Upgrading heavy oil by deasphalting

Abstract

Methods, systems and other embodiments associated with upgrading heavy oil are presented. A method of upgrading heavy oil by deasphalting includes mixing an initial solvent with raw heavy oil to produce a mixed heavy oil. The mixed heavy oil is heated to produce heated heavy oil. High pressure pulses are created in the heated heavy oil to crack the heated heavy oil to produce a cracked oil with a lower viscosity than the raw heavy oil.

1 . A method of upgrading heavy oil by deasphalting comprising:
 mixing an initial solvent with raw heavy oil to produce a mixed heavy oil;   heating the mixed heavy oil to produce heated heavy oil; and   creating high pressure pulses in the heated heavy oil to crack the heated heavy oil to produce a cracked oil with a lower viscosity than the raw heavy oil.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of mixing the initial solvent to the raw heavy oil further comprises:
 adding a gaseous solvent to the raw heavy oil. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 mixing a second solvent to the cracked oil to produce a re-mixed oil; 
 heating the re-mixed oil to produce a re-heated oil; and 
 creating high pressure pulses in the re-heated oil to crack the re-heated oil to produce a re-cracked oil with a lower viscosity than the cracked oil. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the step of mixing the initial solvent further comprises:
 adding a gaseous solvent to the raw heavy oil, wherein the step of mixing the second solvent further comprises: 
 mixing a liquid solvent to the cracked oil. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the step of creating high pressure pulses in the heated heavy oil further comprises:
 creating high pressure pulses in a first cavitation valve, wherein the step of creating high pressure pulses in the re-heated oil further comprises: 
 creating high pressure pulses in a second cavitation valve. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of adding the initial solvent to the raw heavy oil further comprises:
 mixing a gaseous solvent of C1 to C3 to the raw heavy oil. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 creating a vacuum by passing the raw heavy oil through a venturi, 
 wherein C1 to C3 is mixed to the raw heavy oil at the venturi. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of mixing the initial solvent to the raw heavy oil further comprises:
 mixing a liquid solvent of C4 to C8 to the raw heavy oil. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of the creating high pressure pulses further comprises:
 creating the high pressure pulses in a cavitation valve.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the step of the creating high pressure pulses generates the high pressure pulses with a fluid hammering action in the cavitation valve. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the residency time of the heated heavy oil in the cavitation valve is less than one second. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the residency time of the heated heavy oil in the cavitation valve is less than three seconds. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of creating high pressure pulses further comprises:
 creating the high pressure pulses that change pressure from about −2000 pounds per square inch gauge (psig) to about 4000 psig. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  where the step of creating high pressure pulses further comprises:
 creating microscopic bubbles in the heated heavy oil; and 
 allowing the microscopic bubbles to expand and implode to raise the temperature at the interface of the microscopic bubbles and the heated heavy oil to facilitate cracking the heated heavy oil. 
 
     
     
         15 . A system of upgrading heavy oil by deasphalting comprising:
 an initial mixer to mix an initial solvent with raw heavy oil to produce a mixed heavy oil;   an initial heater for heating the mixed heavy oil to create heated heavy oil; and   an initial reaction chamber configured to receive the heated heavy oil and to generate a controlled cavitation with high pressure differentials to facilitate the local cracking of the heated heavy oil to produce a cracked oil that has a lower viscosity than the heated heavy oil.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  further comprising:
 a second mixer to mix a second solvent with the cracked oil to produce a re-mixed oil; 
 a second heater for heating the re-mixed oil to create re-heated oil; and 
 a second reaction chamber configured to receive the re-heated oil and to generate a controlled cavitation with high pressure differentials to facilitate the local cracking of the re-heated heavy oil to produce an oil that has a lower viscosity than the re-heated oil. 
 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the initial solvent and the second solvent are generated from the raw heavy oil. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the initial solvent is a gaseous solvent and the second solvent is a liquid solvent. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the initial solvent is C1 to C3 and the second solvent is C4 to C8. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the second mixer is a venturi. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the reaction chamber is a cavitation valve. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 15  further comprising:
 a piston within the cavitation valve, wherein the high pressure differentials are created, at least in part, by a back-and-forth action of the piston. 
 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the residency time of the heavy oil in the reaction chamber is less than one second. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the residency time of the heavy oil in the reaction chamber is less than three seconds. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the initial solvent is generated from the raw heavy oil.