On Solvent-Rich Recovery Processes

Liu, Jianbo

On Solvent-Rich Recovery Processes

dc.contributor.advisor	Gates, Ian
dc.contributor.author	Liu, Jianbo
dc.contributor.committeemember	Gates, Ian
dc.contributor.committeemember	Hejazi, Hossein
dc.contributor.committeemember	Lu, Qingye
dc.contributor.committeemember	Du, Ke
dc.contributor.committeemember	Jiang, Qi
dc.date	2023-06
dc.date.accessioned	2023-05-01T16:40:05Z
dc.date.available	2023-05-01T16:40:05Z
dc.date.issued	2023-04-26
dc.description.abstract	Current steam-based recovery processes such as Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) are very effective at recovering bitumen (extra heavy oil) from oil sands reservoirs but these recovery processes have significant emissions making bitumen among the most emission intensive oils globally. Solvent-based recovery processes are one option that would lower the emissions intensity of oil sands recovery yielding a potentially upgraded oil product to the surface leaving a fraction of the asphaltenes and sulphur within the reservoir. This would not only be beneficial for upstream emissions reduction but also for downstream processing emissions since there would be less petroleum coke and sulphur generated in the upgrading and refining of the upgraded oil product. However, there are many uncertainties for solvent-based recovery processes that render it a challenge to move these processes forward commercially. The research in this thesis is different than other research – it attempts to examine the solvent-based processes and the connected physical phenomena including solvent solubility, viscosity reduction in dilution, onset of asphaltene precipitation and onset of asphaltene depostion, viscosity of the upgraded oil after asphaltene precipitation, W/O emulsions in bitumen and the effect of solvent on emulsions, and an examination of the performance of solvent-based recovery processes in two-dimensional prototypical physical model experiments in a holistic manner, for the first time. The results provide new data on asphaltene, the impact of solvent dilution on viscosity before and after asphaltene precipitation onset, new solubility data, new insights from rich-solvent Hele-Shaw gravity drainage experiments, and effect of solvent on emulsions. The outcomes provide a basis for optimized design of the solvent-based recovery processes.
dc.identifier.citation	Liu, J. (2023). On solvent-rich recovery processes (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/1880/116137
dc.identifier.uri	https://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/dspace/40982
dc.language.iso	en
dc.publisher.faculty	Schulich School of Engineering
dc.publisher.institution	University of Calgary
dc.rights	University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.subject	Heavy oil
dc.subject	Solvent recovery
dc.subject	Asphaltene precipitation
dc.subject	Solubility
dc.subject	Emulsion
dc.subject	Bitumen
dc.subject	Asphaltene deposition
dc.subject.classification	Engineering--Petroleum
dc.subject.classification	Engineering--Chemical
dc.title	On Solvent-Rich Recovery Processes
dc.type	doctoral thesis
thesis.degree.discipline	Engineering – Chemical & Petroleum
thesis.degree.grantor	University of Calgary
thesis.degree.name	Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
ucalgary.thesis.accesssetbystudent	I do not require a thesis withhold – my thesis will have open access and can be viewed and downloaded publicly as soon as possible.