Solvent Deasphalting for Heavy Oil Viscosity Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The processing of heavy oils and bitumens is hindered by their high viscosity, presence of salts, metals, and organic acids, requiring expensive diluents for transportation and complex refining steps, which increases capital investment and operating expenses.
Innovation Solution
A process that dilutes heavy oils or bitumens with a hydrocarbon diluent for transport to a solvent deasphalting unit, where the diluent is also used as a solvent, allowing for integrated asphaltene separation and water recovery, eliminating the need for front-end desalting and fractionation, and operating at moderate temperatures to reduce equipment costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If heavy oils or bitumens are transported by traditional means, then transportation is possible, but high viscosity requires expensive hydrocarbon diluents and additional transport costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes asphaltenes from the heavy oil feedstock using solvent deasphalting before transportation. By removing the problematic asphaltene fraction that causes high viscosity, the remaining deasphalted oil can be transported more easily without requiring expensive hydrocarbon diluents, thus solving the transportation problem while reducing diluent quantity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary solvent deasphalting and water removal before the transportation stage. By conducting these upgrading operations in advance at the well site or production facility, the oil is pre-treated to remove viscosity-increasing components, enabling easier and more economical subsequent transportation without diluent
2Reliability
If front-end desalting and fractionation are performed, then salt and water are removed, but capital investment and operating expenses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple processing functions into a single integrated solvent deasphalting unit. This unit simultaneously performs desalting, dewatering, and asphaltene separation in one operation, eliminating the need for separate front-end desalting and fractionation units, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining reliable oil quality
Solution Approach 2:
The solvent deasphalting unit is designed to perform multiple functions: removing asphaltenes, separating water, and eliminating salts all in one process step. This multi-functional approach replaces what would traditionally require multiple specialized units, reducing overall plant complexity while ensuring high-quality processed oil
3Ease of operation
If elevated temperatures are used to maintain flowability, then heavy oil remains pumpable, but energy consumption increases and equipment corrosion worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes asphaltenes through solvent deasphalting, which fundamentally changes the rheological properties of the remaining oil. The deasphalted oil has lower viscosity and better flow characteristics, eliminating the need for elevated temperature maintenance during transportation and reducing energy consumption for heating and pumping
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameter of the heavy oil by removing asphaltenes, which transforms its physical properties. The resulting deasphalted oil has improved flowability at ambient temperatures, allowing transportation without thermal energy input, thus reducing energy use and preventing thermal degradation and corrosion issues
4Quantity of substance
If salts are vaporized to meet pipeline specifications, then water content is reduced, but salts remain in the oil and increase transportation problems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses solvent deasphalting to extract and remove salts from the heavy oil feedstock. The salts are separated into the asphaltene fraction or aqueous phase during the solvent extraction process, effectively eliminating them from the deasphalted oil before transportation, thus solving both water content and salt content issues simultaneously
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach simplifies processing, reduces capital investment, decreases operating expenses, and enhances the reliability of heavy oil or bitumen upgrading by integrating solvent deasphalting and water recovery, while minimizing the need for high-alloy metals and expensive metallurgy.
Implementation Method 1
solvent deasphalting the mixture to recover an asphaltene fraction, a deasphalted oil fraction essentially free of asphaltenes, and a solvent fraction comprising the diluent
Implementation Method 2
The upgraded heavy oil or bitumen can be pipelined to a water removal unit, which can operate by decantation, phase separation, or other means
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a process for the upgrading of heavy oils and bitumens, where the total feed to the process can include heavy oil or bitumen, water, and diluent. The process can include the steps of solvent deasphalting 110 the total feed 105 to recover an asphaltene fraction 116, a deasphalted oil fraction 118 essentially free of asphaltenes, a water fraction 112, and a solvent fraction 114. The process allows removal of salts from the heavy oils and bitumens either into the aqueous products or with the asphaltene product.