000			02373nab a2200205 4500
005			20260520001944.0
008			260224s2008 xxu
245	0	0	_aIn situ upgrading of Llancanelo heavy oil using in situ combustion and a downhole catalyst bed
260			_a _b _csep. 2008
270			_a14/06/2011 ; 14/06/2011
300			_a9 p. ; 23-31
520			_aTranscripción del resumen del autor. There are vast heavy crude oil resources worldwide that are relatively uneconomical to produce and upgrade. However, there are novel processes available that can be employed in a downhole environment to upgrade these oils, resulting in significantly less sulphur content, and lowered densities and viscosities. A process that is especially favourable for downhole implementation is the use of in situ combustion to generate reactive upgrading gases, such as CO, and possibly H2, to drive oil over a near-wellbore heated bed of catalyst. Two laboratory combustion tube tests were completed to validate this concept. The first test used conventional in situ combustion tube packing and testing techniques, while the second test employed a heated catalyst bed in the downstream region of the combustion tube. A heavy crude oil from the Llancanelo field in Argentina was used for the testing. During the first test, this oil was found to be amenable to the in situ combustion process and exhibited stable combustion performance. Passing mobilized oil and combustion gases over the catalyst bed prior to production in the second test resulted in significant upgrading of the produced oil, including substantial decreases in oil density and viscosity. It is believed that the catalyst efficiently used CO, generated at the combustion front, via the water gas shift reaction to generate H2, which then reacted with the oil to effect upgrading. However, it was found that the presence of a large amount of coke on the post-test catalyst probably indicates the need for periodic regeneration. The presence of a heated production-end catalyst zone did not significantly affect the in situ combustion performance during the second test.
581			_a9
773	0		_tJournal of Canadian Petroleum Technology _g47
942			_cARTICULO
100	1		_aCavallaro, A.N. _950273
100	1		_aGalliano, G.R. _95844
100	1		_aMoore, R.G. _938428
999			_c182621 _d182621