Hydrocracking of Athabasca Bitumen Using Submicronic Multimetallic Catalysts at Near In-Reservoir Conditions

NiWMo submicronic catalysts from emulsified metallic aqueous solutions were tested for Athabasca bitumen upgrading. The experiments were performed in a batch reactor (100 mL capacity) at a total pressure of 3.45 MPa, a stirring speed of 500 rpm, reaction times of 3-70 h, and temperatures from 320 to 380 degrees C. Ultradispersed (UD) catalysts enhanced the upgrading of Athabasca bitumen by increasing the hydrogen/carbon ratio and reducing both viscosity and coke formation. The conversion of bitumen increased with both the temperature and reaction time, whereas viscosity, sulfur, and microcarbon residue (MCR) in the reaction products decreased. Catalytic particles tend to agglomerate and become incorporated within the incipient coke matrix that develops at a residue conversion beyond 50 wt %. Nevertheless, good properties of upgraded oil (API gravity, 16 degrees; viscosity at 40 degrees C, 60 cP; and MCR, 11.1 wt %) are obtained during processing before the onset of solids precipitation.