Laboratory Experiment Research and Field Tests on Catalyst of Aquathermolysis of Heavy Oils

Abstract

Aquathermolysis reaction of heavy oils occurring in high temperature water environment significantly degrades the heavy components of heavy oils, improves oil quality and reduces its viscosity. Aerosol, oil-soluble, and water-soluble nickel catalysts obviously and effectively catalyze the aquathermolysis reaction of heavy oils in a high temperature and reduces its viscosity, producing a gas increase of 49%, 41% and 21% respectively compared with the result with the absence of any catalyst. An aerosol, oil-soluble and water-soluble nickel catalyst compound (best quality ratio 1:1:2) increases the oil recovery of heavy oils by 8.5% and decreases the viscosity of sample oil and average relative molecular mass of porous media by 89.6% and 23% respectively, with its resin and asphaltene content significantly reduced. The pilot field tests show that, the test cycle production of heavy oils of each well proves an increase of 81.2 ~ 226.1t (not considering the cycle decline rate) over the previous one, which means that the field tests coincide with the laboratory experiments.