Objective
The first object of this project is to render heavy oils transportable by reducing their viscosity and their density through hydropyrolysis with the appropriate catalyst. The second object is to carry out technico-economic study to estimate the costs of heavy oil refining and to compare the various processing schemes aiming at a syncrude production.
Experimentation
Results obtained at a demonstrative scale (1 to 6t/hour) are consistent with those obtained in the preliminary experimentation carried out in pilot plants. The tests have been worked out without any major problem after the unit has been transformed for suitably handling the catalytic additive used in the operation. With minute amounts of additive the route involving the couple of units "hydropyrolysis and pentane deasphalting" most of the heavy oils are made transportable acording to the specifications in force in all the countries, even Canada.
Complementary tests carried out in more severe conditions (higher pressure, contact time and catalyst amount) have enlightened the performances of this kind of catalytic approach to perform very deep conversions.
Experimentation has been worked out with topped crudes atmospheric resids or vacuum resids issued from the following origins : BOSCAN, ATHABASCA, COLD LAKE, CERRONEGRO and ARABIAN HEAVY vacuum resids.
Technico-economic feasibility studies
Process designs and estimation studies have been carried out for every ASVAHL process : deasphalting, visbreaking, hydrovisbreaking, catalyctic hydrovisbreaking, hydrotreatments in fixed beds or moving beds. These estimations also involved the investments and operating costs of necessary satellite units (distillation, desalting, Amine treatment of gas, claus unit, hydrogen synthesis).
Various processing schemes have been checked and compared either to only make the crude pipe-lineable.
Desalting + distillation + visbreakings + visbreaking
Desalting + distillations + hydrovisbreaking
Desalting + distillations + catalytic hydropyrolysis
Desalting + distillations + hydropyrolysis (catalytic or thermal) + deasphalting
or to carry out a deeper conversion of the heavy oils to aim at producing a syncrude which could be treated in a conventional refinery including a reformer and a cat-cracker (or hydro-cracker). Desalting - Distillation - hydropyrolysis (catatlytic) - DAO hydrotreatment
Desalting - distillation - direct hydrotreatment (fixed or moving beds).
Sensitive studies through IFP's linear refining program for a better selection of the heavy oil refining way to produce the best syncrude in given conditions.
This project involves two separate phases :
- the first one aims at demonstrating the technical feasibility of a new catalytic hydropyrolysis using an original and very active homogeneous catalyst as hydrogenating agent.
- the second one covers a technico-economic synthesis involving all the processes and processing schemes implemented on the ASVAHL pilot in Solaize to make the heavy oils transportable from the production field and them processable in the existing refineries.
Concerning the first phase, tests have been carried out in the ASVAHL minirefinery from the beginning of March to the end of May and then in September (1987). Heavy oils which have been desalted and topped for these tests are Boscan, Athabasca, Pilon, etc. Catalyst precursor was prepared in IFP.
Economic studies involved the four following items:
- achievement of detailed process books for every process (primary or secondary) operated on the ASVAHL platform.
- estimation for each process of the investment and operating costs for representative yearly capacities.
- comparison of various processing schemes with the aim to make them pipe-lineable or able to be refined in existing refineries.
- sensitivity studies specially to determine at which production price heavy oils have to be produced to obtain in the various processing schemes investigated a syncrude the price of which would be competitive with that of conventional oils.
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Programme(s)
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Funding Scheme
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
92500 Rueil Malmaison
France
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.