We have studied the effect of catalytic aquathermolysis of heavy oil in the presence of a hydrogen donor (formic acid) on the viscosity of Liaohe extra-heavy oil. The paraffinic/naphthenic and aromatic hydrocarbon content of the oil as well as the H:C ratio of the oil increase after aquathermolysis in the presence of a hydrogen donor, while the sulfur, resin, and asphaltene content decreases dramatically. We use the thermogravimetric method to show that with aquathermolysis in the presence of formic acid, a substantial portion of the asphaltenes in the heavy oil is converted to paraffins. Accelerating the aquathermolysis reaction results in a synergistic effect between the catalyst and the hydrogen donor.
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This work was done with the support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Project No. 2146002) and within the Major National Special Projects for Oil and Gas (Project No. 2008ZX05012-001).
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Translated from Khimiya i Tekhnologiya Topliv i Masel, No. 4, pp. 16 – 21, July – August, 2012.
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Zhao, F., Liu, Y., Wu, Y. et al. Study of catalytic aquathermolysis of heavy oil in the presence of a hydrogen donor. Chem Technol Fuels Oils 48, 273–282 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10553-012-0368-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10553-012-0368-6