Adsorption and subsequent hydroprocessing of unstable polar heavy hydrocarbons over iron-silicate nanoparticles

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The oil sands currently provide 46% of Canada's oil production; this is expected to rise to 80% by 2020. The environmental challenges that face oil sands production stem from the large amounts of energy and water required for production and upgrading processes, and the large amounts of heavy hydrocarbon waste, wastewater, and gaseous emissions that are generated. Nanotechnology offers great opportunities to address these issues through the development of greener processes that can de-intensify energy and water use and that can eliminate byproduct and waste generation. In this context, nanoparticles represent one of the most promising solutions to a number of challenges in oil sands extraction and upgrading, as they act as quasi-homogeneous adsorbents/catalysts. This research program seeks to develop the concept of "nanosorbcats." These are naturally occurring iron-silicate materials-based nanoparticles that can adsorb and remove waste heavy polar hydrocarbons from heavy oil, and subsequently catalytically upgrade them into light utilizable distillates, thus acting as alternatives to thermal cracking (coking). The preparation of nanosorbcats by hydrothermal method is proposed. The proper range of synthesis conditions will be studied and defined, and the effects of composition and particle size on adsorptive removal of polar hydrocarbons from heavy oil will be tested. Catalytic hydroprocessing of the adsorbed polar heavy hydrocarbons will be carried out in a pilot plant setup to convert the waste heavy polar hydrocarbons into light utilizable distillates. This research shall provide opportunities for the oil industry to transform current commercial practices into processes with improved economic and environmental performance. *****