EFFECT OF VISBREAKING SEVERITIES ON ASPHALTENE AGGLOMERATION FROM RESIDUAL FUEL OILS.

Abstract The physico-chemical properties of asphaltenes separated from the North Gujarat visbroken short residues (150°C+) obtained at different severity levels are reported. The experimental data generated on the effect of different n-alkanes (as diluent) used for asphaltenes precipitation, the average particle size of asphaltenes, the sediment formation on storage, are used to establish a possible relationship between particle size distribution i.e the agglomeration and the storage stability. The effect of visbreaking severities as crucial parameter on asphaltene agglomeration is also discussed.