METHOD FOR REDUCING VISCOSITY OF HEAVY OIL

• Main Authors: HAMA TOSHIO, SUZUKI HIDEO, SEKIGUCHI YOSHITOSHI
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 10.05.2007
• Subjects: ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE ORUNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOIDCHEMISTRY; CHEMISTRY; CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; FIRELIGHTERS; FUELS; FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; LUBRICANTS; METALLURGY; MINERAL WAXES; NATURAL GAS; PEAT; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVEHYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, ORGASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BYSUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS; TRANSPORTING

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for reducing the viscosity of heavy oil, by which the viscosity of extra heavy oil can be reduced in milder semi-critical region conditions than extra critical states. SOLUTION: This method for reducing the viscosity of the heavy oil is characterized by subjecting extra heavy oil to a hydrothermal treatment in a semi-critical region of 300 to 374°C. The method for reducing the viscosity of the heavy oil is also characterized by adding a hydrogen-imparting organic compound to extra heavy oil, adding zinc chloride or iron chloride as a catalyst, and then hydrocracking the extra heavy oil under reaction conditions comprising a temperature of 150 to 300°C and a pressure of 0.1 to 50 kgf/cm2. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT