Experimental study of Iranian heavy crude oil viscosity reduction by diluting with heptane, methanol, toluene, gas condensate and naphtha

Due to the high viscosity of heavy crude oils, production from these reservoirs is a demanding task. To tackle this problem, reducing oil viscosity is a promising approach. There are various methods to reduce viscosity of heavy oil: heating, diluting, emulsification, and core annular flow. In this s...

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Main Authors: Amir Hossein Saeedi Dehaghani, Mohammad Hasan Badizad
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. 2016-12-01
Series:Petroleum
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405656116300050
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author Amir Hossein Saeedi Dehaghani
Mohammad Hasan Badizad
author_facet Amir Hossein Saeedi Dehaghani
Mohammad Hasan Badizad
author_sort Amir Hossein Saeedi Dehaghani
collection DOAJ
description Due to the high viscosity of heavy crude oils, production from these reservoirs is a demanding task. To tackle this problem, reducing oil viscosity is a promising approach. There are various methods to reduce viscosity of heavy oil: heating, diluting, emulsification, and core annular flow. In this study, dilution approach was employed, using industrial solvents and gas condensate. The viscosity of two Iranian heavy crude oils was measured by mixing with solvents at different temperatures. Dilution of both oil samples with toluene and heptane, resulted in viscosity reduction. However, their effect became less significant at higher concentrations of diluent. Because of forming hydrogen bonds, adding methanol to heavy crude oil resulted in higher viscosity. By adding condensate, viscosity of each sample reduced. Gas condensate had a greater impact on heavier oil; however, at higher temperatures its effect was reduced. Diluting with naphtha decreased heavy oil viscosity in the same way as n-heptane and toluene. Besides experimental investigation, different viscosity models were evaluated for prediction of heavy oil/solvent viscosity. It was recognized that Lederer' model is the best one.
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spelling doaj.art-5a9b263a422a4bda8f541896ffd0327e2022-12-21T22:49:51ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Petroleum2405-65612016-12-012441542410.1016/j.petlm.2016.08.012Experimental study of Iranian heavy crude oil viscosity reduction by diluting with heptane, methanol, toluene, gas condensate and naphthaAmir Hossein Saeedi DehaghaniMohammad Hasan BadizadDue to the high viscosity of heavy crude oils, production from these reservoirs is a demanding task. To tackle this problem, reducing oil viscosity is a promising approach. There are various methods to reduce viscosity of heavy oil: heating, diluting, emulsification, and core annular flow. In this study, dilution approach was employed, using industrial solvents and gas condensate. The viscosity of two Iranian heavy crude oils was measured by mixing with solvents at different temperatures. Dilution of both oil samples with toluene and heptane, resulted in viscosity reduction. However, their effect became less significant at higher concentrations of diluent. Because of forming hydrogen bonds, adding methanol to heavy crude oil resulted in higher viscosity. By adding condensate, viscosity of each sample reduced. Gas condensate had a greater impact on heavier oil; however, at higher temperatures its effect was reduced. Diluting with naphtha decreased heavy oil viscosity in the same way as n-heptane and toluene. Besides experimental investigation, different viscosity models were evaluated for prediction of heavy oil/solvent viscosity. It was recognized that Lederer' model is the best one.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405656116300050Heavy oilViscosity reductionDilutionTolueneMethanoln-HeptaneNaphthaGas condensate
spellingShingle Amir Hossein Saeedi Dehaghani
Mohammad Hasan Badizad
Experimental study of Iranian heavy crude oil viscosity reduction by diluting with heptane, methanol, toluene, gas condensate and naphtha
Petroleum
Heavy oil
Viscosity reduction
Dilution
Toluene
Methanol
n-Heptane
Naphtha
Gas condensate
title Experimental study of Iranian heavy crude oil viscosity reduction by diluting with heptane, methanol, toluene, gas condensate and naphtha
title_full Experimental study of Iranian heavy crude oil viscosity reduction by diluting with heptane, methanol, toluene, gas condensate and naphtha
title_fullStr Experimental study of Iranian heavy crude oil viscosity reduction by diluting with heptane, methanol, toluene, gas condensate and naphtha
title_full_unstemmed Experimental study of Iranian heavy crude oil viscosity reduction by diluting with heptane, methanol, toluene, gas condensate and naphtha
title_short Experimental study of Iranian heavy crude oil viscosity reduction by diluting with heptane, methanol, toluene, gas condensate and naphtha
title_sort experimental study of iranian heavy crude oil viscosity reduction by diluting with heptane methanol toluene gas condensate and naphtha
topic Heavy oil
Viscosity reduction
Dilution
Toluene
Methanol
n-Heptane
Naphtha
Gas condensate
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405656116300050
work_keys_str_mv AT amirhosseinsaeedidehaghani experimentalstudyofiranianheavycrudeoilviscosityreductionbydilutingwithheptanemethanoltoluenegascondensateandnaphtha
AT mohammadhasanbadizad experimentalstudyofiranianheavycrudeoilviscosityreductionbydilutingwithheptanemethanoltoluenegascondensateandnaphtha