Scientists show that nickel compound can convert heavy oil into light oil in the reservoir

Scientists from the Institute of Geology and Petroleum Technologies, together with colleagues from Yemen and Mexico, have developed a mathematical model describing the transformation of sulfur-containing compounds during the upgrading of heavy oil in the reservoir.

It confirmed the high efficiency of the nickel-containing catalyst they had previously developed.

The results of the study, supported by a grant from the Russian Science Foundation, were published in the journal Fuel.

To develop the model, oil field conditions were recreated in the laboratory, with dibenzyl sulfide replacing the heavy oil to simulate hydrocarbon molecules.

"To trace the key chemical stages of the process, we used a model sulfur-containing compound, dibenzyl sulfide, rather than a complex natural mixture. It allows us to reproduce the behavior of sulfur-containing components characteristic of unconventional hydrocarbon feedstocks while accurately recording the direction of transformations and reaction rates," says Ameen A. Al-Muntaser, Senior Lecturer of the Department of Petroleum Engineering.

According to the researcher, the sulfur-containing model substance helped create a reliable kinetic model, since real heavy oils contain thousands of compounds that simultaneously undergo various parallel reactions.

The experiment revealed that the nickel-based catalyst can remove up to 97 percent of sulfur-containing compounds, significantly increasing their fluidity.

The model developed by the scientists includes 15 possible reactions occurring during the processing of sulfur-containing compounds.

"It not only demonstrated the effectiveness of using nickel compounds but also explained their mechanism of action. All of this will improve heavy oil production and processing technologies, thereby reducing labor costs and process costs," adds Mikhail Varfolomeev, project lead and director of the Kazan Federal University's Small-Tonnage Chemical Technology Park. "In the future, we plan to explore transition metal-based systems that, on the one hand, will possess surface-active properties and allow for the displacement of more hydrocarbon feedstock by altering interfacial tension, and, on the other hand, will form active catalyst phases during transformation for partial processing of heavy oil in the reservoir."

More information:
Kinetic modeling of dibenzyl sulfide conversion during catalytic hydrothermal desulfurization in the presence of Nickel-based catalyst
www.sciencedirect.com/science/ … ii/S0016236126006241

Provided by Kazan Federal University