Structured alkali catalysts for the conversion of naphthenic acids in petroleum feedstocks

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

The oilsands are an enormous resource for Canada, with over 1.7 trillion barrels of oil in place. With available technology for open-pit mining and in-situ production, the recoverable oil is estimated to be 315 billion barrels, larger than the total reserves of Saudi Arabia. The production of bitumen and synthetic crude reached 1 million barrels per day in 2003, and is expected to increase to between 1.8 and 2.4 million barrels per day by 2015. While current production and upgrading methods are profitable, they are not sustainable if this resource is to be developed to its full potential. Corrosion due to mild acids, specifically naphthenic acids, is a significant concern in bitumen processing and upgrading due to the possibility of equipment failures and the downstream effects of metal salts. When untreated distillates that contain naphthenic acids are offered to downstream refineries, the desirability and price are affected by the same problems during refining. These issues have, therefore, become important safety, reliability and marketing issues for the oilsands industry. This research proposal addresses the issue of untreated bitumen corrosovity by developing new materials and technologies to decompose the acids. The development of structured catalysts for naphthenic acid conversion under mild conditions will undoubtedly support the increased utilization of high acid content heavy oils and petroleum residues.