Experiments were conducted simulating hydrothermal conversion of heavy oil in the presence of carbonate, kaolin, Al2O3, Ni2+ and Cu2+, NiO mixed with poly-α-olefins, C6H8O7, C2H4O2 at 290–375 °C and 10–135 bar. Al2O3, carbonate at 375 °C and 135 bar, accelerated the resin degradation. Experiments with carbonate at 350 °C and 10 bar showed no significant composition changes. NiSO4, CuSO4, kaolin mineral, at 350 °C and 78 bar, accelerated decomposition of resins (from 35.6% to 32.5%). Al2O3 and carbonate at 290 °C and 14 bar led to the destruction of asphaltenes (from 6.5% to 4.7% by weight), which were adsorbed on the surface of carbonate. Al2O3, NiO, poly-α-olefins at 350 °C and 78 bar accelerated C–C bond cracking of high-boiling asphaltenes. C6H8O7, rock-forming carbonate, at 360 °C and 14 bar, contributed to the polymerization and polycondensation of hydrocarbons with the formation of additional resins. C2H4O2 and kaolin at 360 °C and 12 bar affected the reduction in the resin content from 35.6% to 31.9% wt. C2H4O2 interacted with the active metals with the formation of acetate salts exhibiting catalytic activity.

A study on the catalytic oxidation of heavy residual oil (HRO) was carried out. The thermodynamic parameters of components of HRO oxidation products were studied by pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). A method for the quantitative assessment of thermodynamic parameters of HRO components and oxidized bitumen using pulsed NMR is presented. The relationship between NMR parameters and the viscosity of HRO and its oxidation products is established. The obtained results prove the possibility of using pulsed NMR as a flow-line method for rapid analysis of intermediates and products of the heavy residual oil oxidation.

No abstract