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The upgrading of heavy oil and bitumen usually produces some high boiling residues. In order to evaluate these materials so that they may be effectively utilized, component type analyses are useful. One of the standard methods for the analysis of component types (SARA) consists of the precipitation of asphaltenes followed by chromatographic separation of the remainder of the sample into saturates, aromatics and resins fractions using columns of silica gel, alumina and clay. This procedure is long and tedious and not that suitable for routine screening of large numbers of samples. The latroscan method (thin layer chromatography with flame ionization direction) provides a component type analysis which is faster and more convenient than SARA. The total elapsed time for the analysis of a set of ten samples simultaneously by the former method is less than two hours compared to about two days per samples by the SARA procedure. A series of residue samples from different upgrading processes using Cold Lake, Lloydminster and Athabasca feed-stocks was examined using the latroscan method. Based on the wide range observed in the quality of the samples, which in some cases could be correlated with the feed-stock and the type of upgrading process, suggestions may be made for possible uses of the residues. Introduction The processing of heavy oil and biltumen usually results in some high boiling residue or pitch material. Effective utilization of these residues requires their analytical characterization by such methods as softening point, viscosity, density, carbon residue, ash and elemental analysis. Often a classification according to component type is necessary particularly if it is suspected that the residue may be of a quality suitable for further upgrading into useful products. This type or analysis usually requires an initial determination of the asphaltene content by precipitation with a low molecular weight paraffin such as n-pentane followed by chromatographic separation of the deasphalted portion of the sample using column of silica gel, alumina and clay. This separation usually yields such fractions as saturates, aromatics and resins, and is commonly referred to as the SARA analysis(1). Unfortunately this procedure requires about two days or elapsed time per sample, is long and tedious and therefore not suitable for routine screening of large numbers of samples or for the monitoring of products from a process. A method employing thin layer chromatography with flame ionization detection (TLC/FID) using an latroscan analyzer does provide a rapid and convenient component type analysis of heavy hydrocarbons. Several workers have already applied techniques based on the latroscan to the characterization of bitumens heavy oils and coal liquids(2-7). The latroscan method, as it has been developed in our laboratory has been described previously(8). In the present work it is shown how the method was used to characterize residues from a variety of upgrading processe employing Cold Lake, Lloydminster and Athabasca feed-stocks. This characterization was based upon sample separation into saturates, aromatics and polar fractions to produce semi-quantitative data. Preliminary results are also given to show how the aromatics may be further separated to provide additional characterization.

Most in-situ recovery processes involve heating the formation and injection of large amounts of aqueous fluids. Under these conditions, mineral reactions proceed quite readily and could cause changes in reservoir properties such as porosity and permeability. Static autoclave experiments which simulated in-situ recovery conditions showed that dissolution of quartz, Jan Boon Jan Boon was awarded an M.Sc. degree in solid state chemistry and geochemistry from the University of Utrecht (Netherlands) in 1968 and a Ph.D. in 1971 as a result of joint work in this field at that university and the University of Manchester (U.K.). Since then he has taught physical chemistry, done research in geology and studied mineral reactions during steam injection into oil sands. Since 1980, he has been manager of fundamental research in the Oil Sands Research Department of the Alberta Research Council. Tark S. Hamilton Dr. Tark S. Hamilton obtained a Bachelor of Science in geology from Case in 1973, a Master's from Indiana University in 1974 and a Ph.D. in geology and geophysics from the University of Alberta in 1981. His graduate work focused on petrology and paleomagnetics. Dr. Hamilton's work experience includes a broad exposure to exploration geology and geophysics and the application of geochemistry to in-situ oil sands recovery. He is presently a research scientist with the Geological Survey of Canada at the Pacific Geoscience Centre, where his research activities include marine geophysical basin analysis of the Strait of Georgia and the Cenozoic volcanic rocks of the Insular Belt and adja-cent ocean basin. Paper reviewed and accepted for publication by the Editorial Technology, May-August 1983, Montreal kaolinite and dolomite, and formation of analcime, chlorite, smectite and calcite were the major mineral reactions that oc-cur in Cold Lake oil sands. The process variables that in-fluence these reactions were identified through statistical data analysis. Flow experiments with sandpacks have demonstrated the possible deleterious influence of these hydrothermal reac-tions on permeability. The results of the tests compare favourably with published field pilot data. Formation damage bylines dispersion resulting in high residual oil saturations has Larry Holloway Larry Holloway graduated from the Southern Alberta Institute of Tech-nology in 1969. After graduation, he spent four years with Uniroyal Research Laboratories, Guelph, On-tario, working on organic synthesis of agricultural chemicals and later in the Pollution Contol Department. After one year with the Noranda Group, working in the potash industry, he joined the Alberta Research Council in 1973. He was actively involved in fluid-rock studies until 1981. At present, he is a senior technologist with the analytical laboratory service of the Oil Sands Research Department. Brian Wiwchar Brian Wiwchar graduated from the Ketsey Institute of Applied Arts and Sciences in Saskatoon in chemical technology in 1975. After graduation he joined the Alberta Research Coun-cil as a research te...

Increasingly waxy crudes containing significant quantities of asphaltenes require characterization, and established methods for separation of the waxes and asphaltenes are often not applicable. An analytical scheme is described employing only one solvent, methylethyl ketone, to separate asphaltenes and waxes, rather than an n-alkane and a ketone. The method consists of an asphaltenes fractionation by filtration at 50 °C, followed by wax recovery by cooling to a specified temperature (dependent upon the user's needs) and filtration. The carbon number distribution of the wax fraction may be determined by high-temperature gas chromatography, and the soluble oil (minus asphaltenes and wax) can be further characterized by liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry.

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