Upgrading Heavy and Extraheavy Crude Oil with Ionic Liquid

Abstract

In this paper the effects of some ionic liquids elaborated with iron and molybdenum used to upgrade the properties of a heavy crude oil are discussed. The underlying objective is to increase the mobility of the oil in the reservoir reducing viscosity and improving the oil quality (e.g. diminishing the asphaltene and sulfur contents and increasing its °API gravity), using ionic liquids based on iron (10 wt%) and molybdenum (2 wt%) compounds, in a liquid phase homogeneously mixed with heavy crude oil in a batch reactor of 500 ml, at 673 K during 4 hours. The API gravity of a offshore heavy crude oil from the Gulf of Mexico increased from 12.5 until 20, kinematics viscosity decreased from 15,416 to 136.63 cSt at 288.75 K, asphaltene content was reduced from 28.65 to 10.82 wt%, while the sulfur was removed from 5.14 to 2.16%; and the distillation obtained by Simulated Distillation was increased from 48 to 71.2 vol%. Content of aromatics and saturated compounds were increased through the conversion of asphaltenes and resins, which contents decreased from 16.81 to 13.8 wt% and from 28.85 to 10.82 wt% respectively. Finally, the content of total nitrogen was reduced from 780 to 633 ppm in weight which represents a reduction approximately of 20 wt%. In this work upgrading of a heavy crude oil was obtained through the application of the thermal and catalytic hydrocracking with an ionic liquid. This ionic liquid could be applied into the reservoir combined with in-situ combustion process using unconventional wells in order to improve the recovery of heavy crude oil, producing an oil improved in-situ with lower viscosity, being easier their exploitation, increasing the productivity index in wells, and saving costs of transportation and refining at surface. Introduction Improving some oil properties as oil viscosity reduction and increasing API gravity are key properties to increase the wells productivity index of heavy crude oil. The thermal methods occupy an important place among enhance oil recovery techniques, especially in the production of high-viscosity oils and natural bitumen [1]. Different versions of thermal methods are used to upgrade heavy crude oil, among the more important methods are Steam Drive [2–4], Cycle Steam Injection [5], Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) [6, 7], Conventional Fire Flood [8, 9], Toe-to-Heel Air Injection Process (THAI) [10–12], Aquathermolysis [13, 14], and Down-Hole Catalytic Processes [15–17]. The last process mentioned is an interesting alternative to reduce of viscosity of the heavy crude oil improving the oil quality inside the reservoir. In order to be carried out the last process is necessary to combine the in-situ combustion process with a liquid consists only of ions [18–20] of metallic salts. The iron-base ionic liquid [21] would be distributed throughout the reservoir as a diluted salt solution. The polar molecules of the heavy crude oil probably would be diffused in ionic liquid favoring the contact between both phases. On the other hand, the iron-based ionic liquid may be modified during the preparation with anionic sulfates (SO42-) and promoters in a small percentage of transition metal such as molybdenum or tungsten. The metals compounds in the ionic liquid have been recognized because their catalytic properties in hydrocarbon oxidation, cracking, and hydrocracking reactions. In contrast, the metal also accelerated oxidation indirectly by destroying the antioxidants [22] that are naturally present in the most crude oil. In the present work the upgrading of the heavy crude oil from the Gulf of Mexico was carried out in a batch reactor as well as a continuous-stirred tank reactor (CSTR). The API gravity was increased from 13.5 until 20o, the kinematics viscosity was reduce from 15,416 to 136.63 cSt at 289 K, the hydrodesulfuration was reduced between 40–60 wt%, and the distillable fraction was increased from 48 to 71.2 vol.% which was carried out by True Boiling Point (TBP). Experimental Section The catalyst was prepared using ferric sulfate hydrate, water, phosphoric acid and phosphotungstic acid compounds.

Effect of CoMo/HSO3-functionalized MCM-41 over Heavy Oil

“…The right balance between the metallic function and acid function in the catalysts will provide better product quality. An increase of the metallic load and the acidity on the catalyst usually produced an increased API gravity even at low reaction temperature [14].…”

Enhanced heavy oil recovery using 1‐Ethyl‐3‐Methyl‐Imidazolium Acetate

“…The latest type of chemicals proposed for EOR are the ionic liquids (ILs), a fact still not very well known to practicing engineers. The aggregation performance of imidazolium‐based ILs is almost similar to that of cationic surfactants (alkyltrimethyl‐ammonium), according to Smirnova and Safonova .…”

“…[10] The SDS surfactant was also found to be more efficient in reducing the IFT and improving the RF than linear alkyl benzene sulphonate (LABS). [11] The latest type of chemicals proposed for EOR are the ionic liquids (ILs), [12] a fact still not very well known to practicing engineers. The aggregation performance of imidazolium-based ILs is almost similar to that of cationic surfactants (alkyltrimethylammonium), according to Smirnova and Safonova.…”

Eco-efficient and green method for the enhanced dissolution of aromatic crude oil sludge using ionic liquids

“…Among the studied ILs, [Et 3 N-H] + [AlCl 4 ] À Ni 2+ has shown better viscosity reduction than the rest of the ILs. 12,14 Chloro-aluminate(III) ionic liquids/H 3 PO 4 systems have been found to be more effective for asphaltic sand degradation. 12,13 In addition, ionic liquids such as [EMIM] + [BF 4 ] À and [BMIM] + [BF 4 ] À are found to be more efficient for enhancing the recovery of bitumen from oil sands.…”