Abstract Asphaltene deposition in oil production constitutes a critical and difficult to control problem, in terms of productivity and production operation costs, going from the reservoir to surface facilities. This phenomenon causes severe plugging and flow reduction due to phase changes in the crude oil through its production. When pressure declines in the reservoir, due to its exploitation, the single phase system may undergo asphaltenes precipitation and deposition, specially near the bubble point, where their solubility reaches a minimum. Severe formation damages occur when this pressure reduction takes place within the reservoir, and asphaltenes deposit in the porous media. The magnitude of the asphaltene precipitation tendency is strongly related with the crude oil characteristics, considering the asphaltene particles stabilization by other components of the oil. Prevention methods oriented to the asphaltenes deposition control include chemical additives injection. These products have the particularity of disperse or inhibit the asphaltenes aggregation, avoiding the formation of precipitates that eventually deposit on metal or mineral surfaces, causing a severe flow reduction. The main purpose of this work is to show an experimental methodology oriented to the selection of appropriated asphaltene inhibitors to be applied under surface, production and reservoir conditions. Dead oils characterization, along with several commercial additives effectiveness evaluation at surface conditions, followed by PVT studies on bottomhole crude oil samples, allowed to design adequate asphaltene prevention treatments for every particular case. Dead oil studies included SARA characterization and asphaltenes precipitation trends. Live oils analysis were performed by means of asphaltenes dispersion vs. pressure curves, asphaltenes flocculation onsets under isothermal pressure depletion, and a selected inhibitor evaluation. Examples from operations carried out in western Venezuelan facilities, illustrate the benefits derived from this methodology.