Influence of acoustic treatment and nature of solvents on viscosity of heavy oils

Abstract

The article summarizes experimental data on the influence of acoustic treatment and the nature of solvents on the viscosity of oil from the Timan-Pechora and the Volga-Ural oil and gas-bearing basin. A combined treatment of oils, including acoustic exposure to 22 kHz and the addition of a chemical reagent was carried out. It is shown that the introduction of 1.75% wt alkaline solution of isobutyl alcohol leads to a decrease in oil viscosity of the Timan-Pechora oil and gas-bearing basin by 35%. After complex treatment (acoustic exposure for 1 min and the addition of reagent) the viscosity decreased by 60%. The introduction of alkaline chemicals into the oil of the Volga-Ural oil and gas-bearing basin does not lead to a decrease in viscosity. Oil viscosity decreases by 2.1 times after the introduction of 3% wt solvent P-12 (60% toluene, 10% xylene, 30% butyl acetate). Viscosity reduces by further 18% after acoustic exposure. Thus, the maximum viscosity reduction of heavy oils can be achieved by using the combined treatment including of acoustic exposure and addition of the selected chemical reagent.