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Summary: THE EFFECT OF PRESSURE ON OXIDATION KINETICS OF TAR
FROM A TARMAT RESERVOIR
Sidqi A. Abu-Khamsin
Department of Petroleum Engineering
King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals
Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
ABSTRACT
The oxidation kinetics of a tar with physical and chemical characteristics
similar to those of a reservoir tar were studied employing a variable-temperature
oxidation reactor. Mixed with clean, loose sand, the tar showed oxidation
behavior typical of heavy crudes with LTO and HTO peaks in oxygen
consumption. Higher pressures caused larger LTO-oxygen consumption, lower
HTO-oxygen consumption, lower HTO-peak temperatures, higher apparent H/C
ratio of fuel, and lower HTO activation energy. All these effects are attributed to
suppression of light-end evaporation at low temperatures. Compared with clean
sand, natural crushed-core material promoted LTO of the tar but did not alter
HTO parameters significantly. With HTO-peak temperatures and activation
energies above 500 ºC and 100 kJ/mol, respectively, the tar is not expected to
provide for sustained in-situ combustion in the reservoir.
INTRODUCTION
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