Method for hydrotreating and upgrading heavy crude oil during production

The method as recited in claims wherein the frequency is 1.25 kHz.

A method for hydrotreating and upgrading a heavy crude oil containing at least 200 ppm metals and having less than 20 degree API gravity in-situ downhole in a production well extending from the surface of the earth into a subterranean formation containing the heavy crude oil comprising contacting the heavy crude oil in-situ in the production well with hydrazine to form a mixture of hydrazine and heavy crude oil;

• subjecting the mixture of heavy crude oil and hydrazine to sonic energy in the low frequency range of 400 to 10 kHz at the prevailing downhole temperature and pressure in the production well in the presence of the metals in the crude oil that act as a hydrogenation catalyst to cause the hydrazine to react and form hydrogen in-situ in the production well, wherein the hydrogen is formed according to the equation below:
• ##STR2## hydrotreating the heavy crude oil with the hydrogen in-situ in the production well to form an upgraded, hydrotreated oil of lower gravity and viscosity than the heavy crude oil.

A method for hydrotreating and upgrading heavy crude oil having less than 20 degree API gravity being produced from a production well penetrating a subterranean, heavy crude oil containing formation comprising:

• producing oil from the formation via the production well;
• and contacting the heavy crude oil being produced within the production well downhole with ammonia to form a mixture of ammonia and heavy crude oil and subjecting the mixture to sonic energy in the frequency range of about 400 to 10 kHz in the presence of a metal hydrogenation catalyst and at prevailing downhole conditions of temperature and pressure that causes the ammonia to react and form hydrogen which then hydrotreats the heavy crude oil in-situ, said hydrogen formed according to the equation below:
• ##EQU8##

A method for hydrotreating and upgrading a heavy crude oil containing at least 200 ppm metals and having less than 20 degree API gravity comprising contacting the heavy crude oil with ammonia to form a mixture of ammonia and heavy crude oil and subjecting the mixture to sonic energy in the frequency range of about 400 to 10 kHz at room temperature and atmospheric pressure and in the presence of the metals in the crude oil that act as a hydrogenation catalyst that causes the ammonia to react and form hydrogen which then hydrotreats the heavy crude oil in-situ, said hydrogen formed according to the equation below:

• ##EQU12##

A method for hydrotreating and upgrading a heavy crude oil containing at least 200 ppm metals and having less than 20 degree API gravity comprising contacting the heavy crude oil with formic acid to form a mixture of formic acid and heavy crude oil and subjecting the mixture to sonic energy in the low frequency range of about 400 to 10 kHz and in the presence of the metals in the crude oil that act as a hydrogenation catalyst that causes the formic acid to react and form hydrogen which then hydrotreats the heavy crude oil in-situ, said hydrogen formed according to the equation below:

• ##EQU13##

A method for hydrotreating and upgrading a heavy crude oil having less than 20 degree API gravity comprising contacting the heavy crude oil with ammonia to form a mixture of ammonia and heavy crude oil and subjecting the mixture to sonic energy in the low frequency range of 400 to 10 kHz and in the presence of a metal hydrogenation catalyst at room temperature and atmospheric pressure that causes the ammonia to react and form hydrogen which then hydrotreats the heavy crude oil in-situ, said hydrogen formed according to the equation below:

• ##EQU14##

A method for hydrotreating and upgrading a heavy crude oil having less than 20 degree API gravity comprising contacting the heavy crude oil with formic acid to form a mixture of formic acid and heavy crude oil and subjecting the mixture to sonic energy in the low frequency range of 400 to 10 kHz and in the presence of a metal hydrogenation catalyst at room temperature and atmospheric pressure that causes the formic acid to react and form hydrogen which then hydrotreats the heavy crude oil in-situ, said hydrogen formed according to the equation below:

• ##EQU15##