PROCESS TO REDUCE ACIDITY OF CRUDE OIL
First Claim
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1. A process for reducing the acidity of an acidic crude oil, comprising the steps of:
- obtaining a petroleum reservoir supply of acidic crude oil, wherein the petroleum reservoir has an on-site production facility;
mixing the acidic crude oil with water at a weight ratio of about 10;
1 to about 1;
50 to form a crude oil/water mixture, such mixing operable to occur at the on-site production facility;
heating the crude oil/water mixture to a crude oil/water temperature in the range of about 10°
C. to about 150°
C. to form a pumpable crude oil/water mixture;
pumping the pumpable crude oil/water mixture to a pressure of at least about 22.1 MPa to form a pressurized crude oil/water mixture;
pre-heating the pressurized crude oil/water mixture to a pressurized temperature in the range of about 150°
C. to about 350°
C.;
contacting the pressurized crude oil/water mixture with a metal oxide catalyst in a reaction zone, wherein the reaction zone comprises main reactor having an interior portion;
heating the pressurized crude oil/water mixture to a reaction temperature range of about 374°
to about 600°
C. while maintaining the pressure at or above at least about 22.1 MPa for a reaction period of time operable to produce a treated crude oil having a significantly reduced TAN in comparison to the TAN of the acidic crude oil;
reducing the pressure of the treated crude oil using a pressure regulating device to create a pressure-reduced treated mixture;
separating the pressure-reduced treated mixture into a gas portion and a liquid portion;
separating the liquid portion into recovered water and low acidity oil; and
collecting the low acidity oil wherein the low acidity oil is an upgraded crude oil having reduced amounts of asphaltene, sulfur, nitrogen or metal containing substances as compared to the acidic crude oil.
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Abstract
A process to reduce the acidity of acidic crude oils for preventing corrosion during processing of the crude oils, including transferring through pipe lines, tanker ships and tank vehicles. Crude oil having substantial amount of organic acid, in particular, naphthenic acid compounds is contacted with supercritical water and a catalyst for deacidification. A treated crude oil product has lower amounts of organic acid compounds than the original crude oil.
46 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A process for reducing the acidity of an acidic crude oil, comprising the steps of:
-
obtaining a petroleum reservoir supply of acidic crude oil, wherein the petroleum reservoir has an on-site production facility; mixing the acidic crude oil with water at a weight ratio of about 10;
1 to about 1;
50 to form a crude oil/water mixture, such mixing operable to occur at the on-site production facility;heating the crude oil/water mixture to a crude oil/water temperature in the range of about 10°
C. to about 150°
C. to form a pumpable crude oil/water mixture;pumping the pumpable crude oil/water mixture to a pressure of at least about 22.1 MPa to form a pressurized crude oil/water mixture; pre-heating the pressurized crude oil/water mixture to a pressurized temperature in the range of about 150°
C. to about 350°
C.;contacting the pressurized crude oil/water mixture with a metal oxide catalyst in a reaction zone, wherein the reaction zone comprises main reactor having an interior portion; heating the pressurized crude oil/water mixture to a reaction temperature range of about 374°
to about 600°
C. while maintaining the pressure at or above at least about 22.1 MPa for a reaction period of time operable to produce a treated crude oil having a significantly reduced TAN in comparison to the TAN of the acidic crude oil;reducing the pressure of the treated crude oil using a pressure regulating device to create a pressure-reduced treated mixture; separating the pressure-reduced treated mixture into a gas portion and a liquid portion; separating the liquid portion into recovered water and low acidity oil; and collecting the low acidity oil wherein the low acidity oil is an upgraded crude oil having reduced amounts of asphaltene, sulfur, nitrogen or metal containing substances as compared to the acidic crude oil. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A process to reducing the acidity of an acidic crude oil at an on-site production facility, comprising the steps of:
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pumping the acidic crude oil to a pressure at or exceeding the critical pressure of water to create pressurized acidic crude oil, the pressurized acidic crude oil being maintained at a temperature not to exceed 150 degrees C.; obtaining a supply of water and pumping the water to a pressure at or exceeding the critical pressure of water and heating the water to a temperature at or above the critical temperature of water to create pressurized water; at the on-site production facility, mixing the pressurized acidic crude oil and the pressurized water to form a pressurized crude oil/water mixture; pre-heating the pressurized crude oil/water mixture to about 150°
C. to about 350°
C. to form a pre-heated mixture;contacting the preheated mixture with a metal oxide catalyst in a reaction zone and heating the preheated mixture to between about 3740 to about 600°
C. while maintaining pressure at least at or above about 22.1 MPa for a reaction period of time operable to produce a treated crude oil having a significantly reduced TAN in comparison to the TAN of the acidic crude oil;cooling the treated crude oil in a cooler; reducing the pressure of the treated crude oil using a pressure regulating device to create a pressure-reduced treated mixture; separating the pressure-reduced treated mixture into a gas portion and a liquid portion; separating the liquid portion into recovered water and low acidity oil; and collecting the low acidity oil wherein the low acidity oil is an upgraded crude oil having reduced amounts of asphalthene, sulfur, nitrogen or metal containing substances as compared to the acidic crude oil. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification