Porous aluminosilicates catalysts for low and medium matured shale oil in situ upgrading

• Published in: Energy science & engineering 2020-08, Vol.8 (8), p.2859-2867
• Main Authors: Meng, Xianglong, Bian, Junjie, Li, Jing, Ma, Zhongliang, Long, Qiulian, Su, Jianzheng
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: aluminosilicate; Aluminosilicates; Aluminum; Aluminum silicates; catalyst; Catalysts; Catalytic converters; Chemical synthesis; Conversion; Crude oil; Crystallization; Energy consumption; Enhanced oil recovery; Expulsion; hydrocarbon generation efficiency; Hydrocarbons; in situ upgrading; Metal oxides; Nanoparticles; Nickel; Oil and gas exploration; Oil exploration; Oil recovery; Oil sands; Oil shale; Organic matter; Permeability; Pore size; Pyrolysis; Shale oil; Shales; Silicon; Temperature; Ultrasonic imaging; Upgrading; Zeolites
• ISSN: 2050-0505; 2050-0505
• DOI: 10.1002/ese3.704

For medium and low matured shale oil exploration, in situ upgrading could promote the oil recovery. There are two main disadvantages herein, high exploration temperature and large energy consumption. The new approach has been proposed to apply porous aluminosilicate catalysts for shale oil highly efficient upgrading at 350°C, H‐clin and Ni‐clin catalysts were prepared with natural clinoptilolite. Al‐SBA‐15 catalysts were synthesized by following one‐step crystallization procedure, and firstly employed for shale oil in situ upgrading. Kinetic studies of pyrolysis showed that the activation energy of organic matter conversion in shale was reduced from 113.80 kJ mol−1 to 37.28 kJ mol−1. After the catalyst addition, shale oil conversion temperature was declined, the reaction rate was increased, and the energy consumption of in situ upgrading was reduced. In Sinopec patented testing instrument, hydrocarbon generation and hydrocarbon expulsion unit, shale oil catalytic conversion showed increased hydrocarbon generation by 2%‐16%. Under the same reaction conditions, the Al‐SBA‐15 (Si/Al = 5) revealed the best activity for hydrocarbon generation, and the efficiency was elevated to 32.67%, twice as that of thermal conversion. The quality of catalytically produced oil was promoted, by improving the further cracking of bitumen to light oil and gas. The results have a breakthrough significance for intensifying the high‐efficiency hydrocarbon generation and expulsion process of low and medium matured shale oil. New approach has been proposed to apply porous aluminosilicate catalysts for shale oil in situ upgrading at 350°C. Atmospheric pyrolysis activation energy of organic matter conversion in shale was reduced from 113.80 kJ mol−1 to 37.28 kJ mol−1 after catalysts addition.The catalysts promoted the hydrocarbon generation conversion by 2%‐16%, and Al‐SBA‐15(5) revealed the best activity of 32.67%, twice as that of thermal conversion.