Density\nand Viscosity of Multicomponent Solvent (<i>n</i>‑Pentane\n+ <i>n</i>‑Hexane + <i>n</i>‑Heptane\n+ <i>cyclo</i>-Hexane + Toluene)\nand Bitumen MixturesImplications for In Situ Bitumen Recovery\nand Transportation of Diluted Bitumen

Abstract

Conventional techniques for extracting and transporting\nbitumen,\nsuch as steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD), are associated with\nsignificant environmental drawbacks and contribute to greenhouse gas\nemissions. Embracing alternative processes could significantly mitigate\nthese environmental impacts significantly. Furthermore, developing\nmore energy-efficient extraction and transportation methods holds\nthe potential to reduce energy consumption and associated carbon emissions,\ncontributing to a more sustainable energy sector. This study introduces\nnovel measurements pertaining to the thermophysical properties of\na multicomponent synthetic solvent (<i>n</i>-pentane + <i>n</i>-hexane + <i>n</i>-heptane + <i>cyclo</i>-hexane + toluene) and bitumen mixtures within a pressure range extending\nup to 8.769 MPa and temperatures reaching up to 389 K. This information\nis of utmost significance in the design, optimization, and simulation\nof in situ recovery methods. Moreover, the measured properties are\ncrucial in the design of surface processing and transport of diluted\nbitumen. Empirical relationships are established to determine the\nthermophysical properties of the studied multicomponent systems. These\ncorrelations, yielding average absolute relative deviations (AARD)\nof 0.36% for density and 8.81% for viscosity, offer simple tools for\nestimation of these properties in multicomponent systems composed\nof bitumen and synthetic diluent. Our results illustrate that the\nutilization of a synthetic diluent for viscosity reduction leads to\na corresponding reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and results\nin significant energy savings. The results hold relevance across a\nspectrum of applications, spanning solvent-based bitumen recovery\nprocesses, surface treatments, and the efficient transportation of\nbitumen via pipelines.