Upgrading Sharky Baghdad Heavy Crude Oil

Abstract

Shaky Baghdad heavy crude oil 22 API is processed by distillation and solvent extraction. The purpose of distillation is to separate the light distillates (light fractions) which represent 35% of heavy crude oil, and to obtain the reduced crude oil. The heavy residue (9 API) is extracted with Iraqi light naphtha to get the deasphaltened oil (DAO), the extraction carried out with temperature range of 20-75 oC, solvent to oil ratio 5-15:1(ml:g) and a mixing time of 15 minutes. In general, results show that API of DAO increased twice the API of reduced crude oil while sulfur and metals content decreased 20% and 50% respectively. Deasphaltened oil produced from various operating conditions blended with the light distillates obtained from distillation in a constant blending percentage of 35% light for all mixtures. These blends produced synthetic crude oil with API up to 30 suitable for using in the subsequent hydrocarbon processes.

Keywords

• synthetic crude oil
• deasphaltening
• distillation
• extraction