Catalyst Development for Hydrothermal Cracking of Heavy Oil

Effects of Support and Potassium Salt Additive

Abstract

Hydrothermal cracking of a Canadian Athabasca oil sand bitumen was conducted in a batch autoclave at 673 to 713K under 1.0 to 5.0MPa hydrogen to determine the most favorite reaction conditions. Various catalysts were prepared using MgO, activated carbon, SiO₂ and Al₂O₃ as the support, and Ni as active metal, to investigate the catalytic activity for the hydrothermal cracking of the oil sand bitumen. The basic MgO and neutral activated carbon supported catalysts showed lower coke yields than the acidic SiO₂ supported catalyst. Coke and gas yields were reduced when the Ni/SiO₂ catalyst was doped by 1wt% potassium salt.