A viscosity bio-reducer for extra-heavy crude oil. (17th January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Suárez-Domínguez, E.J.; Pérez-Sánchez, J.F.; Palacio-Pérez, A.; Rodríguez-Valdes, A.; Izquierdo-Kulich, E.; González-Santana, S.
• Is Part Of: Petroleum science and technology. Volume 36:Number 2(2018)
• Page Start: 166
• Page End: 172
• Publication Date: 2018-01-17
• Subjects: asphaltenic crude oils -- extra-heavy crude oil -- predictive theoretical model -- viscosity bio-reducer -- viscosity reduction; Liquid fuels -- Periodicals; Petroleum -- Periodicals; 665.505
• DOI: 10.1080/10916466.2017.1413387
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1091-6466

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Considering that high viscosity of extra-heavy crudes is related to the formation of a dispersed phase of asphaltenes, a dynamic interaction model is proposed which explains the mechanism to achieve viscosity reduction based on the molecular interacting energies between the ester active principle of a viscosity bio-reducer and the asphaltene fraction of crude oil. A qualitative comparison is made between the theoretical and experimental results observed in relation to the rheological behavior of Mexican extra-heavy crudes in the presence of the enhancer. Both, theoretical and experimental data, described a decrease in the asphaltenes dispersed fraction in relation to the ester concentration mainly because of polarity in asphaltenic crudes.