Abstract

One of the promising technologies to concurrently recover and upgrade heavy oil is the novel Toe-to-Heel Air Injection (THAI) combined with CAtalytic upgrading PRocess In situ (CAPRI) process. With the add-on CAPRI, the produce oil is partially upgraded to medium or even light oil with American Petroleum Institute (API) gravity increase in range of 3°–7°, viscosity reduction 70–90% and 70–85% recovery of original oil in place. But the catalyst suffers severe deactivation due to active sites coverage and pore blockage caused by coke and heavy metal depositions. This review explores methods of extending catalyst longevity in in situ catalytic upgrading of heavy oil during THAI process to bridge the gap that has been left void for a long period of time, and to serve as a guide for the low-cost catalyst design in order to improve process economics. To direct future research, several approaches such as the use of a structured guard bed, nano-sized catalyst, engineered catalyst support and pore sizes, graded catalyst bed, hydrogen addition, hydrogen-donor solvents, and steam environments have been identified and explored to suppress coke formation during catalytic upgrading of heavy oil. In addition to considerations for catalyst design for in situ upgrading applications, the study also discusses the operation conditions and upgrading environment that minimize coke formation and optimize catalyst longevity in the THAI–CAPRI process and similar processes such as steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD).

中文翻译：

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重油原位催化改质过程中因焦炭沉积而使催化剂失活最小化的现代技术

摘要

同时采收和提质重油的有前景的技术之一是新颖的脚趾到脚跟注气 (THAI) 与催化提质原位 (CAPRI) 工艺相结合。附加 CAPRI 后，产出油部分升级为中油甚至轻油，美国石油协会 (API) 比重增加 3°–7°，粘度降低 70–90%，采收率 70–85%原油到位。但由于焦炭和重金属沉积引起的活性位点覆盖和孔堵塞，催化剂严重失活。这篇综述探讨了在 THAI 工艺中延长重油原位催化改质催化剂寿命的方法，以弥补长期空白的空白，并为低成本催化剂设计提供指导以提高过程经济性。为了指导未来的研究，已经确定并探索了几种方法，例如使用结构化保护床、纳米级催化剂、工程催化剂载体和孔径、分级催化剂床、氢添加、氢供体溶剂和蒸汽环境抑制重油催化改质过程中的焦炭形成。除了针对原位改质应用的催化剂设计考虑因素外，该研究还讨论了在 THAI-CAPRI 工艺和蒸汽辅助重力排水 (SAGD) 等类似工艺中最大限度减少焦炭形成和优化催化剂寿命的操作条件和改质环境。已经确定并探索了氢供体溶剂和蒸汽环境，以抑制重油催化提质过程中的焦炭形成。除了针对原位改质应用的催化剂设计考虑因素外，该研究还讨论了在 THAI-CAPRI 工艺和蒸汽辅助重力排水 (SAGD) 等类似工艺中最大限度减少焦炭形成和优化催化剂寿命的操作条件和改质环境。已经确定并探索了氢供体溶剂和蒸汽环境，以抑制重油催化提质过程中的焦炭形成。除了针对原位改质应用的催化剂设计考虑因素外，该研究还讨论了在 THAI-CAPRI 工艺和蒸汽辅助重力排水 (SAGD) 等类似工艺中最大限度减少焦炭形成和优化催化剂寿命的操作条件和改质环境。