Abstract
Catalytic steam gasification of extra-heavy oil (EHO) fractions was studied using functionalized aluminosilicates, with NiO, MoO3, and/or CoO nanoparticles with the aim of evaluating the synergistic effect between active phase and the support in heavy oil on-site upgrading. Catalysts were characterized by chemical composition through X-ray Fluorescence, surface area, and pore size distribution through N2 adsorption/desorption, catalyst acidity by temperature programmed desorption (TPD), and metal dispersion by pulse H2 chemisorption. Batch adsorption experiments and catalytic steam gasification of adsorbed heavy fractions was carried out by thermogravimetric analysis and were performed with heavy oil model solutions of asphaltenes and resins (R–A) in toluene. Effective activation energy estimation was used to determine the catalytic effect of the catalyst in steam gasification of Colombian EHO. Additionally, R–A decomposition under inert atmosphere was conducted for the evaluation of oil components reactions with active phases and steam atmosphere. The presence of a bimetallic active phase Inc.reases the decomposition of the heavy compounds at low temperature by an increase in the aliphatic chains decomposition and the dissociation of heteroatoms bonds. Also, coke formation after steam gasification process is reduced by the application of the bimetallic catalyst yielding a conversion greater than 93%.
Highlights
With the depletion of conventional sources of crude oil, heavy oil (HO) and extra heavy oil (EHO)became an important alternative for the oil and gas industry [1,2,3]
This study evaluates the supports and active phase nature by the employment of clay and metakaolin materials as support of MoCo and MoNi active phases in the catalytic steam cracking of a resins–asphaltenes blend (R–A)
Metakaolin support has a suitable structure for heavy molecules adsorption due to the presence of larger pores in comparison with clay structure
Summary
With the depletion of conventional sources of crude oil, heavy oil (HO) and extra heavy oil (EHO)became an important alternative for the oil and gas industry [1,2,3]. Alberta in Canada, the Orinoco belt between Colombia and Venezuela, as well as China, Russia, and Mexico are regions with the most important heavy oil resources [4,5]. In Colombia, the production of HO and EHO represents about 60%. Of the current oil production, and the key reserves are located in the Eastern Plains and the Middle. Due to the severe declining of light and medium oil reserves in Colombia, it is expected that the production of HO and EHO will constitute more than 90% of the Colombian production [6]. The specific gravity of these fluids are from 10 to 20◦ of American petroleum institute gravity (API) for HO and lower than 10◦ API for EHO [9,11], and this is associated with the high content of heavy compounds such as resins and asphaltenes [12].
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