Catalytic neutralization of acidic crude oil utilizing ammonia in ethylene glycol basic solution

Catalytic neutralization of acidic crude oil utilizing ammonia in ethylene glycol basic solution

Naphthenic acids in crude oil is a main contributor to the corrosion problem in the petroleum industry and removal of these acids from the crude oil fraction become a great concern nowadays. Catalytic neutralization is an alternative technique to be investigated in this study. A basic chemical with a dosing of 0.4% and 4% of ammonia solution in ethylene glycol (NH3-EG) were used as the acid removal agent with a concentration of 100 mg/L, 500 mg/L, and 1000 mg/L for three different crude oils which are Petronas Penapisan Melaka heavy (crude A) and light crude (crude B) and Korean crude (crude C). A series of alkaline earth metal oxide catalysts; calcium, barium and magnesium supported onto alumina with different calcination temperatures were used to enhance the reaction. The results showed 67.4% (3000 mg/L of 4% NH3-EG) reduction in TAN for crude A and 78.7% (10,000 mg/L of 4% NH3-EG) reduction for crude C by using the best studied catalyst which was Ca/Al2O3 with a calcination temperature of 1100 8C. For crude B, there was 71.2% reduction of TAN with 1000 mg/L of 0.4% of NH3-EG. Additionally, based on the results obtained, a mechanistic naphthenic acid reduction reaction pathway was postulated.

Naphthenic acids in crude oil is a main contributor to the corrosion problem in the petroleum industry and removal of these acids from the crude oil fraction become a great concern nowadays. Catalytic neutralization is an alternative technique to be investigated in this study. A basic chemical with a dosing of 0.4% and 4% of ammonia solution in ethylene glycol (NH3-EG) were used as the acid removal agent with a concentration of 100 mg/L, 500 mg/L, and 1000 mg/L for three different crude oils which are Petronas Penapisan Melaka heavy (crude A) and light crude (crude B) and Korean crude (crude C). A series of alkaline earth metal oxide catalysts; calcium, barium and magnesium supported onto alumina with different calcination temperatures were used to enhance the reaction. The results showed 67.4% (3000 mg/L of 4% NH3-EG) reduction in TAN for crude A and 78.7% (10,000 mg/L of 4% NH3-EG) reduction for crude C by using the best studied catalyst which was Ca/Al2O3 with a calcination temperature of 1100 8C. For crude B, there was 71.2% reduction of TAN with 1000 mg/L of 0.4% of NH3-EG. Additionally, based on the results obtained, a mechanistic naphthenic acid reduction reaction pathway was postulated.