Network modeling of asphaltene deposition during two-phase flow in carbonate

• A network model is modified to study asphaltene deposition effects on two phase flow.
• The results are compared to adopted experimental data from literature.
• Asphaltene deposition increases water relative permeability in carbonate rocks.
• It causes increase of residual oil.
• The mechanism of asphaltene deposition is randomly, not on the basis of throat size.

A network model is modified to compute formation damage resulting from asphaltene deposition in porous media containing two-phase flow. The model predictions are compared to experimental data of six core samples under similar reservoir conditions. The model is applied to study the effect of asphaltene deposition on throat size distribution, wettability alterations from water-wet to oil-wet, water and oil relative permeability, and capillary pressure in two mechanisms of drainage and imbibition. The asphaltene induced damage is considered by two mechanisms; the smaller throats are plugged owing to large asphaltene particles and the larger throats diameter is decreased.