Change in the Hydrocarbon and Component Compositions of Heavy Crude Ashalchinsk Oil Upon Catalytic Aquathermolysis

• Published in: Chemistry and technology of fuels and oils Vol. 53; no. 2; pp. 173 - 180
• Main Authors: Foss, L. E., Kayukova, G. P., Tumanyan, B. P., Petrukhina, N. N., Nikolaev, V. F., Romanov, G. V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.05.2017; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Alkanes; Alkylbenzenes; Asphaltenes; Carboxylates; Catalysts; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Chromates; Cobalt; Crude oil; Desorption; Disproportionation; Geotechnical Engineering & Applied Earth Sciences; Heavy petroleum; Hydrocarbons; Hydrogen; Hydrogen storage; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Ionization; Ions; Mass spectrometry; Mineral Resources; Molecular weight; Nickel; Oil fields; Scientific imaging; Viscosity; aquathermolysis; catalyst precursor; hydrogen proton donor; heavy crude oil; asphaltenes
• ISSN: 0009-3092; 1573-8310
• DOI: 10.1007/s10553-017-0793-7

A physical model has been developed for the aquathermolysis of heavy crude oil from the Ashalchinsk oil field at 250°, 300°, and 350°C. Nickel and cobalt carboxylates were used as oil-soluble catalyst precursors. In the presence of a hydrogen proton donor at 300°C, the oil content was found to rise considerably and the resin content was found to decrease by a factor of 1.8, which leads to a decrease in crude oil viscosity by 91% and a decrease in density from 960 to 933 kg/m 3 . The hydrocarbon composition of the liquid aquathermolysis products was studied by chromate-mass spectrometry. The average molecular weight of the asphaltenes was determined by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) spectrometry. The maximum disproportionation of the hydrocarbons into n-alkanes, alkylcyclohexanes, and alkylbenzenes occurs at 300° and 350°C. The composition of the hydrogen proton donor (tetralin) conversion products at these aquathermolysis temperatures was determined.