Characterization of bitumen and a novel multiple synergistic method for reducing bitumen viscosity with nanoparticles and surfactants

This paper is concerned with the formation of bitumen during the drilling of the H oilfield in Iraq. The high viscosity and strong adhesion properties of bitumen can influence the drilling operations. Some complex problems include paste screening, and drill pipe sticking, which cause huge economic losses. Therefore, it is necessary to effectively reduce the bitumen viscosity. The contribution of a single subcomponent of bitumen to the viscosity can vary, and the combined effect of different components of bitumen on the viscosity remains unclear. Furthermore, the mechanism of viscosity reduction remains unclear. In this study, the effects of organic solvents on the viscosity of bitumen were studied, and toluene was selected as the best organic solvent. The results showed that aromatics/resins, aromatics/asphaltenes, and resin/asphaltenes can help increase the bitumen viscosity. Novel methods, including the use of nanoparticles, ethyl cellulose, and the quaternary ammonium salt of heptadecenyl hydroxyethyl imidazoline (QASHI), were proposed to decrease the viscosity. TiO(2) and CuO nanoparticles were chosen, and the main factors influencing the viscosity, such as the particle type, concentration, particle size, temperature, and shear rate, were analysed. The results show that the bitumen viscosity decreases with the increase in the concentrations of ethyl cellulose and QASHI. A synergistic effect between ethyl cellulose and QASHI was found with an optimal concentrations of ethyl cellulose and QASHI (1000 and 1600 mg L(−1)). A synergistic effect was also observed when nanoparticles, ethyl cellulose, and QASHI were used in combination. This paper reports the micro-mechanism whereby the viscosity of bitumen is decreased.