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Conference Article: Prospective high-temperature nuclear power applications in Venezuela for heavy oil exploitation

Abstract

A co-processing model is presented, as an alternative in heavy oil exploitation, to produce synthetic fuel by heavy crude upgrading performed together with coal liquefaction heavy crude upgrading performed together with coal liquefaction, and with the aid of advanced nuclear power. High temperature nuclear reactors provide most of the heat requirements in the high temperature range, that is, above 800 deg. C, in order to operate a reforming unit to produce the large quantities of hydrogen needed for the hydrogenation of the crude. High quality steam could also be obtained with heat extracted from the reactor gas coolant loop. The proposed model includes the option of a thermochemical pipe energy transmission systems, which consist of piping the reforming gas, a mixture of hydrogen and CO, to a distant location where energy is needed, where these gases are allowed to react in an exothermal reaction to form methane. A heat exchanger is used to extract the generated heat for industrial processes and steam production. The methane, part of which could be consumed locally, is returned through a parallel pipe back to the reforming unit. Make up reforming gas could be obtained by gasification of heavy-oil. As an interesting alternative, this heavy oil could be the form of Orimulsion, the suspension in water of bitumen or extra-heavy crude, with the help of special diluents, a product commercialized now by Venezuela as a new fuel. The raw material for the hydrogen production could be either natural gas or heavy oil residues, the later obtained in the upgrading process.

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Reference:

Technical committee meeting on high temperature applications of nuclear energy. Oarai (Japan). 19-20 Oct 1992

International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)

IAEA-TECDOC--761, pp:60-66