Comparison of the effects of dispersed noble metal (Pd) biomass supported catalysts with typical hydrogenation (Pd/C, Pd/Al2O3) and hydrotreatment catalysts (CoMo/Al2O3) for in-situ heavy oil upgrading with Toe-to-Heel Air Injection (THAI)

FUEL

卷:180

Article

Hart, Abarasi¹  Omajali, Jacob B.²  Murray, Angela J.²  Macaskie, Lynne E.²  Greaves, Malcolm³  Wood, Joseph¹ 

[1] Univ Birmingham, Sch Chem Engn, Birmingham B15 2TT, W Midlands, England

[2] Univ Birmingham, Sch Biosci, Birmingham B15 2TT, W Midlands, England

[3] Univ Bath, Dept Chem Engn, IOR Res Grp, Bath BA2 7AY, Avon, England

关键词: Nanoparticles;    Bio-Pd;    Upgrading;    Heavy oil;    THAI;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.fuel.2016.04.064

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

Catalyst deactivation due to coke and metals deposition as a result of cracking presents a challenge in heavy oil recovery and upgrading. This is particularly pronounced for in situ upgrading techniques, in which pelleted catalyst is packed around the perimeter of the horizontal producer well of the Toe-to-Heel Air Injection (THAI) process. The fixed bed of catalyst is virtually impossible to regenerate in place, promoting investigation of alternative contacting via the dispersion of nanoparticles. The catalysts studied were finely crushed micro-particulates with average size of 2.6 mu m and also a catalyst prepared upon a bacterial support. The latter has advantages in terms of ease of preparation of catalysts from recycled metal sources. Heavy oil of API gravity 13.8 degrees and viscosity 1091 mPa s was used as feed and upgrading was performed in a batch reactor at 425 degrees C, with a catalyst-to-oil ratio of 0.02 (g/g), and at an initial pressure of 20 bar. The activity of the Pd/biomass catalyst was evaluated against a number of other catalysts: Pd/Al2O3, Pd/C, Al2O3 and Co-Mo/Al2O3. By using the Pd/biomass catalyst, the produced oil gravity increased by 7.8 degrees API, and its viscosity was reduced to 7 mPa s. This effect corresponded to an increase in the amount of low-boiling distillate (IBP - 200 degrees C) from 34.6 vol.% (original feedstock) to 53-62 vol. %, potentially reducing the amount of diluent needed for pipeline transport of bitumen. The coke yields were (wt.%): 13.65 (Al2O3), 9.55 (Pd/Al2O3), 6.85 (Pd/C) and 3.87 (Pd/biomass). The Pd/biomass catalyst showed significantly reduced coke yield compared to thermal cracking and upgrading using Pd/C and Pd/Al2O3 catalysts, which could greatly enhance catalyst survivability in the field. (C) 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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