Thermocatalytic upgrading and viscosity reduction of heavy oil using copper oxide nanoparticles

Zhong, Yitang; Tang, Xiaodong; Li, Jingjing; Zhou, Tian-Da; Deng, Chang-Lian

doi:10.1080/10916466.2020.1788079

Cited by 8 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…Cationic surfactants or mixtures of those with nonionic surfactants, on the one side, have been recognized as the most effective agents in wettability alteration of oil-wet carbonates. 173,180,181 The fundamental mechanism of action obeyed the formation of ion pair (because of electrostatic attraction) with adsorbed carboxylate groups on rock surfaces, known as the "ion-pair mechanism". 164,170,173,182,183 The formation of ion pairs may detach the adsorbed layer of crude oil components from the rock surface, exposing the preferential water-wet state.…”

Section: Strongly Hydrophobic Carbonate Rockmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We will primarily focus on the application of surfactants, which are agents that can create synergy through the surface modification of multiple nanoparticles. Cationic surfactants or mixtures of those with nonionic surfactants, on the one side, have been recognized as the most effective agents in wettability alteration of oil-wet carbonates. ,, …”

Section: Mechanisms and Applications Of Nanoparticles In Eormentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is further highlighted that the most promising EOR applications are focused on steam injection (59% of the experimental reports) and SAGD (12%), as schematically represented in Figure d. Furthermore, Table S2 − ,− ,,,,− provides additional details on other critical variables that have been considered, including oil recovery, API improvement, and asphaltene reduction, in over 25 experiments considered in this Review. However, it is essential to note that the area of nanoparticle applications in thermal oil recovery is dynamic and, to date, there have been no advances in terms of field application.…”

Section: Mechanisms and Applications Of Nanoparticles In Eormentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nanoparticles Technology for Improving Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage Process Performance: A Review

Prada,

Botett,

Contreras−Mateus

et al. 2024

Ind. Eng. Chem. Res.

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The increase in energy demand and the dynamics of the energy transition have changed the perspectives and opportunities within the oil and gas sector. This revolutionary scenario has resulted in sustainable and consolidated strategies, exemplified by the development of enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods within the improved oil recovery (IOR) scheme, and specifically for this Review study in the steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) techniques. The selection and impact of the EOR methods, as well as the expected recovery, rely on multiple factors, encompassing economic, environmental, and technological considerations. The above has led to the simultaneous appearance of uncertainties and difficulties that are continuously challenging the ranking of the oil sector in the global energy market. Against this background, nanotechnology has been established as a feasible strategy to be integrated into multiple stages of the oil supply chain. This Review study has focused on highlighting the synergistic trends of nanotechnology, steam, and oil recovery by conducting bibliometric analysis, where a tendency of the number of publications has increased in the last three years, as evidence of the application of nanotechnology in the oil industry. We have also carried out comprehensive discussions on the most widely implemented conventional thermal oil recovery methods with the dual purpose of explaining their methodologies and, at the same time, highlighting their inherent limitations and the imperative requirements to optimize them. In this direction, we have presented an in-depth exploration of the physicochemical mechanisms of action of nanoparticles to underscore the prospects for their applications in the EOR technologies. Finally, we contextualized the economic and technical feasibility of incorporating nanoparticles into industry, alongside advancements in simulation studies, presented as robust and cost-effective research alternatives, offering a more well-founded perspective on the scalability of nanoparticle technology.

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Section: Strongly Hydrophobic Carbonate Rockmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Mechanisms and Applications Of Nanoparticles In Eormentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Mechanisms and Applications Of Nanoparticles In Eormentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nanoparticles Technology for Improving Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage Process Performance: A Review

Prada,

Botett,

Contreras−Mateus

et al. 2024

Ind. Eng. Chem. Res.

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“…Chen et al [4] demonstrated the effectiveness of CuO nanoparticles as hydrothermal cracking catalysts in reducing the viscosity of heavy oil from the Shengli Oilfield by 94.6% and transforming 22.4% of asphaltene into lighter components. Zhong et al [5] further investigated the use of CuO nanoparticles in the catalytic pyrolysis of heavy oil and observed that the addition of a THF donor in the catalytic reaction further reduced the viscosity. Furthermore, a recent density functional theory (DFT) study [6] reported the catalytic activity of several transition metal ions in the hydrothermal degradation of heavy oil; they found the order of catalytic activity as Cu 2+ > Co 2+ ≈ Ni 2+ > Fe 2+ , with Cu 2+ exhibiting the highest catalytic activity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigation on the Catalytic Cracking Mechanism of CuO on Dimethyl Sulfoxide (C2H6OS) and Surface Modification Effects: Insights from Density Functional Theory Calculations

et al. 2023

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To explore the catalytic cracking mechanism of CuO on oil shale and the catalytic activity of surface modifications of CuO on oil shale, dimethyl sulfoxide (C2H6OS) is used as a model molecule representative of organic sulfur compounds in oil shale, and the adsorption and dissociation behaviors of C2H6OS molecules on pure and OH pre-adsorbed CuO(111) surfaces were investigated by density functional theory calculations. The results indicate that C2H6OS selectively adsorbs at the Cusub sites via the S atom and decomposes through cleavage of the C–H bond prior to the breaking of the C-S bond on both surfaces. The presence of OH on the CuO(111) surface promoted the dissociation of C2H6OS. The energy barriers of dehydrogenation and desulfurization of C2H6OS on the OH pre-adsorbed CuO(111) surface were 20.0 and 19.3 kcal/mol, respectively, which are 41% and 49% lower than those on pure surfaces. The present results provide crucial guidance for the synthesis and improvement of high-performance pyrolysis catalysts specifically designed for oil shale applications. Additionally, they also present important data regarding to the thermal stability of C2H6OS in the presence of incompatible substances.

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“…There are three steam injection methods: steam flooding, cyclic steam stimulation (CSS), and steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) with slightly different operating temperatures. The SAGD operating temperatures are typically in the range of 180–240 °C, while CSS can operate at temperatures about 300 °C. − A combination of catalyst and/or solvent with steam is commonly applied to enhance aquathermolysis reactions and to reduce steam residence time. − Other technologies such as steam distillation, in situ electric heating, , and in situ steam generation have also been proposed for the same purpose.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular Composition Characterization of Oilsand Heating Experiments to Investigate Steam-Solvent Effects and Chemical Reactions during Thermal Recovery

et al. 2021

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To better understand the hot-water-mediated organic transformation process that occurs during the steam-assisted recovery of heavy oil and bitumen, a series of heating experiments has been performed on Athabasca oilsand in stainless-steel tubes under isothermal conditions at temperatures of 300 °C for 5 and 15 days and 330 °C for 5 days. Compounds absent in the raw bitumen due to biodegradation were generated after heating under 300 °C for 5 days. Their occurrence was most likely the release of an occluded fraction from asphaltenes. Concentrations of gas chromatography (GC)amenable compounds were doubled after heating at 300 °C for 5 days and tripled for 15 days and were an order of magnitude higher after heating at 330 °C for 5 days, suggesting that both time and temperature exert significant impact on hydrocarbon release. The increased concentration of hydrocarbons can be attributed to either neoformation or relative enrichment. Molecular composition analysis illustrated that maturity parameters based on the degree of isomerization show no obvious variation under designed conditions, while ratios derived from different compound classes such as sesquiterpenes versus pentacyclic terpanes, less alkylated naphthalenes versus more alkylated naphthalenes, short-chained aromatic steroids versus longer-chained ones, and alkylnaphthalenes versus aromatic steroids can serve as a proxy for aquathermolysis reactions and degree of in situ upgrading. The free oil yield in methyl propyl ketone (MPK) addition samples is much higher than that without it, suggesting that MPK facilitates vapor transportation with steam and bitumen's mobility. However, free oil with MPK addition may be selectively enriched in polar species diluting the hydrocarbons produced. Our experimental results provide deep insight into the reaction mechanisms of heavy oil and bitumen during the thermal recovery process and a potential route for the process optimization.

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Thermocatalytic upgrading and viscosity reduction of heavy oil using copper oxide nanoparticles

Cited by 8 publications

References 39 publications

Nanoparticles Technology for Improving Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage Process Performance: A Review

Nanoparticles Technology for Improving Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage Process Performance: A Review

Investigation on the Catalytic Cracking Mechanism of CuO on Dimethyl Sulfoxide (C2H6OS) and Surface Modification Effects: Insights from Density Functional Theory Calculations

Molecular Composition Characterization of Oilsand Heating Experiments to Investigate Steam-Solvent Effects and Chemical Reactions during Thermal Recovery

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