Upgrading of Sharqy Baghdad Heavy Oil via N-Hexane Solvent

Abstract

Asphaltenes are a solubility class described as a component of crude oil with undesired characteristics. In this study, Sharqy Baghdad heavy oil upgrading was achieved utilizing the solvent deasphalting approach as asphaltenes are insoluble in paraffinic solvents; they may be removed from heavy crude oil by adding N-Hexane as a solvent to create deasphalted oil (DAO)of higher quality. This method is known as Solvent De-asphalting (SDA). Different effects have been assessed for the SDA process, such as solvent to oil ratio (4-16/1 ml/g), the extraction temperature (23 ºC) room temperature and (68 ºC) reflux temperature at (0.5 h mixing time with 400 rpm mixing speed). The best solvent deasphalting results were obtained at room temperature and 12 ml/g solvents to oil ratio. As a result, the API of DAO was increased by 9.3º compared to the API of  Sharqy Baghdad heavy oil. The asphaltene reduction was 61.56%. The Sulfur removal was 32.8%, the Vanadium removal was 36.48%, and the Nickel removal was 46.21%.