Thermal Conversion Regimes for Oilsands Bitumen

Abstract

Thermal conversion of oilsands bitumen at 400 °C was investigated to gain a better understanding of temporal changes in liquid properties. The work approximated a mild thermal cracking (visbreaking) process with run-lengths extending into the coking region. Reaction progress could be divided into three main regimes: (I) stable visbreaking, (II) coking visbreaking, and (III) coking. In addition to observations anticipated from the literature, the work revealed aspects of the reaction progression that was not fully appreciated before. Stable visbreaking with minimal formation of coke had a “productive” period during which viscosity decreased, while asphaltenes content and gas yield were unchanged, followed by an “unproductive” period during which the viscosity, asphaltenes content, and gas yield all increased. After the onset of precipitation of solids, the solids (“coke”) yield increased and the asphaltenes content in the liquid decreased, but the viscosity increased. The origin of increased viscosity was ...