Environmental and Technological Issues Associated with Non-Conventional Oil - Recent Technological Advancements

Environnemental and Technological Issues Associated with Non-Conventional Oil Recent Technological Advancement Claude MANDIL Chairman and CEO Institut Français du Petrole IEA Conference on non-conventional oil/ Calgary November 25-26, 2002 Non-Conventional Oil Specific properties of heavy and extra-heavy oils Heavy oil Gravity (°API) Viscosity (cst@100°C) Sulphur (W%) Nitrogen (W%) Ni (ppm) V (ppm) < 20 1000 2.5 - 4 0.4 - 0.8 85 - 150 269 - 500 Light oil 30 - 35 5 - 20 <1 < 0.05 High density, high viscosity, high impurities content specific solutions to produce, transport and refine them IEA Conference on non-conventional oil/ Calgary November 25-26, 2002 Non-conventional oil Density Density 20 °API 20 °API Heavy oil Heavy oil 10 °API 10 °API Extra-heavy oil Extra-heavy oil Bitumen Bitumen Viscosity Viscosity > 10 000 cp > 10 000 cp < 10 000 cp < 10 000 cp IEA Conference on non-conventional oil/ Calgary November 25-26, 2002 Non-Conventional Oil Recent Technological Advancement Production methods - industrial primary production - industrial and pilot enhanced recovery - laboratory enhanced production Transportation methods - traditionnal technologies - technologies to be developed Upgrading methods - recent advancement - in the futur CO2 issues Conclusion IEA Conference on non-conventional oil/ Calgary November 25-26, 2002 Production Methods High viscosity Low ability to flow through the porous media Primary production Enhanced recovery methods Industrial solutions - Foamy oils - Wormholes Industrials solutions - Cyclic Steam Stimulation (CSS) - Steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) Pilot solutions - Polymer injection - Solvent injection (VAPEX) Laboratory solution - In-situ combustion (THAI process) IEA Conference on non-conventional oil/ Calgary November 25-26, 2002 Industrial primary production methods Foamy oil Gas bubbles are trapped by the viscous oil Numerical modeling of the phenomena? Wormholes Unconsolidated sand reservoirs Sand production enhances oil recovery Before production After production Development of a cavity IEA Conference on non-conventional oil/ Calgary November 25-26, 2002 How to control wormhole formation? Industrial and pilot solutions for enhanced production SAGD: Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage Overbunden Steam chamber Mobile oil Underbunden Legend : Injector Producer How to monitor the steam chamber? Vapex and NAGD (Naphtha Assisted Gravity Drainage) - Steam replaced by propane or naphtha - No use of water, less environmental problem IEA Conference on non-conventional oil/ Calgary November 25-26, 2002 Solvents are expensive products. Laboratory solutions: in-situ combustion - THAI process (Toe-to-Heel Air injection) (U. of Bath, PRI) Will it work at the field scale? Injector Combustion front Overbunden Mobile oil zone cold heavy oil Producer Air and water Underbunden IEA Conference on non-conventional oil/ Calgary November 25-26, 2002 Transportation Methods High viscosity important frictions high pressure drop Reduction of the viscosity Reduction of frictions Traditional solution - Dilution - Heating and isolation - Emulsion for combustion - Partial on-site upgrading To be developed - Emulsion for transportation To be developed - Core Annular Flow - Friction Reducing Agents IEA Conference on non-conventional oil/ Calgary November 25-26, 2002 Transportation: Traditional technologies (1) Dilution - Blending the heavy oil with a light one - Easy to realize and efficient Diluent disponibility and/or recycling Heating and isolation - Crude is heated (50°C) and pipes isolated High temperature induces greater corrosion IEA Conference on non-conventional oil/ Calgary November 25-26, 2002 Transportation: Traditional technologies (2) Partial on-site upgrading - Production of transportable synthetic crude Conversion at the well-site? Emulsion for combustion - oil in water emulsion as combustible for electric power plant High emissions of flue gas and CO2 IEA Conference on non-conventional oil/ Calgary November 25-26, 2002 Transportation: technologies to be developed Emulsion for transportation Oil Breaking the emulsion? Water Core annular flow Pipe Water layer Viscous oil Oil adherence while stopping the flow Friction Reducing Agents - optimization of the dilution and the heating processes IEA Conference on non-conventional oil/ Calgary November 25-26, 2002 Optimized proportion between FRA and dilution Comparison of transportation methods efficiency * * * : V% oil/water source: Intevep IEA Conference on non-conventional oil/ Calgary November 25-26, 2002 Comparison of the transportation methods Heating Required pipe diameter Normal Dilution Larger Upgrading Normal Emulsion Larger Annular flow Normal Corrosion Potential None None Potential Potential Additional investments Normal (heaters) High (parallel diluant system) No specifity High (field refinery) Normal/high (supply system) Water separation / treatment Normal/high (supply system) Water treatment Environmental problems Electricity source No specifity Traditional solutions IEA Conference on non-conventional oil/ Calgary November 25-26, 2002 Solutions to be developed Upgrading heavy oils Products: Atmospheric distillation Vacuum distillation Atmospheric residue Vacuum residue Deep conversion Classic conversion & hydrotreatment Gas LPG Gasoline Kerosene gasoil fuel-oil Coke Yield Conventional Non-conventional 20% 40% °API 5.9 1.9 S (W%) 4.2 4.8 Ni ppm 47 153 V ppm 144 590 IEA Conference on non-conventional oil/ Calgary November 25-26, 2002 Upgrading heavy oils - High gravity - Lots of impurities - Low H content - Few light products - Lots of heavy residues Upgrading the residues: deep conversion process Traditional solutions - Visbreaking - Delayed coking - Solvent Deasphalting Current R&D pathways - Hydrotreating - Association of processes - Gasification IEA Conference on non-conventional oil/ Calgary November 25-26, 2002 Upgrading heavy oils improved catalyst process 1st generation catalyst Residue conversion, V % Hydrodesulfurisation Denitrogenation Metals removal 45-75 55-80 23-35 65-90 2nd generation catalyst 45-80 75-90 30-50 65-90 source: IFP IEA Conference on non-conventional oil/ Calgary November 25-26, 2002 Upgrading heavy oils Combination of hydrotreating and solvant deasphalting Combination of H-Oil and Solvahl IFP process Heavy Crude Yield Gravity Sulfur CCR Ni+V Viscosity V% °API W% W% Wppm cSt 100 10.8 4.39 13.2 205 1447 Syncrude 85 - 95 23 1.74 0.5 - 1.8 5-6 2.7 - 3.2 source: IFP/WPC IEA Conference on non-conventional oil/ Calgary November 25-26, 2002 Upgrading heavy oils Global interest for Gasification Partial oxidation Heavy oil Synthesis gas (mainly H2 and CO) Global interest: - Integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) - Combination with GTL But! - Investment still quite high, especially for oxygen production - High CO2 emissions IEA Conference on non-conventional oil/ Calgary November 25-26, 2002 CO2 issues Energetic yield % 100 “From well to syncrude” Conventional 90 85 80 75 Orinoco Steam injection HW oil sand Steam injection VW 2.5 HW: horizontal wells VW: vertical wells 10 15 25 CO2 emissions g/MJ source: IFP IEA Conference on non-conventional oil/ Calgary November 25-26, 2002 Conclusion Lots of technical innovations for non-conventional oil exploitation 3 main issues for R&D focus - energetic yield to improve, - environmental impact to reduce - CO2 emissions to reduce IEA Conference on non-conventional oil/ Calgary November 25-26, 2002