Upgrading heavy oil with reconfigurable units

Abstract

Methods, systems and other embodiments associated with upgrading heavy oil are presented. A method of upgrading heavy oil with reconfigurable units connects reconfigurable units into an original configuration of reconfigurable units for upgrading raw heavy oil. The raw heavy oil is upgraded in the original configuration of reconfigurable units by creating high pressure pulses in the raw heavy oil. The high pressure pulses crack the raw heavy oil to produce an oil with a lower viscosity than the raw heavy oil.

1 . A method of upgrading raw heavy oil with reconfigurable units comprising:
 connecting two or more reconfigurable units into an original configuration of reconfigurable units for upgrading raw heavy oil; and   upgrading the raw heavy oil in the original configuration, wherein the upgrading comprises:   creating high pressure pulses in the raw heavy oil to crack the raw heavy oil to produce an oil with a lower viscosity than the raw heavy oil.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 re-connecting the two or more reconfigurable units into a second configuration of reconfigurable units for upgrading additional raw heavy oil, wherein the second configuration is different than the original configuration; and 
 upgrading the additional raw heavy oil in the second configuration to produce a cracked oil with a lower viscosity than the additional raw heavy oil. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the step of connecting the two or more reconfigurable units into the original configuration further comprises:
 connecting the two or more reconfigurable units into a hydrocracking configuration; and wherein the step of re-connecting the two or more reconfigurable units further comprises: 
 re-connecting the two or more reconfigurable units into one if the group of: a visbreaking configuration or and deasphalting configuration. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the step of connecting the two or more reconfigurable units into the original configuration further comprises:
 connecting the two or more reconfigurable units into a visbreaking configuration; and wherein the step of re-connecting the two or more reconfigurable units further comprises: 
 re-connecting the two or more reconfigurable units into one of the group of: a hydrocracking configuration and a deasphalting configuration. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the step of connecting the two or more reconfigurable units into the original configuration further comprises:
 connecting the two or more reconfigurable units into a deasphalting configuration; and wherein the step of re-connecting the two or more reconfigurable units further comprises: 
 re-connecting the two or more reconfigurable units into one of the group of: a visbreaking configuration and a hydrocracking configuration. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of creating high pressure pulses further comprises:
 pumping the heated heavy oil through a cavitation valve; and 
 creating the high pressure pulses in the cavitation valve. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the step of the creating high pressure pulses is generated by fluid hammering action in the cavitation valve. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 analyzing the raw heavy oil to determine an oil quality parameter, wherein the step of connecting two or more reconfigurable units selects the original configuration based, at least in part, on the oil quality parameter. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the step of analyzing the raw heavy oil to determine an oil quality parameter further comprises:
 analyzing the raw heavy oil with an American Petroleum Institute (API) density analyzer associated with one of the two or more reconfigurable units to determine the oil quality parameter. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the two or more reconfigurable units are mobile and the method further comprises:
 transporting the two or more reconfigurable units to a jobsite where the raw heavy oil is to be upgraded, wherein the step of transporting occurs before the step of connecting the two or more reconfigurable units into the original configuration. 
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of upgrading the raw heavy oil further comprises:
 heating the raw heavy oil prior to the step of creating high pressure pulses to produce heated heavy oil, wherein the step of creating high pressure pulses further comprises: 
 creating the high pressure pulses in a cavitation valve, wherein the high pressure pulses have a frequency in a range of 10-100 hertz, wherein the high pressure pulses create microscopic bubbles in the raw heavy oil; and 
 allowing the microscopic bubbles to expand and implode to raise the temperature at the interface of the microscopic bubbles and the raw heavy oil to facilitate cracking the raw heavy oil. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein a residency time of the heated heavy oil in the cavitation valve is less than one second. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein a residency time of the heated heavy oil in the cavitation valve is less than three seconds. 
     
     
         14 . A system comprising:
 a plurality of reconfigurable refinery modules adapted to be configured into a plurality of systems for upgrading raw heavy oil, wherein the plurality of reconfigurable refinery modules are adapted to be configured into a first refining configuration comprising:   a first refinery module including a heater for heating the raw heavy oil to create heated heavy oil; and   a second refinery module including a reaction chamber configured to receive the heated heavy oil and to generate high pressure differentials to facilitate the local cracking of the heated heavy oil to produce a cracked oil that has a lower viscosity than the heated heavy oil.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the plurality of reconfigurable refinery modules are adapted to be configured into a second refining configuration to implement a hydrocracking process for upgrading the heavy oil. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the plurality of reconfigurable refinery modules are adapted to be configured into a third refining configuration to implement a visbreaking process for upgrading the heavy oil. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the plurality of reconfigurable refinery modules are adapted to be configured into a fourth refining configuration to implement a deasphalting process for upgrading the heavy oil. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 14  further comprising:
 an analysis module to determine a quality level of the raw heavy oil; and 
 a control module to select an optimal configuration from the plurality of systems for upgrading raw heavy oil based, at least in part, on the quality level, wherein the control module is operable to at least partially configure the reconfigurable refinery modules into the optimal configuration. 
 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the analysis module includes an oil density analyzer. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a control unit adapted to provide control information to an operator of the system, and wherein the control unit provides controls permitting a single operator to control the system and to reconfigure the system to a different one of the plurality of systems for upgrading raw heavy oil.   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the reaction chamber is a cavitation valve. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a piston within the cavitation valve, wherein the high pressure differentials are created, at least in part, by a back-and-forth action of the piston.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the residency time of the heavy oil in the reaction chamber is less than one second. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the residency time of the heavy oil in the reaction chamber is less than three seconds. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the heater is configured to heat the heavy oil to about 450 degrees Celsius, wherein the reaction chamber is configured to create pressure differentials between −2000 psig and 4000 psig and between 10 to 100 hertz, and wherein the high pressure differential range from about −2000 pounds per square inch gauge (psig) to about 4000 psig.