Comparison of the Effects of Dispersed Noble Metal (Pd) Biomass Supported Catalysts with Typical Hydrogenation (Pd/C, Pd/Al2O3) and Hydrotreatment Catalysts (CoMo/Al2O3) for In-Situ Heavy Oil Upgrading with Toe-to-Heel Air Injection (THAI)

This is particularly pronounced for in situ upgrading techniques, in which pelleted catalyst is packed around the perimeter of the horizontal producer well of the Toe-to-Heel Air Injection (THAI) process. The fixed bed of catalyst is virtually impossible to regenerate in place, promoting investigation of alternative contacting via the dispersion of nanoparticles.

The catalysts studied were finely crushed micro-particulates with average size of 2.6 µm and also a catalyst prepared upon a bacterial support. The latter has advantages in terms of ease of preparation of catalysts from recycled metal sources. Heavy oil of API gravity 13.8o and viscosity 1091mPa.s was used as feed and upgrading was performed in a batch reactor at 425 oC, with a catalyst-to-oil ratio of 0.02 (g/g), and at an initial pressure of 20 bar.