Effective parameters on in-situ oil upgrading with nanocatalyst in large scale: Kinetics modeling

Abstract

Thermal enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods are the main techniques used to produce oil from heavy oil reservoirs. But this methods are associated with environmental challenges and do not reduce viscosity permanently. One of the new methods with less environmental challenges that can permanently improve oil quality and enhanced oil recovery is the in-situ oil upgrading with nanocatalyst. In the present study, effectiveness of the in-situ oil upgrading with nanocatalyst in improving the quality of oil and increasing the oil production have been investigated at a large-scale heavy oil reservoir with the aid of STARS simulator. Reactive flow was considered in the simulation by kinetic modelling of a reaction network with 5 pseudo-components. Also, effect of temperature and type of oil have been studied. Details on how to carry out reactions and changes in oil components over time have been investigated. In addition, steam flooding and in-situ oil upgrading with nanocatalyst were compared from the point of view of the amount of released CO2 gas and the required water. The results show that in-situ oil upgrading with nanocatalyst is a time-consuming process and causes a 40% increase in the cumulative production and 23.58% decrease in the density compared to the steam flooding.There is an optimum temperature (300 °C) for the in-situ oil upgrading process with nanocatalyst at which the maximum amount of oil is produced and has a better recovery on heavier oils. The major part of VR is converted into distillate in the heavier oil, while in the lighter oil, the dominant reaction was conversion of VR to VGO. In addition, in-situ oil upgrading with nanocatalyst reduces the required water and emission of CO2 compared to the steam flooding method and among the three factors of injection flow rate, temperature, and steam quality, the most effective factor to reduce environmental problems with the help of in-situ oil upgrading with nanocatalyst is injection flow rate.