Upgrading Oil Sands and Heavy Oil | Upgrading and Refining Process Development

In the figure below, you can see a schematic diagram example of the upgrading process pathway for cleaned bitumen in order to transform it into value-added synthetic crude oil (SCO). Bitumen processed through this stage has already undergone separation from water and particulate matter (mainly sand and clay) in the extraction plant before entering into the primary upgraders.

As an example of upgrading process development, research scientists are currently developing a novel monolithic hydrotreating technology for middle distillates that has the potential for at least a 2- to 3- fold increase in process efficiency compared to conventional hydrotreating processes. Furthermore, it intensifies the hydrotreating processes to the extent that it will reduce the need for new hydrotreating capacity in bitumen and extra-heavy oil upgraders by ~50%.