Study of the effect of a bimetallic catalyst based on iron and cobalt on the aquathermolysis process under thermal steam treatment of high-viscosity oil
In this work, we studied the effect of bimetallic catalysts formed in situ from mixtures of oil-soluble iron and cobalt precursors in the process of aquathermolysis of heavy oil from the Ashalchinsky field. Based on the results of determining the group composition (SARA analysis)and viscosity-temperature characteristics, an improvement in the composition and an increase in the mobility of oil under the action of steam and a bimetallic catalyst is shown. It was found that the catalyst intensifies the destructive processes of resinous compounds, provokes the enrichment of the destruction products of the latter in the saturated and aromatic fractions with high molecular weight n-alkanes and polycyclic hydrocarbons, respectively. It was revealed that the proposed catalyst of the optimal composition is a mixture of individual and mixed oxides and sulfides of iron and cobalt (ferrospinels). Catalyst can be used at the Ashalchinsky field of heavy oil in conditions close to reservoir conditions (200 °C, 10 bar), as a reagent providing an increase in the degree of oil recovery.