Aquathermolysis of Heavy Crude Oil with Amphiphilic
Nickel and Iron Catalysts
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Abstract
Two amphiphilic catalysts (i.e.,
metal dodecylbenzenesulfonates,
noted as C<sub>12</sub>BSNi and C<sub>12</sub>BSFe) were synthesized
and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR),
element analysis (EA), atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), and thermogravimetric
(TGA). Their interfacial activities were determined using a surface
tensiometer and an interfacial tensiometer. Both catalysts are interfacial
active and thermostable enough for heavy oil aquathermolysis. Their
performance on heavy oil aquathermolysis was assessed in an autoclave.
According to the viscosity reduction results, the synthesized amphiphilic
catalysts are more effective than water-soluble or oil-soluble catalysts,
with C<sub>12</sub>BSNi more efficient than C<sub>12</sub>BSFe. The
average molecular weight, group compositions, and average molecular
structure of heavy oil samples were analyzed using EA, FT-IR, and <sup>1</sup>H nuclear magnetic resonance (<sup>1</sup>H NMR) before and
after aquathermolysis reaction. And the results show that both catalysts
caused the change of molecular structures in heavy oil. The change
of asphaltene and resin molecular structures and decrease of their
contents are crucially important to the reduction of viscosity. C<sub>12</sub>BSNi causes more changes of the asphaltene than C<sub>12</sub>BSFe, whereas C<sub>12</sub>BSFe is beneficial to the breakage of
C–S bonds in asphlatenes and resins
