Subsurface Upgrading of Heavy Crude Oils and Bitumen

<p>Heavy crude oils and bitumen represent more than 50% of all hydrocarbons available on the planet. These feedstocks have a low amount of distillable material and high level of contaminants that make their production transportation and refining difficult and costly by conventional technologies. <b><i>Subsurface Upgrading of Heavy Crude Oils and Bitumen</i></b> is of interest to the petroleum industry mainly because of the advantages compared to aboveground counterparts. </p><p>The author presents an in-depth account and a critical review of the progress of industry and academia in underground or <i>In-Situ</i> upgrading of heavy extra-heavy oils and bitumen as reported in the patent and open literature. This work is aimed to be a standalone monograph so three chapters are dedicated to the composition of petroleum and fundamentals of crude oil production and refining.</p><p>Key Features:</p><ul><ul> <li>Offers a multidisciplinary scope that will appeal to chemists geologists biologists chemical engineers and petroleum engineers</li> <li>Presents the advantages and disadvantages of the technologies considered</li> <li>Discusses economic and environmental considerations for all the routes evaluated and offers perspectives from experts in the field working with highlighted technologies</li> </ul></ul>