NONHYDROGENATIVE PROCESSING OF A SASKATCHEWAN HEAVY OIL UNDER MILD CONDITIONS USING DISPOSABLE ADDITIVES

In this study, a nonhydrogenative process for partial upgrading of hea vy oil was evaluated in a semi-continuous laboratory scale unit for pr oducing a low viscosity oil which could be pipelined easily. The proce ss was conducted at atmospheric pressure and over a temperature range of 400 to 470-degrees-C. Gas production was negligibly small (1-2 wt. % of the feed) and there was virtually no coking of reactor except at high coal concentrations (> 9.1 wt. %) and high reactor temperatures ( 470-degrees-C). The particulate content of the liquid product which co ntained unreacted coal, ash and coke (defined as toluene-insolubles) w as less than 5 wt. % in the majority of the cases. In the presence of coal, iron oxide mixed with coal, and iron oxide alone, maximum reduct ions in viscosity were: from 1540 to 248 mPa. s, from 1540 to 192 mPa. s, and from 1540 to 80 mPa.s, respectively. A moderate improvement in API gravity (from 13.0 to 18.2) was obtained using 1 wt. % iron oxide additive at 470-degrees-C. However, apparent pitch (resid) conversion s were of the order of only 20-30 wt. %.