Viscosity Reduction and Flow Ability Enhancement of Heavy Crude Oil Using Nano Biomaterial Additive and Microwave Irradiation

Khazaal, Shaymaa H.; Ibrahim, Raheek I; Mowea, Wasan S

doi:10.22059/jchpe.2025.398861.1649

Viscosity Reduction and Flow Ability Enhancement of Heavy Crude Oil Using Nano Biomaterial Additive and Microwave Irradiation

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Shaymaa H. Khazaal ¹

Raheek I Ibrahim ²

Wasan S Mowea ³

¹ College of Applied Sciences, University of Technology, Baghdad, Iraq.

² College of Electromechanical Engineering, University of Technology, Baghdad, Iraq.

³ College of Electromechanical Engineering, University of Technology, Baghdad, Iraq

10.22059/jchpe.2025.398861.1649

Abstract

As conventional oil and gas supplies are becoming depleted, the need to reduce the viscosity of heavy crude oil has become increasingly significant. This work aims to clarify the mechanism of viscosity reduction in heavy crude oil using a new method: microwave irradiation assisted by okra powder nanomaterial. For this purpose, two setups are designed. The first setup was designed to measure the effect of prepared okra powder (1030.6 nm) on heavy crude oil, with the aim of determining optimal conditions for flowability enhancement. The second setup was designed to show the effect of electromagnetic heating on viscosity reduction. To investigate the microstructure, effective functional groups, and particle size distribution of the prepared powder, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX), a Particle Size Analyzer (PSA), and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) were used. For the first setup, the results showed that the optimum conditions were achieved at 100 ppm addition, with a viscosity of 19.21 cP. Whilst for the second setup, at a power of 800 Watts and 4 min treatment time, the viscosity reduced to 17.52 cP, while with the use of both nano biomaterial and electromagnetic heating, the reduction achieved was 15.02 cP, which shows the high effectiveness of the electromagnetic heating mechanism on preserving low viscosity and improving flow characteristics even at moderate temperatures. This indicates a viscosity reduction of around 28.68%.

Keywords

Biomaterial

Electromagnetic

Nano

Okra Powder

Reduction

Viscosity

Subjects

Chemical engineering

Keleşoğlu S, Pettersen BH, Sjöblom J. Flow properties of water-in-North Sea heavy crude oil emulsions. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering. 2012 Dec 1;100:14–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2012.11.006 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2012.11.006
Ouda EH, Khazaal SH, Abbas J. An Application of Cooperative Game Theory in Oil Refining Sites: Case Study of Dora Refinery in Iraq. In International Conference on Intelligent and Fuzzy Systems 2023 Aug 17:592-599. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-39777-6_69
Mowea WS, Ibrahim RI, Oudah MK. Electromagnetic heating for the separation of Water-Oil emulsion. Petroleum Chemistry. 2024 Jan 1;64(1):53–61. https://doi.org/10.1134/s0965544124010195
Mowea WS; Ibrahim RI, Oudah MK. Optimization process for demulsification of water-oil emulsions using microwave heating assisted with calcium carbonate. Journal of Engineering Science and Technology. 2025 Jun; 20(3).‏ https://jestec.taylors.edu.my/Special%20Issue%20on%20ICSSD2024/ICSSD2024_06.pdf
Martínez-Palou R, De Lourdes Mosqueira M, Zapata-Rendón B, Mar-Juárez E, Bernal-Huicochea C, De La Cruz Clavel-López J, et al. Transportation of heavy and extra-heavy crude oil by pipeline: A review. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering. 2010 Nov 27;75(3–4):274–82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2010.11.020
Bannwart AC. Modeling aspects of oil–water core–annular flows. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering. 2001 Dec 1;32(2–4):127–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0920-4105(01)00155-3
Al-Besharah JM, Salman OA, Akashah SA. Viscosity of crude oil blends. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research. 1987 Dec 1;26(12):2445–9. https://doi.org/10.1021/ie00072a010
Chang C, Nguyen QD, Rønningsen HP. Isothermal start-up of pipeline transporting waxy crude oil. Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics. 1999 Nov 1;87(2–3):127–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0377-0257(99)00059-2
Ali MA, Nofa WA. Application of High Performance Liquid Chromatography for Hydrocarbon Group Type Analysis of Crude Oils. Petroleum Science and Technology. 1994 Jan 1;12(1):21–33. https://doi.org/10.1080/08843759408916163
Zaki N, Butz T, Kessel D. Rheology, Particle Size Distribution, and Asphaltene Deposition of Viscous Asphaltic Crude Oil-in-Water Emulsions for Pipeline Transportation. Petroleum Science and Technology. 2001 Mar 31;19(3–4):425–35. https://doi.org/10.1081/lft-100000774
Trinh KT. On the Blasius correlation for friction factors. arXiv (Cornell University). 2010 Jan https://arxiv.org/abs/1007.2466
Ram A, Finkelstein E, Elata C. Reduction of friction in oil pipelines by polymer additives. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Process Design and Development. 1967 Jul 1;6(3):309–13. https://doi.org/10.1021/i260023a009
Langevin D, Poteau S, Hénaut I, Argillier JF. Crude oil emulsion properties and their application to heavy oil transportation. Oil & Gas Science and Technology – Revue D’IFP Energies Nouvelles. 2004 Sep 1;59(5):511–21. https://doi.org/10.2516/ogst:2004036
Drappier J, Divoux T, Amarouchene Y, Bertrand F, Rodts S, Cadot O, et al. Turbulent drag reduction by surfactants. EPL (Europhysics Letters). 2006 Mar 9;74(2):362–8. https://doi.org/10.1209/epl/i2005-10519-x
Soni HP., and Bharambe DP. Synthesis and evaluation of polymeric additives as flow improvers for Indian crude oil. 2006;15(12): 943-954.‏ https://www.sid.ir/EN/VEWSSID/J_pdf/81320061202.pdf
Ashrafizadeh SN, Kamran M. Emulsification of heavy crude oil in water for pipeline transportation. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering. 2010 Feb 24;71(3–4):205–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petrol.2010.02.005
Khadom AA, Abdul-Hadi AA. Performance of polyacrylamide as drag reduction polymer of crude petroleum flow. Ain Shams Engineering Journal. 2014 May 22;5(3):861–5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asej.2014.04.005
Zakin JL. Bin L, and Hans-Werner B. Surfactant drag reduction. Reviews in Chemical Engineering. 1998;14(4-5): 253-320.‏ https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/REVCE.1998.14.4-5.253/html
Hart A. A review of technologies for transporting heavy crude oil and bitumen via pipelines. Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology. 2013 Oct 21;4(3):327–36. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13202-013-0086-6
Pereira AS, Andrade RM, Soares EJ. Drag reduction induced by flexible and rigid molecules in a turbulent flow into a rotating cylindrical double gap device: Comparison between Poly (ethylene oxide), Polyacrylamide, and Xanthan Gum. Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics. 2013 Oct 8;202:72–87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnnfm.2013.09.008
Al-Dawery SK, Al-Shereiqi SK. Waste bio materials based viscosity reduction and rheological properties of crude oil. Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology. 2019 Jan 14;9(3):2109–21. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13202-019-0612-2
Niazi M, Ashrafizadeh SN, Hashemabadi SH, Karami H. CFD simulation of drag-reducing fluids in a non-Newtonian turbulent pipe flow. Chemical Engineering Science [Internet]. 2023 Dec 7;285:119612. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ces.2023.119612
‏Al-Zahrani SM. A generalized rheological model for shear thinning fluids. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering. 1997 May 1;17(3–4):211–5. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0920-4105(96)00072-1
Pierre C, Barré L, Pina A, Moan M. Composition and heavy oil rheology. Oil & Gas Science and Technology – Revue D’IFP Energies Nouvelles. 2004 Sep 1;59(5):489–501. https://doi.org/10.2516/ogst:2004034
Shakir SW, Hussein SS, Khazaal SH, Al-Naseri HA, Ahmed AM, Hachim RN, et al. Examination and Improvement of the Taguchi-Based Nanofluids Impact on CO2 Absorption using Al2O3 Nanoparticles. Journal of Advanced Research in Fluid Mechanics and Thermal Sciences. 2024 Aug 15;120(1):204–16. https://doi.org/10.37934/arfmts.120.1.204216
Ibrahim RI, Odah MK, Shafeeq DA. Preparation and application of natural and low-cost palm fibers as an effective drag reducing agent for flow improvement in Iraqi crude oil pipelines. Deleted Journal. 2020 May 1;11(1):6–11. https://doi.org/10.37649/aengs.2020.171277
Khazaal SH, Makki HF. Comprehensive Review on Carbon Steels Corrosion in Chloride-Rich Media (Article in Press). Journal of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering. 2025. https://doi.org/10.22059/jchpe.2025.393259.1613
Khazaal SH, Al-Sheikh F, Al-Ameri M. Using activated carbon to adsorb Co (II) from synthetic solution: Isotherms and optimization studies. AIP Conference Proceedings. 2022 Jan 1;2670:060017. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0095860