Electro-deposition for asphaltene removal during heavy oil upgrading

Area of Science:

• Petroleum Engineering
• Electrochemistry

Background:

• Heavy oil upgrading often involves blending with paraffins, leading to asphaltene precipitation.
• Current methods like filtration and sedimentation for asphaltene removal are slow and inefficient.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate electro-deposition (E-D) as a novel, efficient method for asphaltene removal.
• To explore the influence of process parameters on asphaltene E-D.

Main Methods:

• Bench-scale electro-deposition experiments were performed.
• Key parameters varied included dilution ratio, paraffin type, electric field strength, and resin content.

Main Results:

• Higher dilution ratios promoted asphaltene precipitation and reduced required electric field strength for E-D.
• Asphaltene deposition occurred at both cathode and anode, influenced by dilution ratio and electric field strength.
• Resin content affected E-D by adsorbing onto asphaltene aggregates, potentially shielding electric field effects.

Conclusions:

• Electro-deposition is a promising, low-energy (approx. 10 kJ/kg asphaltene) alternative for asphaltene removal.
• The E-D process is significantly faster than conventional methods, offering improved efficiency in heavy oil upgrading.