In recent years, asphaltene science has undergone a renaissance with many of the advances in the “Yen-Mullins model” which codifies asphaltene molecules, nanoaggregates and clusters of nanoaggregates. Various molecular diffusion and mass spectral measurements show that asphaltene molecular weights are ~750 Daltons. Molecular diffusion measurements also indicated the predominance of one polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) per molecule, now strongly supported by laser mass spectral studies. Recent ultrahigh resolution molecular imaging supports this key finding and shows the great diversity of PAH structures. Nanoaggregates with &lt;10 aggregation number are proven by laser mass spectroscopy results. High-Q ultrasonic studies show that asphaltene nanoaggregates form at 10-4 mass fraction. SANS and SAXS studies confirm these nanoaggregates, indicate a central core of aromatic carbon, and also identify clusters. DC-conductivity and centrifugation studies support all these findings and determine that clusters form at ~10-3 mass fraction. With this nanoscience, the ‘gravity’ term is understood enabling our group to develop the first equation of state for asphaltene gradients, the Flory-Huggins-Zuo (FHZ) EoS. This new science is being linked with new technology Downhole Fluid Analysis in oil wells to address reservoir complexities. This simple thermodynamic treatment has found enormous application even at 100 kilometer length scale.GCxGC with geochemical interpretation provides a powerful complementary framework. Equilibrated asphaltenes indicate reservoirs with single flow units. Oil columns with disequilibrium fluids are often subject to recent processes. This has led to the new formalization of “Reservoir Fluid Geodynamics” which has proven to work in over 35 oilfields. The many outcomes of gas entry into oil reservoirs, a commonly occurring process, are discussed. A detailed analysis correctly predicts the viscosity profile of a reservoir undergoing diffusion with biodegradation at the oil-water contact for ~50 million years. The advances in petroleum science and new measurement technology has led to an explosion in applications proffering new opportunities to scientists and engineers alike.

Award Address (George A. Olah Award in Hydrocarbon or Petroleum Chemistry sponsored by the George A. Olah Award Endowment). Asphaltenes: Nanometers to 100 kilometers; Nanoseconds to 50 million years

255th National Meeting (2018)

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