AN IMPROVED MODEL FOR THE OXIDATION PROCESSES OF LIGHT CRUDE-OIL

The oxidation kinetics of a light Australian crude oil were studied ex perimentally using an evolved gas analysis technique. Mixtures of sand , water and an 824 kg m(-3) crude oil were heated at a controlled rate with a constant how of an oxidizing gas. The effluent gas was continu ally analysed for its oxygen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide conte nts. The oxidation behaviour was found to be substantially different t o that previously observed for heavier crudes. An improved mathematica l model is proposed that allows the oxidation kinetics of the oil to b e modelled by considering three competing and overlapping classes of r eactions. The model allows the kinetic parameters for each class of re action to be estimated. The effects on the kinetic parameters of varia bles such as pressure, sand grain size and carbon dioxide content of t he injection gas were also investigated experimentally.