Total Acid Number Reduction of Acidic Petroleum Crude Oil by Using 2-Methylimidazole in Polyethylene Glycol and Ca/Al₂O₃ Catalyst

Abstract:

The Naphthenic Acid (NA) found in the acidic crude oil is one of the main challenges that can lead to corrosion problem in oil refinery equipment and reduces the quality of the oil. In this study, catalytic neutralization reaction was investigated in order to lowering Total Acid Number (TAN) in crude oil to less than one mg KOH/g utilizing 2-Methylimidazole in Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) with aid of Ca/Al₂O₃ catalyst. The catalyst were supported on the alumina beads through Incipient Wetness Impregnation (IWI) methods and heated in an oven for 24 hours at 80-90°C then calcined at calcination temperatures of 800, 900 and 1000°C. The result showed that Ca/Al₂O₃ catalyst successfully reduced to 0.52 mg KOH/g from original TAN value 4.22 mg KOH/g by using a catalyst at calcination temperature 1000°C, 0.39 wt % (7 beads) of catalyst loading and 1000 ppm of 2-Methylimidazole in PEG. It can be concluded that catalytic deacidification method was effective method in reducing NAs from the crude oil and can lowered the TAN value to less than 1 mg KOH/g.

• Periodical: Materials Science Forum (Volume 1025)
• Pages: 337-342
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.1025.337
• Online since: March 2021
• Authors: Noraini Safar Che Harun*, Norshahidatul Akmar Mohd Shohaimi, Shaari Daud
• Keywords: Catalyst, Crude Oil, Naphthenic Acid

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