Catalytic Heavy Oil Upgrading with Injection of Ultra-Dispersed Particles and Hydrogen in Porous Media.

摘要

Thermal methods are known to provide good oil recovery and in some cases in situ upgrading. Ultra-dispersed particles can be used along with hydrogen to significantly improve the quality of the oil. These catalysts can be injected in porous media at mild temperatures (250-340°C) and long residence times to produce good quality oil.;A thermodynamic evaluation was performed showing that ruptures of carbon-carbon bonds were feasible within the studied temperatures in the presence of hydrogen. The flow of catalysts in porous media was investigated using two methods of injection: catalytic emulsions and ultra-dispersed catalytic particles; however, the latter has less impact in the media when injected at low concentrations. The results showed that bitumen viscosity was reduced from 9,545 to 258 cP (at 40 ºC), and that API gravity was improved from 9.85 to 14.3. De-asphalted oil was also chosen for this study and showed a significant improvement in its transport properties.