| EPSRC Reference: |
GR/M93024/01 |
| Title: |
DOWNHOLE CATALYTIC UPGRADING OF HEAVY OILS USING AIR INJECTION 'TOE-TO-HEEL' - HORIZONTAL WELLS PROCESS |
| Principal Investigator: |
Hughes, Professor R |
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| Department: |
Inst for Materials Research |
| Organisation: |
University of Salford |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
| Starts: |
04 January 2000 |
Ends: |
03 July 2002 |
Value (£): |
129,623
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Catalysis & Applied Catalysis |
Oil & Gas Extraction |
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| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
| Chemicals |
Energy |
| No relevance to Underpinning Sectors |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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Very large resources of heavy oil (8 to 15 degrees API) exists throughout. the world, but it has low market value and marketability, unless economic means can be developed to upgrade it to a lighter composition, i.e. containing more whiter distilates. Every API point above 10 API is north 40 cents a barrel.The collaborative programme of experimental and numerical modelling aims to establish the essential design framework of a new process for the downhole catalytic upgrading of heavy and medium heavy crude oil. Air Injection 'To-to-Heel' provides the necessary conditions for thermal cracking and hydroconversion of the oil, eliminating the requirement for expensive surface reactor equipment and facilities. A stable reactor environment is provided in situ in the reservoir by virtue of the presence controlled drawn down of reaction gases and fluids into an exposed section of the horizontal producer well. This allows the unique emplacement of an annular catalyst bed for upgrading the thermally cracked oil.
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.salford.ac.uk |