CAPRI-Downhole Catalytic Process for Upgrading Heavy Oil: Produced Oil Properties and Composition

Gréaves, M.; Xia, Tian

doi:10.2118/2001-023

Cited by 17 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…However, catalyst operation time was severely limited with operation at 475 to 500°C because the oilflow rate declines and pressure drop increases sharply because of bed blockage by coke. Greaves and Xia (2001) obtained upgrading of 4 to 6°API with CAPRI above that achieved using only THAI (noncatalytic process), with final viscosities decreasing to less than 0.1 Pa•s, or as low as 0.02 Pa•s in selected runs, which is comparable with the upgrading performance observed in the experiments reported in this paper at temperatures of 475 to 500°C. SIMDIS analysis of the produced liquid oil samples further confirms that the higher temperature favoured lighter-end products in liquid fractions in comparison with the partially upgraded THAI oil, in which approximately a 10 to 15°C shift was observed toward the lighterend products (Fig.…”

Section: Effect Of Catalyst Type and Pretreatment Figs 2 And 3 Andsupporting

confidence: 85%

Experimental Optimization of Catalytic Process In Situ for Heavy-Oil and Bitumen Upgrading

Shah

Fishwick

Leeke

et al. 2011

Journal of Canadian Petroleum Technology

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Summary The worldwide conventional crude-oil demand is on the rise, and because of the rising prices, unconventional oils are becoming more economically attractive to extract and refine. However, technological innovation is needed if heavier oil supplies are to be exploited further. Toe-to-heel air injection (THAI) and its catalytic add-on processes (CAPRI) combine in-situ combustion with catalytic upgrading using an annular catalyst packed around the horizontal producer well. These techniques offer potentially higher recovery levels and lower environmental impact than alternative technologies (e.g., steam-based techniques). An experimental study is reported concerning the optimization of catalyst type and operating conditions for use in the THAI-CAPRI process. The feed oil was supplied from the Whitesands THAI-pilot trial. Experiments were carried out using microreactors containing 10 g of catalyst, with oil flow of 1 mL/min and gas flow of 0.5 L/min, under different temperatures, pressures, and gas environments. Catalysts tested included alumina-supported CoMo, NiMo, and ZnO/CuO. It was found that there was a trade-off in operation temperature between upgrading performance and catalyst lifetime. At a pressure of 20 bar, operation at 500°C led to an average of 6.1°API upgrading of THAI oil to 18.9°API, but catalyst lifetime was limited to 1.5 hours. Operation at 420°C was found to be a suitable compromise, with upgrading by an average of 1.6°API, and sometimes up to 3°API, with catalyst lifetime extended to 77.5 hours. Coke deposition occurred within the first few hours of the reaction, such that the catalyst pore space became blocked. However, upgrading continued, suggesting that thermal reactions or reactions catalysed by hydrogen transfer from the coke itself play a part in the upgrading reaction mechanism. The CAPRI process was relatively insensitive to changes in reaction-gas medium, gas-flow rate, and pressure, suggesting that the dissolution of hydrogen or methane from the gas phase does not play a key role in the upgrading reactions. By careful control of the temperature and oil-flow rate in the in-situ CAPRI process, additional upgrading compared with the THAI process alone may be effected, resulting in a more-valuable produced oil, which is easier to transport.

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Section: Effect Of Catalyst Type and Pretreatment Figs 2 And 3 Andsupporting

confidence: 85%

Experimental Optimization of Catalytic Process In Situ for Heavy-Oil and Bitumen Upgrading

Shah

Fishwick

Leeke

et al. 2011

Journal of Canadian Petroleum Technology

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“…Among the thermal enhanced oil recovery methods that use air injection in the reservoir are in-situ combustion (ISC) [114], Toe To-Heel Air injection (THAI) [115,116], and THAI/CAPRI [117,118] which uses a commercial catalyst around the horizontal producing well to accelerate the oxidation reactions, allowing a heavy crude to reach a gravity of 28 • API [119,120]. In this context, the use of catalysts has received great attention from industry and researchers, in order to accelerate the reactions involved in these processes such as oxidation, catalytic disintegration, distillation, and polymerization, which contribute simultaneously with other mechanisms such as steam thrust and vaporization [121].…”

Section: Influence Of Nanoparticles In the Air Injection Processmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nanotechnology Applied to Thermal Enhanced Oil Recovery Processes: A Review

et al. 2019

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The increasing demand for fossil fuels and the depleting of light crude oil in the next years generates the need to exploit heavy and unconventional crude oils. To face this challenge, the oil and gas industry has chosen the implementation of new technologies capable of improving the efficiency in the enhanced recovery oil (EOR) processes. In this context, the incorporation of nanotechnology through the development of nanoparticles and nanofluids to increase the productivity of heavy and extra-heavy crude oils has taken significant importance, mainly through thermal enhanced oil recovery (TEOR) processes. The main objective of this paper is to provide an overview of nanotechnology applied to oil recovery technologies with a focus on thermal methods, elaborating on the upgrading of the heavy and extra-heavy crude oils using nanomaterials from laboratory studies to field trial proposals. In detail, the introduction section contains general information about EOR processes, their weaknesses, and strengths, as well as an overview that promotes the application of nanotechnology. Besides, this review addresses the physicochemical properties of heavy and extra-heavy crude oils in Section 2. The interaction of nanoparticles with heavy fractions such as asphaltenes and resins, as well as the variables that can influence the adsorptive phenomenon are presented in detail in Section 3. This section also includes the effects of nanoparticles on the other relevant mechanisms in TEOR methods, such as viscosity changes, wettability alteration, and interfacial tension reduction. The catalytic effect influenced by the nanoparticles in the different thermal recovery processes is described in Sections 4, 5, 6, and 7. Finally, Sections 8 and 9 involve the description of an implementation plan of nanotechnology for the steam injection process, environmental impacts, and recent trends. Additionally, the review proposes critical stages in order to obtain a successful application of nanoparticles in thermal oil recovery processes.

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“…Furthermore, unlike a conventional upgrading surface process, the oil produced by THAI contains a very high saturates fraction, and very little, if any, unsaturates 5,6 . The main benefits of the 'Toe-to-Heel Air Injection' Process are listed in Table 1.…”

Section: Thai -'Toe-to-heel Air Injection'mentioning

confidence: 99%

Downhole Conversion of Lloydminster Heavy Oil Using THAI-CAPRI Process

Xia

Gréaves

Werfilli

et al. 2002

SPE International Thermal Operations and Heavy Oil Symposium and International Horizontal Well Technology Conference

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TX 75083-3836, U.S.A., fax 01-972-952-9435.Abstract THAI -'Toe-to-Heel Air Injection' is a radically new process for the recovery and in-situ upgrading of heavy/medium crude oil and bitumen. It is an integrated-horizontal wells process, which creates its own natural sealing mechanism (in the horizontal producer well), enabling stable combustion front propagation along the horizontal producer well to be achieved. CAPRI is an extension to the basic THAI (thermal) process, which involves the emplacement ('gravel-packing') of a standard refinery HDS catalyst, around the horizontal producer well.A series 3-D combustion cell experiments were performed to physically simulate the THAI-CAPRI process, using Lloydminster heavy crude oil (11.9 o API). In separate THAI and CAPRI experiments, high temperature combustion was sustained (500-550 o C), achieving stable combustion front propagation. Very high oil recovery was achieved, exceeding 79 % OOIP for THAI and CAPRI. The first-stage of downhole conversion, or in-situ upgrading, is accomplished by thermal cracking (THAI), and thermally/catalytically, in the second stage (CAPRI). Thermal upgrading of the produced oil by THAI averaged 18.3 o API -an incremental conversion gain of 6.4 API points, with a maximum of 22 o API. Higher upgrading was achieved by CAPRI using a regenerated CoMo HDS catalyst. The produced oil averaged 23 o API, essentially a light oil product. The oil viscosity produced by THAI or CAPRI was as low as 20 to 30 mPas.

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CAPRI-Downhole Catalytic Process for Upgrading Heavy Oil: Produced Oil Properties and Composition

Cited by 17 publications

References 6 publications

Experimental Optimization of Catalytic Process In Situ for Heavy-Oil and Bitumen Upgrading

Experimental Optimization of Catalytic Process In Situ for Heavy-Oil and Bitumen Upgrading

Nanotechnology Applied to Thermal Enhanced Oil Recovery Processes: A Review

Downhole Conversion of Lloydminster Heavy Oil Using THAI-CAPRI Process

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