| Low temperature oxidation (LTO) of hydrocarbon liquids generally results in a more viscous end product; this has clearly been shown in the literature of the past 30 years. However, under the right conditions, LTO can be used to achieve viscosity reduction in heavy oils. The In-situ Combustion Group at the University of Calgary conceived of a two stage LTO process whereby oil is contacted with air, first at low, then at elevated temperatures. The first, low temperature step incorporates oxygen into some of the hydrocarbons, yielding labile bonds that should break at low temperatures. Once these free radicals are formed, the second step promotes bond cleavage at higher temperatures, resulting in shorter chain hydrocarbons. In a field situation, this process would be analogous to first injecting air into a formation at low temperature, then starting a steam soak or steam flood.; Experimental runs carried out on Athabasca bitumen examined the effects of oxygen partial pressure, temperature, reaction time, and the presence of rock and brine on the two-step process. On completion of each experiment, the gas composition was determined using gas chromatography, water acidity (pH) was measured, and the hydrocarbon products were analyzed for coke and asphaltenes contents, viscosity, and density. Some instances of viscosity reduction have been observed; these are linked to lower oxygen partial pressures, higher second stage temperatures and longer run times. This thesis discusses the experimental work, and estimates the optimum conditions for successful viscosity reduction of a given heavy oil. |
