Advanced Environmentally Friendly Technologies for Heavy Crude Oil Production

Heavy crude oil accounts for about 15-20% of total crude oil production. Despite various Enhanced Oil Recovery technologies that offer significant technical and economic success, many of these processes are not fully energy-efficient and have a considerable environmental footprint. In recent decades, several sustainable technologies and scientific advancements have emerged, offering the potential to make heavy oil and bitumen production both economically viable and more environmentally friendly. Advanced Environmentally Friendly Technologies for Heavy Crude Oil Production presents a comprehensive account and critical review of the technologies that have the highest potential for successful implementation in the energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable energies. It discusses progress in both academia (physical or laboratory and numerical simulations) and industry (pilots).

Features

• Emphasizes environmental aspects such as carbon intensity (kg CO2/BBL), technology footprint, and water consumption.
• Describes the Technology Readiness Level of all routes evaluated.
• Considers techno-economic evaluation and life cycle analysis.
• Examines emerging technologies and future trends.

Professionals in the oil and gas industry as well as engineers, scientists, and regulators involved in the energy transition and carbon intensity calculations will find this book to be an excellent resource.

César Ovalles graduated with a Licentiate degree in Chemistry from Simón Bolívar University, Caracas, Venezuela, and a Ph.D. from Texas A&M University. He worked for 16 years at PDVSA-INTEVEP (R&D branch of the Venezuelan oil industry). In 2006, César joined Chevron and has been involved in R&D in petroleum chemistry, new Enhanced Oil Recovery, upgrading processes for heavy crude oils and resins, and asphaltene characterization and mechanism of action of additives to prevent asphaltene precipitation and fouling. In 2020, he originated and led the Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage Program of the Chevron Technical Center in Richmond, California, until his retirement in May 2024. Dr. Ovalles has published 73 papers in peer-reviewed scientific journals and four technical books, has been awarded 25 patents, and has presented 136 papers at scientific and technical conferences.