Chemicals-assisted enhanced oil recovery (EOR) has recently received a great deal of attention as a means of improving the efficiency of oil recovery processes. Producing heavy oil is technically difficult due to its high viscosity and high asphaltenes content, therefore, novel recovery techniques are frequently tested and developed. The present study contributes to general progress in this area by synthesizing an acidic Ni-Mo-based liquid catalyst (LC) and employing it to improve heavy oil recovery from sand-pack columns for the first time. To understand the mechanisms responsible for improved recovery, the effect of the LC on oil viscosity, density, interfacial tension (IFT), and Saturates, Aromatics, Resin, and Asphaltenes (SARA) contents were assessed. The results show that heavy oil treated with an acidic Ni-Mo based LC has reduced viscosity and density, and that the IFT of oil-water decreased by 7.69 mN/m, from 24.80 mN/m to 17.11 mN/m. These results are specific to the LC employed. The results also indicate that the presence of the LC partially upgrades the structure and group composition of the heavy oil, and sand-pack flooding results showing that the LC increased the heavy oil recovery factor by 60.50% of the original oil in place (OOIP). Together, these findings demonstrate that acidic Ni-Mo based LCs are an effective form of chemicals-enhanced EOR and should be considered for wider testing and/or commercial use.

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The employing a self-synthesized Organobimetallic catalyst as a viscosity reducing agent to upgrade the heavy oil as well as the mechanisms of enhancing heavy oil recovery are investigated in this study. The components in treated and untreated heavy oil (saturates, aromatics, resins, and asphaltenes, or SARA) were assessed, as well as the effects of Organobimetallic liquid catalyst (OLC) on viscosity, density, and interfacial tension (IFT) of heavy oil samples were investigated. The results indicate that the OLC-treated heavy oil exhibited reduced viscosity and density. The findings also demonstrate that the presence of the OLC significantly altered the heavy oil's composition and eliminated several contaminants. The effects of OLC treatment on heavy oil recovery were also studied. OLC enhanced the mobility of heavy oil by reducing the IFT of oil-brine, increased the recovery factor by 20.36 percent when compared to untreated heavy oil. These findings will need to be further refined and tested in terms of OLC concentration and other process parameters, but they shed light on a promising initial step toward commercial applications.

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