Pyrolysis and Oxidation of Asphaltene-Born Coke-like Residue Formed onto in Situ Prepared NiO Nanoparticles toward Advanced in Situ Combustion Enhanced Oil Recovery Processes

Abstract

Pyrolysis and oxidation of asphaltene-born coke-like residue formed onto ex situ and in situ prepared NiO nanoparticles as initial steps toward developing advanced in situ combustion enhanced oil recovery (EOR) processes were studied. The in situ synthesized NiO nanoparticles in heavy oil matrix, containing coke-like residue, were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray mapping techniques. The pyrolysis and postpyrolysis oxidation of the coke residue were investigated by temperature-programmed pyrolysis (TPP) and temperature-programmed oxidation (TPO) methods, respectively. Oxidation kinetics of the coke residue was described by the Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose isoconversional method. The results showed a higher percentage of coke residue on the in situ prepared nanoparticles than the ex situ employed ones. Eventually, during the TPP of the coke residue, the amount of carbon oxides released per total amount of the cok...