A study on the characteristics of Algerian Hassi-Messaoud asphaltenes:Algerian Hassi-Messaoud asphaltenes: solubility and precipitation

This study focuses on detailed characterizations of asphaltene fractions extracted from the Algerian Hassi-Messaoud oil field. It was found that the extracted asphaltenes are not completely soluble in toluene, instead two fractions of asphaltenes were obtained upon solubilizing the heptane-precipitated neat asphaltenes in toluene. Extensive characterizations of the toluene-soluble and insoluble fractions were carried out using elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (ssNMR). It was suggested that the high oxygen content and uneven compositional structures are the main contributors to asphaltene instability. The toluene-insoluble fractions were found to have higher polarity and aromaticity as well as more oxygen content than the neat asphaltenes and toluene-soluble fractions

Upgrading of a Visbroken Vacuum Residue by Adsorption and Catalytic Steam Gasification of the Adsorbed Components

Unconventional oil is set to play an increasingly important role in world oil supply, where Canadian reserves are going to play a key role in the global market. The bitumen associated to these reserves typically contains more than 50% vacuum residue, thus developing new and less costly processing ideas is necessary. The present work focuses on a new process consisting of the improvement of Athabasca visbroken residue stability via adsorption using an in-house material, followed by low temperature catalytic steam gasification of the adsorbed material. A bench-scale setup was designed and built, and techniques such as P-value, thermal gravimetric analysis, and gas chromatography were used for products characterization. Results indicate that adsorption doesn’t seem to improve the visbroken residue, however an alternative path performing catalytic steam cracking instead shows an extra ~20% conversion of the feed, still maintaining a stable product. On the other hand, Catalytic steam gasification was achieved at low temperatures (560 ºC), with high production of hydrogen for the sorbcats tested, thus making possible an alternative path for the visbroken residue processing

Determination of molecular masses for petroleum distillates by simulated distillation

Determination of Molecular Mass (MM) for petroleum distillates is explored for selected samples via High Temperature Simulated Distillation (HTSD). MM is determined as a by-product from routine HTSD carried out using open wall capillary columns coated with apolar stationary phases. No sample pre-separation into hydrocarbon group-types is required. Determined MM values were validated with results achieved via correlations based on specific gravity and refractive index. Furthermore, determined MM with the former methodologies were found to match mass spectrometric determinations carried out for the basic polar components present within the studied samples. Moreover, HTSD analyzed petroleum distillates are proposed as more representative calibration standards for size exclusion chromatographic separations, thus opening the feasibility of extrapolating MM determination for non volatile petroleum residua.A determinação de Massa Molecular (MM) de destilados de petróleo é investigada para amostras seletas mediante destilação simulada de alta temperatura (iniciais em inglês: HTSD). A MM se obtém como produto colateral da prática de rotina de HTSD efetuada com colunas capilares tubulares revestidas com fase estacionária apolar. A pré-separação de amostra em grupos de hidrocarbonetos não é requerida para a análise. Os resultados de MM são validados mediante comparação com os obtidos mediante correlações baseadas em gravidade específica e índice de refração. Adicionalmente, corroborou-se que as MMs obtidas comparam com aquelas determinadas para os componentes básico-polares das amostras estudadas, determinadas mediante espectrometria de massas. Os destilados de petróleo analisados se propõem como padrões para calibração da cromatografia de exclusão molecular (SEC, pelas iniciais anglo-saxônicas), estendendo-se de tal forma a possibilidade da análise a frações residuais �não destiláveis- de petróleo.La determinación de Masa Molecular (MM) de destilados de petróleo es investigada para muestras selectas mediante Destilación Simulada de Alta Temperatura (iniciales en inglés: HTSD). La MM se obtiene como producto colateral de la práctica rutinaria de HTSD efectuada con columnas capilares tubulares revestidas con fase estacionaria apolar. La preseparación de muestra en grupos de hidrocarburos no es requerida para el análisis. Los resultados de MM son validados mediante comparación con los obtenidos mediante correlaciones basadas en gravedad específica e índice de refracción. Adicionalmente, se corroboró que las MMs obtenidas comparan con aquellas determinadas para los componentes básicos-polares de las muestras estudiadas, determinadas mediante espectrometría de masas. Los destilados de petróleo analizados se proponen como patrones para calibración de la Cromatografía de exclusión molecular (SEC, por las iniciales anglosajonas), extendiéndose de tal forma la posibilidad del análisis a fracciones residuales �no destilables- de petróleo

Nanopyroxene Grafting with β‑Cyclodextrin Monomer for Wastewater Applications

Emerging nanoparticle technology provides opportunities for environmentally friendly wastewater treatment applications, including those in the large liquid tailings containments in the Alberta oil sands. In this study, we synthesize β-cyclodextrin grafted nanopyroxenes to offer an ecofriendly platform for the selective removal of organic compounds typically present in these types of applications. We carry out computational modeling at the micro level through molecular mechanics and molecular dynamics simulations and laboratory experiments at the macro level to understand the interactions between the synthesized nanomaterials and two-model naphthenic acid molecules (cyclopentanecarboxylic and trans-4-pentylcyclohexanecarboxylic acids) typically existing in tailing ponds. The proof-of-concept computational modeling and experiments demonstrate that monomer grafted nanopyroxene  or nano-AE of the sodium iron-silicate aegirine are found to be promising candidates for the removal of polar organic compounds from wastewater, among other applications. These nano-AE offer new possibilities for treating tailing ponds generated by the oil sands industry