ad pressure. Pressure ‘can have a suprisingly significant effect on solubility. Asphaltene deposition isa problem which has plagued the industry for decades. Asphaltene content of enude cils can vary from ~ 0.1% to over 50%, ‘but asphaltene composition by itself is not a reliable indieatar of possible deposin, Deposition of asphaltenes can be prompted by addition of paraffin hydrocarbons (eg, NGLs) to the crude in spiking or EOR projects. Changes in water chemistry ean also prompt deposition of asphaltenes. 62001 das. apd ad Capa Aligs esr OVERVIEW OF GAS PROCESSING — TECHNICAL an