Effect of Water on Pyrolysis Reaction of Oil Sand Bitumen

Abstract

Oil sand bitumen produced by SAGD mining method was treated at 450℃ and about 30MPa for less than 120min, using water, nitrogen, or toluene as a reaction medium, to clarify an effect of water on its pyrolysis reaction. Through detail analyses of middle distillate obtained using water and nitrogen, their component distributions were not different. However, at longer treatment times, the reaction with water gave a higher yield of middle distillate and a lower yield of coke than that with nitrogen. Water may not have worked as a reactant like toluene but an effective reaction media due to its dispersion effect.