Application of ray radiation in heavy oil modification and viscosity reduction and heavy oil modification and viscosity reduction method

Abstract

The invention provides application of ray radiation in heavy oil modification and viscosity reduction and a heavy oil modification and viscosity reduction method. The ray radiation is applied to the modification and viscosity reduction of the thickened oil, the ray radiation with enough energy is utilized to irradiate the thickened oil, the modification and viscosity reduction of the thickened oil with the viscosity within 5500 mPa.s can be realized, the viscosity reduction rate can reach 90% or above, and the modification and viscosity reduction effect is good. The method for modifying and reducing the viscosity of the thickened oil by using the ray radiation provided by the invention does not need to use chemical agents, does not need to add water, does not have adverse effects on later dehydration of the thickened oil, does not need to heat, does not need a catalyst, does not generate secondary pollution on the crude oil, and saves energy; the method can be implemented by arranging radiation sources on corresponding pipe sections needing heavy oil modification and viscosity reduction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of heavy oil processing in oil and gas fields, and in particular relates to the application of ray radiation in heavy oil modification and viscosity reduction and a heavy oil modification and viscosity reduction method. Background Art

[0002] Heavy oil has a complex composition and a high content of colloidal asphaltene, resulting in its high viscosity, high density and poor fluidity. These characteristics seriously restrict the extraction and transportation of heavy oil.

[0003] At present, there are mainly the following methods to reduce the viscosity of heavy oil:

[0004] 1. Chemical Viscosity Reduction: Heavy components such as colloids and asphaltenes accumulate in heavy oil. Surfactants are injected into the oil, creating permeability through hydrogen bonding with highly polar functional groups. Surfactants diffuse into the inter-molecular spaces between these heavy oil components, breaking up the aggregated colloids and asphaltenes. This modifies the intermolecular forces and friction, ultimately reducing the viscosity of the oil. Chemical viscosity reduction is highly targeted, so chemical viscosity reducers can become ineffective depending on the physical properties and composition of the heavy oil. Furthermore, some chemical viscosity reducers can adversely affect subsequent dehydration of the heavy oil.

[0005] 2. Dilution Viscosity Reduction: A certain proportion of light components, such as light hydrocarbons (including petroleum ether, gasoline, diesel, kerosene, etc.) or thin crude oil, is blended into heavy oil to make the light components miscible with the heavy oil. This overall reduces the mass fraction of colloidal asphaltenes in the heavy oil and reduces the entanglement of colloidal asphaltenes molecules, thereby lowering the viscosity and density of the heavy oil and achieving the desired viscosity reduction. However, this dilution viscosity reduction method has the following drawbacks: first, it can reduce crude oil quality and increase production costs. Second, the compatibility of the diluted crude oil is also limited; not all light crude oils are suitable for a certain type of heavy oil. Third, dilution may affect crude oil dehydration.

[0006] 3. Heating Viscosity Reduction: This method reduces the density and viscosity of heavy oil by heating, such as steam addition and reservoir burning. However, this method has the disadvantages of high investment, high energy consumption, and high operating temperatures. For example, some heavy oil processing stations in oil fields operate at temperatures above 90°C for a long time, which poses a serious safety hazard and results in significant energy waste.

[0007] 4. Water Viscosity Reduction: During the extraction and collection process of heavy oil, a certain proportion of hot water is added to emulsify the oil and hot water, forming an oil-in-water emulsion. This creates a water-external phase, effectively wrapping the heavy oil in a layer of water film, thus preventing any impact on extraction and transportation. However, this method has the following drawbacks: first, it wastes energy and water resources; second, it increases the pressure on subsequent processing at the combined station.

[0008] 5. Microbial Viscosity Reduction: This technology utilizes microbial metabolic processes to degrade heavy components such as asphaltenes and colloids in heavy oil into lighter components such as saturated and aromatic hydrocarbons, thereby reducing the viscosity of the heavy oil. However, microbial viscosity reduction has the disadvantages of demanding application conditions and low efficiency. The composition and structure of heavy oil are extremely complex and variable, and even within the same reservoir or oil layer, the structure of heavy oil can vary from location to location. Cultivating suitable microorganisms and their metabolites is difficult, as is isolating the microorganisms after the reaction is complete.

[0009] 6. Hydrothermal cracking viscosity reduction: The main idea is to inject steam while using catalysts and other additives to break the macromolecules in the heavy oil under hydrothermal conditions, thereby converting the asphaltenes and colloids in the heavy oil into light components, thereby reducing the viscosity of the heavy oil. However, the selection of catalysts and catalyst deactivation are also difficult issues to solve in industrial applications.

[0010] If a method for reducing the viscosity of heavy oil can be provided that eliminates the various defects of the above existing methods for reducing the viscosity of heavy oil, it will be helpful to overcome the constraints on the production and transportation of heavy oil due to the difficulty in reducing the viscosity. Summary of the Invention

[0011] In view of the shortcomings of various existing methods for reducing the viscosity of heavy oil, the present invention aims to provide an energy-saving method for reducing the viscosity of heavy oil that does not require the use of chemicals or water, has no adverse effect on subsequent heavy oil dehydration, does not require heating or the addition of catalysts, and does not cause secondary pollution to the crude oil.

[0012] A first aspect of the present invention provides the application of radiation in upgrading and reducing the viscosity of heavy oil.

[0013] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the ray radiation is gamma ray radiation or high energy electron beam radiation.

[0014] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the energy of the ray radiation is greater than 0.6 MeV.

[0015] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the energy of the gamma ray radiation is not less than 1.25 MeV; and / or

[0016] The energy of the high-energy electron beam radiation is not less than 2.4 MeV.

[0017] A second aspect of the present invention provides a method for modifying and reducing the viscosity of heavy oil according to the first aspect of the present invention, comprising the following steps:

[0018] The ray radiation is used to irradiate the heavy oil to achieve modification and viscosity reduction of the heavy oil.

[0019] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, when the viscosity of the heavy oil is ≤1000 mPa·s, the ray radiation is the gamma ray radiation.

[0020] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, when the viscosity of the heavy oil is greater than 1000 mPa.s and less than or equal to 5500 mPa.s, the ray radiation is the high-energy electron beam radiation.

[0021] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the vertical distance between the radiation source for generating the ray radiation and the heavy oil surface is 5-20 cm; and / or

[0022] The thickness of the liquid layer of the heavy oil is 5-10 cm.

[0023] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the irradiation area of ​​the ray radiation is not less than three quarters of the area of ​​the heavy oil surface.

[0024] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the irradiation time of the heavy oil by the gamma ray radiation is not less than 1 hour.

[0025] According to a specific embodiment of the present invention, the irradiation time of the heavy oil by the high-energy electron beam radiation is not less than 0.5 h.

[0026] Beneficial effects of the present invention:

[0027] In response to various drawbacks of various existing methods for reducing the viscosity of heavy oil, the present invention provides the application of radiation for heavy oil modification and viscosity reduction, and a method for such modification and viscosity reduction. The present invention applies radiation to heavy oil modification and viscosity reduction, irradiating the heavy oil with radiation having sufficient energy. The radiation type and energy, the distance between the radiation source and the heavy oil liquid surface, the relationship between the irradiated area and the heavy oil liquid surface area, and the irradiation duration are preferably controlled. This method disrupts hydrogen bonds between heavy oil molecules, reducing their van der Waals forces, or disrupts carbon-carbon, carbon-oxygen, carbon-nitrogen, and carbon-sulfur bonds, converting large-molecule colloidal asphaltenes and long-chain alkanes into small-molecule alkanes, thereby effectively reducing the viscosity of the heavy oil. It has a high viscosity reduction rate for heavy oils of different viscosity levels. For example, when gamma ray radiation is used to modify and reduce the viscosity of heavy oil with a viscosity of ≤1000mPa.s, a viscosity reduction rate of 75-90% can be achieved with an irradiation time of 6h-9h; when high-energy electron beam radiation is used to modify and reduce the viscosity of heavy oil with a viscosity of >1000mPa.s and ≤5500mPa.s, a viscosity reduction rate of 80-95% can be achieved with an irradiation time of 4-6h. Compared with the heavy oil viscosity reduction methods in the prior art, the heavy oil modification and viscosity reduction method using ray radiation provided by the present invention does not require the use of chemical agents, does not require water addition, has no adverse effect on the subsequent dehydration of heavy oil, does not require heating, does not require catalysts, does not produce secondary pollution to crude oil, saves energy, and realizes a transformation of the traditional heavy oil viscosity reduction method. In industrial production, the radiation source can be directly arranged in the corresponding pipe section where heavy oil modification and viscosity reduction are required, and the application prospect is broad. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the radiation chamber for implementing the heavy oil reforming and viscosity reduction method provided by the present invention, wherein: 1 - radiation protection layer (can be opened or closed to facilitate the removal of crude oil); 2 - lifting base; 3 - heavy oil to be treated; 4 - open treatment container; 5 - radiation source base; 6 - radiation source. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] The present invention will be further described below with reference to examples. However, the examples are merely illustrative and do not limit the present invention in any way.

[0030] For the convenience of description, some nouns or terms appearing in the embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below.

[0031] Gamma rays: also known as gamma particle flow, are rays released when the energy levels of atomic nuclei transition and de-excite. They are electromagnetic waves with a wavelength shorter than 0.1 angstroms.

[0032] High-energy electron beam: The electrons generated by the cathode in the electron gun are accelerated to a very high speed (0.3-0.7 times the speed of light) under the action of the high-voltage (25-300kV) accelerating electric field between the anode and cathode. After being converged by the lens, a dense high-speed electron stream is formed.

[0033] Radiation: refers to the phenomenon that part of the electromagnetic energy emitted by the emission source (electromagnetic waves, etc.) escapes from the field source and propagates to a distant place, and then no longer returns to the field source. The energy diffuses outward in the form of electromagnetic waves or particles.

[0034] Irradiation: The heavy oil to be treated is irradiated with gamma rays or high-energy electron beams.

[0035] Cobalt-60 radiation source: A radiation source made of artificial radioactive isotope cobalt-60 as radioactive material.

[0036] High-energy electron accelerator: A device that uses an induced electric field to accelerate electrons.

[0037] One aspect of the present invention provides the use of radiation in upgrading and reducing the viscosity of heavy oil.

[0038] It should be noted that when the above-mentioned radiation is used in heavy oil upgrading and viscosity reduction, reasonable electromagnetic radiation protection measures must be taken in accordance with relevant laws, regulations and standards.

[0039] According to an improvement of the present invention, the ray radiation is gamma ray radiation or high-energy electron beam radiation.

[0040] According to an improvement of the present invention, the radiation is gamma ray radiation generated by a natural radioactive source; or

[0041] The ray radiation is high-energy electron beam radiation generated by a high-energy electron accelerator.

[0042] In the application of the present invention, to achieve the modification and viscosity reduction of heavy oil, it is necessary to use the energy carried by the radiation itself to break the hydrogen bonds between the colloid asphaltene molecules in the heavy oil and reduce their van der Waals forces; or to break the carbon-carbon bonds, carbon-oxygen bonds, carbon-nitrogen bonds, and carbon-sulfur bonds in the colloid asphaltene and large molecular heterocyclic heavy aromatics and long-chain alkanes, so that they are converted into small molecular alkanes. Therefore, the energy carried by the radiation is a key factor affecting the effect of modifying and reducing the viscosity of heavy oil, so it is necessary to limit the energy range carried by the radiation. The energy carried by the radiation is limited based on the hydrogen bond energy of about 56kJ / mol, the carbon-carbon bond energy of about 336-837kJ / mol, the carbon-oxygen bond energy of about 326-728kJ / mol, the carbon-sulfur bond energy of about 330-830kJ / mol, and the carbon-nitrogen bond energy of about 272-536kJ / mol in heavy oil.

[0043] According to an improvement of the present invention, the natural radiation source is preferably a cobalt-60 radiation source.

[0044] According to an improvement of the present invention, the power of the high-energy electron accelerator is preferably 50 kW.

[0045] According to an improvement of the present invention, the energy of the ray radiation is greater than 0.6 MeV.

[0046] According to an improvement of the present invention, the energy of the gamma ray radiation is not less than 1.25 MeV; and / or

[0047] The energy of the high-energy electron beam radiation is not less than 2.4 MeV.

[0048] Another aspect of the present invention provides a method for modifying and reducing the viscosity of heavy oil according to the application provided by the present invention, which comprises the following steps:

[0049] The ray radiation is used to irradiate the heavy oil to achieve modification and viscosity reduction of the heavy oil.

[0050] The following combination Figure 1 The schematic structural diagram of the radiation chamber shown in the figure is used to explain in detail the implementation of the heavy oil reforming and viscosity reduction method according to the application provided by the present invention: First, to avoid the danger or damage to operators and other surrounding equipment caused by improper use of radiation, the entire heavy oil reforming and viscosity reduction process is carried out in a radiation shielding layer 1 that can be opened to facilitate the access of crude oil and closed to prevent radiation radiation from spreading to the outside. On one side of the inner wall of the radiation shielding layer 1, a radiation source base 5 is provided, on which one or more evenly distributed radiation sources 6, such as natural radiation sources or high-energy electron accelerators, are fixed. The natural radiation sources are stored in a special container ( Figure 1 (not shown) such as a lead well or lead box to control the release of gamma ray radiation, the high energy electron accelerator itself has a switch ( Figure 1 (not shown) to control the release of high-energy electron beam radiation. A lifting base 2 is provided on the inner wall of the radiation shielding layer 1 opposite the radiation source 6, and an open treatment container 4 for containing the heavy oil to be treated 3 is placed on the lifting base 2. The radiation direction of the radiation source 6 is perpendicular to the bottom surface of the open treatment container 4. With the radiation source 6 closed, the radiation shielding layer 1 is opened, and a certain amount of heavy oil to be treated 3 is injected into the open treatment container 4. After adjusting the vertical distance between the radiation source 6 and the liquid surface of the heavy oil to be treated 3 by adjusting the lifting base 2, the radiation shielding layer 1 is closed to make it in a closed state, so that the gamma ray radiation is released from the special container or the switch of the high-energy electron accelerator is turned on to release the high-energy electron beam radiation, and the heavy oil modification and viscosity reduction process begins.

[0051] Factors such as the number and type of radiation sources, the viscosity of the heavy oil, the vertical distance between the radiation sources and the oil surface, and the area of ​​the heavy oil irradiated by the radiation sources all affect the effectiveness of heavy oil reforming and viscosity reduction. To ensure optimal heavy oil reforming and viscosity reduction, the present invention also provides the following improvements to address these factors.

[0052] Heavy oils of different viscosities have different components, so the present invention sets different types of radiation with different energies to modify and reduce the viscosity of heavy oils of different viscosities.

[0053] According to an improvement of the present invention, when the viscosity of the heavy oil is ≤1000 mPa.s, the ray radiation is the gamma ray radiation, and preferably the gamma ray radiation with energy not less than 1.25 MeV generated by the cobalt-60 radiation source.

[0054] According to an improvement of the present invention, when the viscosity of the heavy oil is greater than 1000 mPa.s and less than or equal to 5500 mPa.s, the ray radiation is high-energy electron beam radiation, and preferably the high-energy electron beam radiation with an energy of not less than 2.4 MeV generated by the high-energy electron accelerator.

[0055] The modification and viscosity reduction of heavy oil should be effective and uniform. To ensure the safety of the heavy oil modification and viscosity reduction method provided by the present invention, the number of radiation sources and the irradiation range should be controlled. The thickness of the liquid layer of heavy oil to be treated should also be appropriate. Excessive thickness of the heavy oil layer may result in insufficient modification and viscosity reduction of the heavy oil on the side of the liquid layer away from the radiation source.

[0056] According to an improvement of the present invention, the vertical distance between the radiation source for generating the ray radiation and the heavy oil liquid surface is 5-20 cm.

[0057] According to an improvement of the present invention, the thickness of the heavy oil layer is 5-10 cm.

[0058] According to an improvement of the present invention, the irradiation area of ​​the ray radiation is not less than three quarters of the area of ​​the heavy oil surface.

[0059] According to an improvement of the present invention, the number of radiation sources generating the ray radiation is 1-10.

[0060] In the modification and viscosity reduction treatment of heavy oil, the irradiation time of the heavy oil by radiation is not fixed and can be adjusted according to the actual viscosity reduction requirements.

[0061] The following only provides a preferred scheme for the radiation irradiation time required to achieve a viscosity reduction rate of 30%-95% for heavy oil with a viscosity within 5500 mPa·s.

[0062] According to an improvement of the present invention, when the viscosity of the heavy oil is ≤1000 mPa.s, the irradiation time of the heavy oil by the gamma-ray radiation is not less than 1 hour. Preferably, the recommended irradiation time for achieving a 30%-40% viscosity reduction rate of the heavy oil is 1-2 hours, the recommended irradiation time for achieving a 45%-70% viscosity reduction rate of the heavy oil is 3-5 hours, and the recommended irradiation time for achieving a 75%-90% viscosity reduction rate of the heavy oil is 6-9 hours.

[0063] According to an improvement of the present invention, when the viscosity of the heavy oil is greater than 1000 mPa.s and less than or equal to 5500 mPa.s, the irradiation time of the heavy oil with the high-energy electron beam radiation is not less than 0.5 h. Preferably, the recommended irradiation time for achieving a 40%-55% heavy oil viscosity reduction rate is 0.5-1 h, the recommended irradiation time for achieving a 60%-75% heavy oil viscosity reduction rate is 1.5-3 h, and the recommended irradiation time for achieving an 80%-95% heavy oil viscosity reduction rate is 4-6 h.

[0064] If the heavy oil to be treated using the heavy oil modification and viscosity reduction method provided by the present invention contains free water, the actual amount of heavy oil processed will be relatively reduced, thereby reducing the efficiency of the modification and viscosity reduction treatment. Furthermore, free water in the heavy oil can also affect the accurate measurement of the heavy oil viscosity during the modification and viscosity reduction process. Therefore, the heavy oil to be treated should be free of free water. If the heavy oil to be treated contains free water, it should be removed according to the following method before the modification and viscosity reduction treatment is performed.

[0065] According to an improvement of the present invention, the method for removing free water from heavy oil comprises the following steps:

[0066] The heavy oil containing free water is mixed with a demulsifier, allowed to settle, and the upper layer of heavy oil is collected to obtain the heavy oil from which the free water has been removed;

[0067] Preferably, the temperature of the static sedimentation is 50-70°C (eg, 50°C, 60°C or 70°C); and / or the duration is not less than 24 hours.

[0068] In the present invention, the demulsifier is generally a polyether demulsifier. Its specific type and dosage can be flexibly adjusted for heavy oils of varying viscosities and compositions, and are not specifically limited. Generally speaking, the demulsifiers currently used on-site have been carefully selected by the production unit and can be used to remove free water and some emulsified water from the corresponding heavy oil.

[0069] The viscosity of heavy oil mentioned in the present invention refers to the viscosity of heavy oil at 25°C.

[0070] Application of X-ray Radiation in Heavy Oil Modification and Viscosity Reduction and Indoor Example of Heavy Oil Modification and Viscosity Reduction Method

[0071] The following examples are all based on Figure 1The radiation chamber shown is implemented as an indoor implementation device.

[0072] The following examples are processed in the following heavy oil samples:

[0073] Heavy oil sample A: free water content 46.3 wt%, viscosity after dehydration 987 mPa.s (25°C);

[0074] Heavy oil sample B: free water content 53.9 wt%, viscosity after dehydration 1062 mPa.s (25°C);

[0075] Heavy oil sample C: free water content 59.7 wt%, viscosity after dehydration 5385 mPa.s (25°C);

[0076] The demulsifier used in the following examples is KY-01 polyamine polyether demulsifier, which is diluted with ethanol when used. The mass of the ethanol used for dilution is calculated as 100%, and the mass of the KY-01 polyamine polyether demulsifier accounts for 1wt% of the mass of ethanol.

[0077] Example 1

[0078] First, the free water in the heavy oil sample A needs to be removed, and then it is subjected to modification and viscosity reduction treatment.

[0079] 1) Removal of free water from heavy oil sample A: 1000 g of heavy oil sample A was weighed and placed in a 2000 mL beaker, 100 mL of demulsifier (KY-01 polyamine polyether demulsifier diluted with ethanol, the mass of the ethanol used for dilution being 100%, and the mass of the KY-01 polyamine polyether demulsifier accounting for 1 wt% of the mass of the ethanol) was added, stirred evenly, and then allowed to settle at 50° C. for 24 h to separate the free water at the bottom, and the dehydrated heavy oil sample A in the upper layer was collected. The initial viscosity of the dehydrated heavy oil sample A was measured to be 987 mPa.s, and then subjected to modification and viscosity reduction treatment;

[0080] 2) In the natural radiation source radiation room (structural diagram is Figure 1 ) is subjected to a modification and viscosity reduction treatment on the dehydrated heavy oil sample A obtained in step 1):

[0081] The radiation room for natural radioactive sources has a radiation source base 5 provided on one side of the inner wall of the radiation shielding layer 1. A cobalt-60 radioactive source (i.e., radiation source 6) stored in a lead box is fixed on the radiation source base 5. The gamma-ray radiation energy released by the cobalt-60 radioactive source is greater than or equal to 1.25 MeV and the activity is 200,000 Curies. A lifting base 2 is provided on the inner wall of the radiation shielding layer 1 opposite the cobalt-60 radioactive source. An open processing container 4 for holding the heavy oil to be processed 3 is placed on the lifting base 2. The radiation direction of the cobalt-60 radioactive source is perpendicular to the bottom surface of the open processing container 4. With the lead box storing the cobalt-60 radioactive source closed, the radiation shielding layer 1 is opened, and 200 g of the dehydrated heavy oil sample A is added to the open processing container 4, wherein the thickness of the liquid layer is 5 cm; the lifting base 2 is adjusted so that the vertical distance between the cobalt-60 radioactive source and the heavy oil liquid surface in the open processing container 4 is 5 cm, and the irradiation area of ​​the cobalt-60 radioactive source is three-quarters of the liquid surface area of ​​the dehydrated heavy oil sample A in the open processing container 4; after closing the radiation shielding layer 1 to make it in a sealed state, the lead box storing the cobalt-60 radioactive source is opened, and gamma-ray radiation is released to irradiate the dehydrated heavy oil sample A for modification and viscosity reduction treatment, and the irradiation time is started at this time; the total irradiation time is controlled to be 9 h, and samples are taken at time points of 1 h, 1.5 h, and 2 h for viscosity measurement and recording, and then, starting from the irradiation time of 3 h, samples are taken every 1 h for viscosity measurement and recording, and then, based on the initial viscosity of the dehydrated heavy oil sample A, the viscosity reduction rate of the samples taken at each time point is calculated;

[0082] The viscosity reduction rates corresponding to each time point are recorded in Table 1.

[0083] Table 1. Effect of gamma ray radiation from a cobalt-60 radioactive source on the modification and viscosity reduction of dehydrated heavy oil sample A

[0084]

[0085]

[0086] As can be seen from Table 1, the heavy oil modification and viscosity reduction method provided by the present invention has a good effect on modifying and reducing the viscosity of heavy oil with a viscosity of 987 mPa.s after dehydration: 30%-40% of the heavy oil viscosity reduction rate is achieved after irradiation for 1-2 hours, 45%-70% of the heavy oil viscosity reduction rate is achieved after irradiation for 3-5 hours, and 75%-90% of the heavy oil viscosity reduction rate is achieved after irradiation for 6-9 hours.

[0087] Example 2

[0088] In the high energy electron accelerator radiation room (structural diagram is Figure 1 ) in which the heavy oil sample B is modified and viscosity reduced:

[0089] First, the free water in the heavy oil sample B needs to be removed, and then it is subjected to modification and viscosity reduction treatment.

[0090] 1) Removal of free water from heavy oil sample B: 1000 g of heavy oil sample B was weighed and placed in a 2000 mL beaker. 100 mL of demulsifier (KY-01 polyamine polyether demulsifier diluted with ethanol, with the mass of the ethanol used for dilution being 100% and the mass of the KY-01 polyamine polyether demulsifier accounting for 1 wt% of the mass of the ethanol) was added and stirred uniformly. The mixture was then allowed to settle at 60° C. for 24 h to separate the free water at the bottom. The dehydrated heavy oil sample B in the upper layer was collected and its initial viscosity was measured to be 1062 mPa.s. The mixture was then subjected to a modification and viscosity reduction treatment.

[0091] 2) In the radiation room of high energy electron accelerator (schematic diagram of the structure is Figure 1 ) The dehydrated heavy oil sample B obtained in 1) is subjected to modification and viscosity reduction treatment:

[0092] The high-energy electron accelerator radiation chamber has a radiation source base 5 disposed on one side of the inner wall of the radiation shielding layer 1. Five evenly distributed high-energy electron accelerators (i.e., radiation sources 6, each generating a high-energy electron beam with a radiation energy of greater than or equal to 2.4 MeV and a power of 50 kW) are fixed to the radiation source base 5. A lifting base 2 is disposed on the inner wall of the radiation shielding layer 1 opposite the high-energy electron accelerators. An open processing container 4 for holding the heavy oil to be processed 3 is placed on the lifting base 2. The radiation direction of the high-energy electron accelerator is perpendicular to the bottom surface of the open processing container 4. When the high-energy electron accelerator is turned off, the radiation protection layer 1 is opened, and 250g of dehydrated heavy oil sample B is added to the open processing container 4, and the liquid layer thickness is 7cm; the vertical distance between the high-energy electron accelerator and the liquid surface of the dehydrated heavy oil sample B in the open processing container 4 is 12cm, and the irradiation area of ​​the high-energy electron accelerator is three-quarters of the liquid surface area of ​​the dehydrated heavy oil sample B in the open processing container 4; after closing the radiation protection layer 1 to make it in a closed state, the high-energy electron accelerator switch is turned on to release the high-energy electron beam radiation to start irradiating the dehydrated heavy oil sample B for modification and viscosity reduction treatment, and the irradiation time is started at this time; the total irradiation time is controlled to be 6h, and within the first 3h of the irradiation, samples are taken every 0.5h for viscosity measurement and recording, and then samples are taken every 1h for viscosity measurement and recording, and then the viscosity reduction rate at each time point is calculated based on the initial viscosity of the dehydrated heavy oil sample B;

[0093] The viscosity reduction rates corresponding to each time point are recorded in Table 2.

[0094] Table 2. Effect of high-energy electron beam radiation generated by a high-energy electron accelerator on the modification and viscosity reduction of dehydrated heavy oil sample B

[0095]

[0096]

[0097] As can be seen from Table 2, the heavy oil modification and viscosity reduction method provided by the present invention has a good effect on modifying and reducing the viscosity of heavy oil with a viscosity of 1062 mPa.s after dehydration: the heavy oil viscosity reduction rate is 40%-55% after irradiation for 0.5-1 h, the heavy oil viscosity reduction rate is 60%-75% after irradiation for 1.5-3 h, and the heavy oil viscosity reduction rate is 80%-95% after irradiation for 4-6 h.

[0098] Example 3

[0099] In the high energy electron accelerator radiation room (structural diagram is Figure 1 ) to modify and reduce the viscosity of heavy oil sample C:

[0100] First, the free water in the heavy oil sample C needs to be removed, and then it is subjected to modification and viscosity reduction treatment.

[0101] 1) Removal of free water from heavy oil sample C: 1000 g of heavy oil sample C was weighed and placed in a 2000 mL beaker. 100 mL of demulsifier (KY-01 polyamine polyether demulsifier diluted with ethanol, with the mass of the ethanol used for dilution being 100% and the mass of the KY-01 polyamine polyether demulsifier accounting for 1 wt% of the mass of the ethanol) was added and stirred evenly. The mixture was then allowed to settle at 70° C. for 24 h to separate the free water at the bottom. The dehydrated heavy oil sample C in the upper layer was collected and its initial viscosity was measured to be 5385 mPa.s. The mixture was then subjected to a modification and viscosity reduction treatment.

[0102] 2) In the radiation room of high energy electron accelerator (schematic diagram of the structure is Figure 1 ) The dehydrated heavy oil sample C obtained in 1) is subjected to modification and viscosity reduction treatment:

[0103] The high-energy electron accelerator radiation chamber has a radiation source base 5 installed on one side of the inner wall of the radiation shielding layer 1. Ten evenly distributed high-energy electron accelerators (i.e., radiation sources 6) are fixed on the radiation source base 5. The high-energy electron accelerators generate high-energy electron beams with a radiation energy of greater than or equal to 2.4 MeV and a power of 50 kW. A lifting base 2 is installed on the inner wall of the radiation shielding layer 1 opposite the high-energy electron accelerators. An open processing container 4 for holding the heavy oil to be processed 3 is placed on the lifting base 2. The radiation direction of the high-energy electron accelerator is perpendicular to the bottom surface of the open processing container 4. When the high-energy electron accelerator is turned off, the radiation protection layer 1 is opened, and 300g of dehydrated heavy oil sample C is added to the open processing container 4, and the liquid layer thickness is 10cm; the vertical distance between the high-energy electron accelerator and the liquid surface of the dehydrated heavy oil sample C in the open processing container 4 is 20cm, and the irradiation area of ​​the high-energy electron accelerator is three-quarters of the liquid surface area of ​​the dehydrated heavy oil sample C in the open processing container 4; after closing the radiation protection layer 1 to make it in a closed state, the high-energy electron accelerator switch is turned on, and the high-energy electron beam is released to start irradiating the dehydrated heavy oil sample C for modification and viscosity reduction treatment, and the irradiation time is started at this time; the total irradiation time is controlled to be 6h, and within the first 3h of the irradiation, samples are taken every 0.5h for viscosity measurement and recording, and then samples are taken every 1h for viscosity measurement and recording, and then the viscosity reduction rate at each time point is calculated based on the initial viscosity of the dehydrated heavy oil sample C;

[0104] The viscosity reduction rates corresponding to each time point are recorded in Table 3.

[0105] Table 3. Effect of high-energy electron beam radiation generated by high-energy electron accelerator on the modification and viscosity reduction of dehydrated heavy oil sample C

[0106] Irradiation duration Viscosity reduction rate 0.5h 39％ 1h 53％ 1.5h 59％ 2h 66％ 2.5h 69％ 3h 76％ 4h 82％ 5h 91％ 6h 93％

[0107] As can be seen from Table 3, the heavy oil modification and viscosity reduction method provided by the present invention has a good effect on modifying and reducing the viscosity of heavy oil with a viscosity of 5385 mPa.s after dehydration: the heavy oil viscosity reduction rate is 39%-53% after irradiation for 0.5-1 h, the heavy oil viscosity reduction rate is 59%-76% after irradiation for 1.5-3 h, and the heavy oil viscosity reduction rate is 82%-93% after irradiation for 4-6 h.

[0108] As can be seen from Tables 1 to 3, the irradiation-based heavy oil viscosity reduction method provided by the present invention can achieve a viscosity reduction rate of over 90% for heavy oil with a viscosity within 5500 mPa·s, achieving effective irradiation and viscosity reduction of heavy oil. Furthermore, the irradiation-based heavy oil viscosity reduction method provided by the present invention does not require the use of chemicals or water, has no adverse effects on subsequent heavy oil dehydration, requires no heating or catalysts, does not produce secondary pollution to the crude oil, and saves energy. This overcomes the shortcomings of other existing irradiation methods for heavy oil, such as chemical viscosity reduction, olefin-doped viscosity reduction, heating viscosity reduction, water-doped viscosity reduction, microbial viscosity reduction, and aquathermolysis viscosity reduction. In industrial production, radiation sources can be deployed in corresponding pipeline sections where irradiation and viscosity reduction are required, and the method has broad application prospects.

[0109] Although the present invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. Furthermore, the subject matter, spirit, and scope of the invention may be modified in various ways to adapt to specific circumstances, materials, combinations of materials, and methods. All such modifications are intended to be within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. Application of radiation in heavy oil modification and viscosity reduction.

2. The use according to claim 1, characterized in that The ray radiation is gamma ray radiation or high energy electron beam radiation.

3. The use according to claim 2, characterized in that The energy of the ray radiation is greater than 0.6 MeV.

4. The use according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that The energy of the gamma ray radiation is not less than 1.25 MeV; and / or The energy of the high-energy electron beam radiation is not less than 2.4 MeV.

5. A method for modifying and reducing the viscosity of heavy oil according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising the following steps: The ray radiation is used to irradiate the heavy oil to achieve modification and viscosity reduction of the heavy oil.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that When the viscosity of the heavy oil is ≤1000 mPa·s, the ray radiation is the gamma ray radiation.

7. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that When the viscosity of the heavy oil is greater than 1000 mPa.s and less than or equal to 5500 mPa.s, the ray radiation is the high-energy electron beam radiation.

8. The method according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that The vertical distance between the radiation source for generating the radiation and the surface of the heavy oil is 5-20 cm; and / or The thickness of the liquid layer of the heavy oil is 5-10 cm.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that The irradiation area of ​​the ray radiation is not less than three quarters of the area of ​​the heavy oil surface.

10. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that The gamma ray radiation irradiates the heavy oil for no less than 1 hour.

11. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that The irradiation time of the heavy oil by the high-energy electron beam is not less than 0.5 h.

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