Experimental study on viscosity reduction of Iranian heavy export crude oil by using imidazolium based ionic liquids supported on ZIF-8 organic framework

Chemical - Thermal Technology is used to upgrade the quality and to decrease the viscosity of Iranian extra-heavy crude oil in atmospheric pressure. In this present study, quality preparation of [OMIM][NTf2]-ZIF-8 (IL@ZIF-8) nanostructures were performed solvothermal by using an oil-soluble long chain Ionic Liquids, [OMIM][NTf2] and a zeolitic imidazolate framework, ZIF-8. This complex was used in the thermal cracking of heavy oil as a chemical additive. The injection of a small amount of the IL@ZIF-8 into extra-heavy oil caused the production of gaseous compounds, naphtha, middle distillates, lubricating oil, and tar. The viscosity measurement results show an evident viscosity reduction of 91% for extra-heavy oil after chemical-thermal cracking at 370 °C for a maximum of 120 min. The technique is ideally suited for cracking extra-heavy Iranian Crude oils, such as in the Nowrooz-Soroosh oilfields. To our knowledge, no report has been found about the chemothermal cracking of heavy crude oils, especially by using IL@ZIF-8 metal-organic frameworks.