Technologies for reducing the viscosity of crude oil

Abstract

Technologies for reducing the viscosity of heavy crude oil are disclosed. In embodiments the technologies utilize a combination of a processing additive composition (PAC) and hydrodynamic cavitation to produce an oil composition having a viscosity V2, wherein V2 is at least 40% less than a viscosity V1 of untreated heavy crude oil. PACs, systems for reducing the viscosity of heavy crude oil using a combination of a PAC and hydrodynamic cavitation, and methods for reducing the viscosity of heavy crude oil with a combination of a PAC and hydrodynamic cavitation are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A processing additive composition for reducing the viscosity of heavy crude oil, comprising:
 from 10 to 35 weight % of at least one aromatic solvent;   from 30 to 70 weight % of a base solvent comprising a heavy aromatic naptha;   from 2.5 to 12.5 weight % of at least one liquid aliphatic hydrocarbon;   from 2.5 to 15 weight % of an organic solvent; and   optionally from 2.5 to 20 weight % of at least one ethoxylated phenol derived surfactant.   
     
     
         2 . The processing additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said at least one aromatic solvent is present in said processing additive composition in an amount ranging from 15 to 25 weight %;   said at least one ethoxylated phenol derived surfactant is present in said processing additive composition in an amount ranging from 5 to 15 weight %;   said base solvent is present in said processing additive composition in an amount ranging from 40 to 65 weight %; and   said liquid aliphatic hydrocarbon is present in said processing additive composition in an amount ranging from 5 to 10 weight %; and   said organic solvent is present in said processing additive composition in an amount ranging from 5 to 12 weight %.   
     
     
         3 . The processing additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one aromatic solvent comprises one or two methyl radicals. 
     
     
         4 . The processing additive composition of  claim 3 , wherein said at least one aromatic solvent is selected from the group consisting of methylbenzene, 1,2-dimethylbenzene, 1,3 dimethylbenzene, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The processing additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one ethoxylated phenol derived surfactant is [4-(2,4-dimethylheptan-3-yl)phenol and ethoxylates thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The processing additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein the base solvent comprises a heavy aromatic naptha with a chain length between C8 and C18. 
     
     
         7 . The processing additive composition of  claim 6 , wherein the heavy aromatic naptha comprises at least one aromatic compound with that includes 8 carbon atoms, at least one aromatic compound that includes 9 to 11 carbon atoms, at least one aromatic compound that includes 12 to 15 carbon atoms, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The processing additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid aliphatic hydrocarbon comprises at least one cyclic monoterpene. 
     
     
         9 . The processing additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein the cyclic monoterpene is selected from the group consisting of 1-methyl-4-(prop-1-en-2-yl)cyclohex-1-ene, (1S, 5S)-2,6,6-trimethylbicyclo[3.1.1]hept-2-ene, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . A system for reducing the viscosity of heavy crude oil, comprising:
 a feed tank fluidly coupled to an oil source and an additive store;   a pump fluidly coupled to the feed tank; and   a cavitation system fluidly coupled to the pump;   
       wherein:
 the feed tank is configured to:
 receive a supply of heavy crude oil with a viscosity V1 from the oil source; 
 receive a processing additive composition from the additive store; and 
 combine the processing additive composition with the heavy crude oil to form a first oil composition; 
 
 the pump is configured to convey the first oil composition to the cavitation system; and 
 the cavitation system is configured to subject the first oil composition to hydrodynamic cavitation to produce a second oil composition with a viscosity V2; and 
 V2 is at least 40% less than V1. 
 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising a mixer within the feed tank and a heater to heat the feed tank. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the processing additive composition comprises:
 from 10 to 30 weight % of at least one aromatic solvent;   from 2.5 to 20 weight % of at least one ethoxylated phenol derived surfactant;   from 30 to 70 weight % of a base solvent comprising a heavy aromatic naptha;   from 2.5 to 12.5 weight % of at least one liquid aliphatic hydrocarbon; and   from 2.5 to 15 weight % of an organic solvent.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein:
 said at least one aromatic solvent is present in said processing additive composition in an amount ranging from 15 to 25 weight %;   said at least one ethoxylated phenol derived surfactant is present in said processing additive composition in an amount ranging from 5 to 15 weight %;   said base solvent is present in said processing additive composition in an amount ranging from 40 to 65 weight %; and   said liquid aliphatic hydrocarbon is present in said processing additive composition in an amount ranging from 5 to 10 weight %; and   said organic solvent is present in said processing additive composition in an amount ranging from 5 to 12 weight %.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein said at least one aromatic solvent is selected from the group consisting of methylbenzene, 1,2-dimethylbenzene, 1,3 dimethylbenzene, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein said at least one ethoxylated phenol derived surfactant is [4-(2,4-dimethylheptan-3-yl)phenol and ethoxylates thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the base solvent comprises a heavy aromatic naptha with a chain length between C8 and C18. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the liquid aliphatic hydrocarbon comprises at least one cyclic monoterpene. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising a surfactant store fluidly coupled to the feed tank, wherein the feed tank is configured to receive at least one additional surfactant from said surfactant store and to mix said at least one additional surfactant with said heavy crude oil and said processing additive composition to form said first oil composition. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein:
 said at least one additional surfactant comprises a first surfactant and a second surfactant;   said first surfactant comprises an ethoxylated fatty acid ester; and   said second surfactant comprises a polyethoxylated sorbitan and a fatty acid that includes from 12 to 18 carbon atoms.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising a water store fluidly coupled to the feed tank, wherein the feed tank is configured to receive water, an amine soap, or a combination thereof from the water store to adjust the water content of said first oil composition. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein V2 is less than or equal to 40% of V1. 
     
     
         22 . A method of reducing the viscosity of heavy crude oil, comprising:
 forming a first oil composition by combining at least a processing additive composition with a heavy crude oil having a viscosity V1; and   subjecting the first oil composition to hydrodynamic cavitation to produce a second oil composition with a viscosity V2;   wherein V2 is at least 40% less than V1.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the processing additive composition comprises:
 from 10 to 30 weight % of at least one aromatic solvent;   from 2.5 to 20 weight % of at least one ethoxylated phenol derived surfactant;   from 30 to 70 weight % of a base solvent comprising a heavy aromatic naphtha;   from 2.5 to 12.5 weight % of at least one liquid aliphatic hydrocarbon; and   from 2.5 to 15 weight % of an organic solvent.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein:
 said at least one aromatic solvent is present in said processing additive composition in an amount ranging from 15 to 25 weight %;   said at least one ethoxylated phenol derived surfactant is present in said processing additive composition in an amount ranging from 5 to 15 weight %;   said base solvent is present in said processing additive composition in an amount ranging from 40 to 65 weight %; and   said liquid aliphatic hydrocarbon is present in said processing additive composition in an amount ranging from 5 to 10 weight %; and   said organic solvent is present in said processing additive composition in an amount ranging from 5 to 12 weight %.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein said at least one aromatic solvent is selected from the group consisting of methylbenzene, 1,2-dimethylbenzene, 1,3 dimethylbenzene, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         26 . The method  claim 24 , wherein said at least one ethoxylated phenol derived surfactant is [4-(2,4-dimethylheptan-3-yl)phenol and ethoxylates thereof. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the base solvent comprises a heavy aromatic naphtha with a chain length between C8 and C18. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the liquid aliphatic hydrocarbon comprises at least one cyclic monoterpene. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein forming said first oil composition further comprises combining at least one additional surfactant with said processing additive composition and said heavy crude oil. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein:
 said at least one additional surfactant comprises a first surfactant and a second surfactant;   said first surfactant comprises an ethoxylated fatty acid ester; and   said second surfactant comprises a polyethoxylated sorbitan and a fatty acid that includes from 12 to 18 carbon atoms.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising adding water, amine soap, or a combination thereof to adjust a water content of the first oil composition. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising heating said first oil composition prior to subjecting said first oil composition to said hydrodynamic cavitation. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein V2 is less than or equal to 40% of V1.