canadian heavy oil and bitumen quality -...

Canadian Heavy Oil and Bitumen Canadian Heavy Oil and Bitumen

QualityQuality

Presented to NASPresented to NAS

October 23, 2012October 23, 2012

Randy Segato, VPRandy Segato, VP

Andre Lemieux, SecretaryAndre Lemieux, Secretary

CCQTA introduction

• Canadian Crude Quality Technical Association

• Founded in 1996, the CCQTA is a registered not-

for-profit association formed to:

Facilitate the resolution of common crude oil quality issues

through collaborative research

Develop and run “industry research projects”

Improve industry knowledge and awareness of crude oil

quality

• 69 member companies

Refiners/Producers/Midstream/Pipelines/Suppliers

Canada, US, International

10 Active Projects, 9 completed/closed projects

Many projects involved more than a single phase

• For more information, visit: www.ccqta.com

Production vs Refining

3

• Crude Oil Production

Quality

→ Heavier feed (bitumen blends)

→ Lighter feed (Shale plays)

→ changing contaminants

→ Production Process

developments

→ Fractionating additives

→ complex crude blends

→ Diluent variability

• Refinery Processing

Demands

→ Higher throughputs

→ Longer run lengths

→ More

complex/sensitive units

→ Tighter Refined

product specifications

→ Seeking more

predictability

→ More environmental

pressure

Feedstock Quality vs Refinery Quality capabilities pushed in different directions.

Technical understanding allows Industry Efficiency and Operational Excellence.

CCQTA facilitates technical analysis and understanding.

Production vs Refining

4

• Crude Oil Production

Quality

→ Heavier feed (bitumen blends)

→ Lighter feed (Shale plays)

→ changing contaminants

→ Production/Fractionating

additives

→ complex crude blends

→ Diluent variability

• Refinery Processing

Demands

→ Higher throughputs

→ Longer run lengths

→ More

complex/sensitive units

→ Tighter product

specifications

→ Seeking more

predictability

→ More environmental

pressure

Feedstock Quality vs Refinery Quality capabilities pushed in different directions.

Technical understanding allows Industry Efficiency and Operational Excellence.

CCQTA facilitates technical analysis and understanding.

Overall….It is Refining that will first sense key

crude quality issues of concern, if any.

This is logical given they process crudes at

more extreme conditions, in varying

concentrations, see multiple crude types, and

become “the end of the pipe” for crude oil

movements.

CCQTACCQTA

• Active Projects

Project

Name

Number of

Participants

Start

Year

Phosphorus in Crude 21 1996

TAN Corrosion, Phase 4 14 2003

Oil Sands Bitumen

Processability, Phase 3 17 2007

Condensate Quality 17 2008

Heavy Oil Compatibility 11 2010

Emulsion

Characterization 10 2011

H2S PVT 7 2011

Organic Chloride 17 2012

TVP/RVP 2 2012

Dewatering and

Volumetric Discrepancy 6 2012

Data Supplement for NAS

In addition to other public crude oil available

data, the following summarizes some key

projects and provides additional crude

quality data comparing heavies and bitumen

blends to other crude commodities in the

similar market.

Heavy Oil & Bitumen ProjectsHeavy Oil & Bitumen Projects

• Heavy Oil BS&W - 1998 – 2006

Goal

→Determine the key variables impacting heavy oil Refinery

processability

Activities

→Multiple site testing of production facilities to identify key

elements of BS&W components

→Cradle to grave tracking of BS&W components from

production to refinery sites.

→An evaluation of BS&W components to determine their

impact on desalter operation.

→A subsequent investigation at the refinery level of other

potential variables affecting heavy oil processability.


• Heavy Oil BS&W - 1998 – 2006

Key Findings

→Production solids within BS&W specification were

composed primarily of sand, clay and salt

→No evidence of any change in the qualitative and

quantitative nature of solids during pipeline transport

→Filterable solids concentration did not appear to play a

significant role on refinery emulsions stabilization.

→Results suggested a potential role for iron as an emulsion

stabilizer

Some pipelines allow 1% max BS&W. This project dealt with

Crude Commodities from Western Canadian Sedimentary

Basin where pipelines demand max 0.5% max


• Iron Fouling Project - 2006 – 2010

Goal

→Determine the role of iron as a contaminant in crude oil

and its impact on refinery operation.

Activities/Objectives

→Understand the role of iron as:

– Emulsion Stabilizer

– Process Foulant

– Process Contaminant for Catalytic Units

Key Findings

→ Data indicates a “weak case” for iron as an emulsions

stabilizer

→Plant emulsion data (Particle Size Data) suggest that

tighter emulsions contained larger particles

Iron Fouling Project Iron Fouling Project

Particle Size Distribution Results Particle Size Distribution Results -- Sorted by CaseSorted by Case


• Iron Fouling Project - 2006 – 2010

Key Findings

→Initially SAGD plant emulsion samples PSD data indicated

larger particles than refinery based emulsions

SAGD Bitumen Production Treater

Emulsion Solids - PSD Results

Sample Plant A Plant A Plant A Plant B

Mean (μm) 16.53 3.83 .53 2.07

Mode 3.65 6.92 .26 .14

Median 3.93 1.36 .41 .73

Min .48 0.10 .10 .10

STDev 37.78 4.67 .43 3.02

Max 313.13 21.97 3.84 23.51


• Oil Sands Bitumen Processability Project - 2006 -

Present

Goal

→Determine the impact of bitumen quality on the

processability of crude oils derived from oilsands bitumen

Activities/Objectives

→Collection of multiple samples (5 to 10) of commercial

dilbits/synbits and Canadian heavy oil.

→Detailed compositional analysis of contaminants in all

samples

→Assessment of desaltability, fouling, coking and cracking

tendencies of all sampled streams.


• Oilsands Bitumen Processability Project - 2006 -

Present

Key Findings

→Oilsands dilbit/synbit crudes contain either comparable or

lower levels of process contaminants than the tested

conventional Canadian heavy crudes

→Oilsands dilbit/synbit crudes are not expected to be more

difficult/problematic to process than the tested

conventional Canadian heavy crude oils

Oilsands Bitumen Processability ProjectOilsands Bitumen Processability Project

Pipeline Quality Samples (except for Dilbit A)Pipeline Quality Samples (except for Dilbit A)

Sample Properties Sample Properties -- Average Values (5 samples)Average Values (5 samples)


Pipeline Quality Samples (except for Dilbit A) Pipeline Quality Samples (except for Dilbit A)

Filterable Solids ContentFilterable Solids Content



Filterable Solids Particle Size Data Filterable Solids Particle Size Data -- Average Values (5 Samples)Average Values (5 Samples)



Hydrocarbon Analysis by ICP Hydrocarbon Analysis by ICP -- Average Values (5 samples)Average Values (5 samples)



Filterable Solids Analysis by ICP Filterable Solids Analysis by ICP -- Average Values (5 Samples)Average Values (5 Samples)

Oilsands Bitumen Processability Project Oilsands Bitumen Processability Project

Pipeline Quality Samples (except for Dilbit A, no Data in Dilbit Pipeline Quality Samples (except for Dilbit A, no Data in Dilbit F) F)

Filterable Solids Composition by Type Filterable Solids Composition by Type -- Average Values (5 Samples)Average Values (5 Samples)


Pipeline Quality Samples (no data for Dilbits A & Pipeline Quality Samples (no data for Dilbits A & F) F)

Relative Emulsion Forming TendenciesRelative Emulsion Forming Tendencies

Higher Number Suggest More Difficult to DesaltHigher Number Suggest More Difficult to Desalt

H2S (Hydrogen Sulphide)

• Little historic concerns with existing H2S containing crudes within North America but H2S has occasionally been raised within environmental or safety issues. Ie (exposure)

• Crudes movements generally not bounded by H2S content as most operators err on side of caution (ie assume crude contains H2S unless known otherwise)

• Proper H2S in liquid measurements is difficult

• H2S in vapour over a crude is highly dependent on vapour space temperature/pressure, volume, and time

– vapour space over a storage tank or railcar is the raised awareness

– within pipelines, crude (and resulting H2S content) is only a liquid)

Projects were initiated to – Attempt to Provide Improved field H2S testing and validate current levels of H2S

in common crude commodities (condensate, light, heavy)

– Develop H2S Pressure/Vapour/Temperature operating window education (vapour vs liquid) for use in transportation management

H2S (Hydrogen Sulphide) • In researching multiple crudes for H2S field testing, it was

concluded that H2S content is not proportional to total Sulfur content. – H2S is generally higher for North American field fractionated

conventional (sweet and light sour crudes vs heavies) (note that common diluents in Canada does have upper spec vs other crudes that are not managed)

– Partial pressures of operating pipelines are such that crudes movements are well below the bubblepoint of H2S (ie H2S remains in liquid state)

Note: within crude oils, “sweet” is defined as total sulfur less than 0.5 wt% and “sour” is defined as greater than 0.5% wt%. H2S content is not related to total Sulfur content.

CCQTA Contact Information

President

Gerald Bruce

• Ph: 403 775-1835

• E-mail: [email protected]

[email protected]

Vice-President

Randy Segato • Ph: 403.296.4561

• Email: [email protected]

Secretary

Andre Lemieux

• Ph: 780-975-3026

• E-mail: [email protected]

…End

canadian heavy oil and bitumen quality -...

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