Transformation of resinous components of the ashalcha field oil during catalytic aquathermolysis in the presence of a cobalt-containing catalyst precursor

The aim of this work was to study the fractional composition of super-viscous oil resins from the Ashalcha field, as well as the catalytic aquathermolysis product in the presence of a cobalt-containing catalyst precursor and a hydrogen donor. The study was conducted at various durations of thermal steam exposure. In this regard, the work enabled the identification of the distribution of resin fractions. These fractions, obtained by liquid adsorption chromatography, were extracted with individual solvents and their binary mixtures in various ratios. The results of MALDI spectroscopy revealed a decrease in the molecular mass of all resin fractions after catalytic treatment, mainly with a hydrogen donor. However, the elemental analysis data indicated a decrease in the H/C ratio for resin fractions as a result of removing alkyl substituents in resins and asphaltenes. Moreover, the data of1H NMR spectroscopy of resin fractions indicated an increase in the aliphatic hydrogen index during catalytic aquathermolysis at the high molecular parts of the resins R3 and R4. Finally, a structural group analysis was carried out in this study, and hypothetical structures of the initial oil resin molecules and aquathermolysis products were constructed as well