Chemistry and Technology of Fuels and Oils, Vol.49, No.1, 16-24, 2013
Simulation Modeling and Kinetics for Low-Temperature Oxidation of Light Crude Oil
Air injection into water-flooded light oil reservoirs has been found to be a potential technique for improving oil recovery. We have used physical simulation to study the low-temperature oxidation (LTO) behavior of different light crude oils. The amount of oxygen consumed in the reaction decreases as the oil content in the oil-bearing rock decreases. We have found that the aromatic hydrocarbon content in the oil has a significant effect on the oxidation rate. The Arrhenius equation for calculating the kinetic parameters of the reaction is refined, taking into account the aromatic hydrocarbon content in the oil.