Processing hydrocarbon-containing materials

Abstract

Methods are provided for enhancing oxidative molecular weight reduction in a hydrocarbon-containing material. For example, some methods include (a) providing a first hydrocarbon-containing material comprising a first hydrocarbon, said first hydrocarbon-containing material having been exposed to irradiation from a beam of particles, the beam of particles imparting one or more functional groups to said first hydrocarbon containing material; and (b) oxidizing the first hydrocarbon-containing material with one or more oxidants in the presence of one or more compounds comprising one or more naturally-occurring, non-radioactive group 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 or 11 elements, the one or more elements participating in a Fenton-type reaction while oxidizing, to produce a second hydrocarbon-containing material comprising a second hydrocarbon, the second hydrocarbon having a molecular weight lower than that of the first hydrocarbon, the functional groups enhancing the effectiveness of the oxidizing reaction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of extracting a hydrocarbon from a hydrocarbon-containing material, the method comprising:
 providing a first hydrocarbon-containing material having a first peak molecular weight value, the first hydrocarbon-containing material having been exposed to irradiation from a beam of particles comprising oxygen ions; and   initiating or sustaining a cracking reaction with one or more hydrocarbons present in the first hydrocarbon-containing material and one or more oxidants comprising ozone generated in-situ by the beam of particles, the cracking reaction carried out, at least in part, in the presence of one or more compounds comprising one or more naturally-occurring, non-radioactive group 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 or 11 elements, the one or more elements participating in a Fenton-type reaction with the one or more oxidants, and hydroxyl radicals generated by the beam of particles and/or in the Fenton-type reaction then reacting with the one or more hydrocarbons while cracking, to produce a second hydrocarbon-containing material having a second peak molecular weight value lower than the first peak molecular weight value.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first hydrocarbon-containing material comprises one or more of: tar or oil sand, oil shale, crude oil, bitumen, coal, a petroleum gas, a liquefied natural gas, a synthetic gas, and asphalt. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the crude oil comprises heavy crude oil and/or light crude oil. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the petroleum gas comprises methane, ethane, propane, butane, and/or isobutane. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first hydrocarbon-containing material comprises a natural material that includes one or more hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more elements are in a 1+, 2+, 3+, 4+ or 5+ oxidation state. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more elements comprise Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, or Zn. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more compounds comprises a sulfate. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more compounds comprises iron(II) sulfate or iron(III) sulfate. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more elements comprises Fe in the 2+, 3+ or 4+ oxidation state. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cracking reaction is carried out at least in part using one or more oxidants comprising an oxidant capable of increasing an oxidation state of at least some of said elements. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more oxidants additionally comprises hydrogen peroxide. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more oxidants comprise an oxidant electrochemically or electromagnetically generated in-situ. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more oxidants comprise ozone generated in-situ by irradiating the first hydrocarbon-containing material and the one or more compounds through air with the beam of particles. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a total maximum concentration of the one or more oxidants measured while carrying out the cracking reaction is from about 100 μM to about 1M. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mole ratio of the one or more elements to the one or more oxidants is from about 1:1000 to about 1:25. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein pH is maintained at or below about 5.5 during the Fenton-type reaction. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cracking reaction takes place at least in part in a solution or slurry provided by: (a) adding the one or more compounds to the solution or slurry, and then dispersing the first hydrocarbon-containing material; or (b) dispersing the first hydrocarbon-containing material in the solution or slurry, and then adding the one or more compounds; or (c) adding the one or more compounds to the first hydrocarbon-containing material, and then dispersing in the solution or slurry. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising dispersing the first hydrocarbon-containing material with one or more oxidants at elevated temperature, the first hydrocarbon comprising a gas at said elevated temperature. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a total maximum concentration of the elements in the one or more compounds measured while carrying out the cracking reaction is from about 10 μM to about 500 mM.