Enhanced Recovery of Heavy Oil by a Nano-Catalytic In-Situ Upgrading Process

Abstract

Simultaneous in-reservoir upgrading and recovery of heavy oil are experimentally studied by using a continuous setup filled with carbonate cores. Upgrading reaction products as well as the recovered oil are analyzed in order to investigate the recovery mechanisms associated with this process. In-situ upgrading technology (ISUT) is based on injection of high molecular weight (low quality) cut of oil, e.g., vacuum residue (VR), together with ultradispersed nano-catalyst and hydrogen. By injecting VR, catalyst, and hydrogen, the catalytic nano-particles deposit in the rock around an injection well, where the upgrading reactions occur. In this study, first, upgrading reactions happen inside a core packed container at the temperature, pressure, and residence time of 360 °C, 10 MPa, and 36 h, respectively. Subsequently, the hot reaction products are directed into another cylinder filled with carbonate cores to displace the heavy oil in place. There are two main steps in a reservoir during ISUT. First, the injected VR is converted to lighter products during hydroprocessing reactions. Then the upgraded liquid and gaseous products along with hydrogen will displace the heavy oil toward production wells. At the conditions of this experiment in the reactor, 38 wt% of the VR cut is converted to lighter products with 1 wt% gases (mainly H2S and hydrocarbons with 1 to 5 carbon atoms) and 4.8 wt% naphtha cut (hydrocarbons with 5 to 12 carbon atoms). These light products act as solvents in the areas farther from the reaction zone and enhance the recovery of heavy oil. In addition, high temperatures, mechanical push, and rock matrix thermal expansion improve the oil displacement in the carbonate rock. By enhancing the oil recovery and permanently upgrading heavy oil in one single stage, the need for diluent addition and steam generation is minimized, which makes ISUT economical and environmentally favorable. In an innovative experimental setup, both upgrading and recovery steps in the ISUT process are carefully analyzed.

Effect of Mineralogy on the Physicochemical Properties of a Heavy Crude Oil in Hybrid Steam Injection Technologies Using 1H NMR

“…This behavior could be observed in all of the cases evaluated where there was a reduction in viscosity of up to 13% additional regarding the tests without its presence, as shown in Figure . This test allowed us to confirm the hypotheses proposed by several authors, ,,− which concluded that the presence of clay minerals can lead to an additional decrease in this physical property, as was shown for the 70% sand scenarios where the higher clay content was added. The results show that the effect of metal ions from iron naphthenate on the viscosity of the enhanced base crude is also beneficial.…”

“…High proportions of thermal distillation of crude light fractions were evidenced in higher proportion in siltstones because of their abundance in kaolinite with a higher surface area. In addition, Elahi et al 40 experimentally studied the use of a nanocatalyst in a continuous steam injection in a carbonate reservoir, obtaining an 8°API increase and more than 99% decrease in viscosity. Zhang et al 41 set out their experimental tests to quantify the effect of rock fragments into the aquathermolysis reaction on gas production.…”

Heavy Oil Catalytic In Situ Upgrading in Fractured Carbonate Reservoirs. Fluid Distributions and Occurring Reactions Monitored with Marker Hydrocarbons

“…Dispersed metallic catalytic particles of high static energy density has been determined to get irreversibly adsorbed over the polar reservoir rocks. 21,22,29,35,36 In the present study, ICP spectroscopy confirmed practical total adsorption of dispersed metal particles by the rock, determined as the difference of the entering stream rich in metal particles minus metal contents for oils exiting the experimental reservoir units. Metals were analyzed first by sample mineralization (HNO 3 Sigma-Aldrich 438073, 70%; 10 mL/0.5 g sample) using microwave-assisted digestion in a commercial unit model MARS 6 from CEM Corporation (Matthews, NC, USA) and afterward followed by ICP-atomic emission spectroscopy with an IRIS Intrepid II XDL spectrometer from Thermo-Instruments Canada, Inc., Ontario, Canada.…”

“…The ISUT process was initially designed for sand reservoirs but has been explored for use in fractured carbonate reservoirs. − It leverages the reservoir as a reactor, anchoring metallic ultradispersed catalysts onto minerals for in situ upgrading. Vacuum residue (VR) serves as the carrier fluid, containing heat, catalysts (100–700 ppm metals), and hydrogen (50–300 std cm 3 per std cm 3 of VR) .…”

Evidence of water dissociation and hydrogenation on molybdenum carbide nanocatalyst for hydroprocessing reactions

“…In the absence of steam, both under H 2 -only or N 2 -only environments, the yield of CO 2 is marginal, which is in agreement with previous similar studies in our group for similar sets of experiments. 37,38 In addition, for the case of H 2 : N 2 of 1 : 1, there is no significant CO 2 production, whereas if any of these two gases is replaced with steam, i.e. the two cases of H 2 : H 2 O or N 2 : H 2 O of 1 : 1, the CO 2 yield is markedly higher.…”