Study on the viscosity reduction effect and mechanism of aquathermolysis of heavy oil catalyzed by clay-supported Mn(II) complex

A clay-supported catalyst was developed in this study to address the current disconnect between laboratory research and field applications of aquathermolysis catalysts. In this study, sodium-based clays were used as in situ catalysts and transition metal complexes were used as exogenous catalysts to more accurately model the effects of catalyst application. Compared with the unsupported catalyst, the viscosity reduction rate of this catalyst increased from 58.16% to 75.76%. When this catalyst was added to the reaction system, the content of saturated hydrocarbons in the heavy oil increased to 36.22% and the crude oil fluidity improved significantly. The aquathermolysis reaction process occurs in the heavy component, according to the TGA, elemental, and group component studies. The formation of acidic centers and ligand bonds on the clay surface may be the main mechanism for the catalytic action of the catalyst. This paper has implications for the development of new aquathermolysis catalysts.