Production of Orimulsion
One metric ton of Orimulsion between 6.25 to 6.28 equivalent barrels, this variation depends on the density of bitumen. Currently the cost of one metric ton of Orimulsion is $ 14.5. If we make the conversion to barrels 1 metric ton, the cost of a barrel equals approximately $ 2.31.
Morichal plant currently produces between 75 and 80 thousand barrels of natural bitumen, which multiplied by 0.7 for the component of natural bitumen, are occurring between 105 a 110 bpd of Orimulsion ®
This production is transferred to Marine Export Terminal through a Jose oriducto of 300km. away from the plant located to the terminal. Once the Orimulsion ® reaches Jose Marine Terminal is stored in tanks, which has eight tanks, each with a capacity of 250 billion barrels. Hence there is a pipeline of 8 km away being led to a monobuoy which is where Orimulsion ® is shipped to customers.
In 1996 the business of PDVSA BITOR resulted in the export of 4, 173 million metric tons of Orimulsion ®, in 1997 the business of PDVSA BITOR was affected by the decision of the State of Florida not to use Orimulsion ® due to the pollutant that was, this caused a domino effect, bringing in a decrease in exports of 3.828 million metric tons of Orimulsion ®,. For 1998 exports under 3,500 million metric tons for 1999 increased significantly to 4,885 million metric tons of Orimulsion ®. It is estimated that by 2000 the export of Orimulsion ® will be 6,500 million metric tons.
Emulsification Production Module (ASM) is composed of the wells and Emulsification Plant. The maximum capacity of a module is equivalent to 6.5 million metric tons, which corresponds to 115 thousand barrels per day.
Reserves of Orimulsion
The proven reserves of Venezuela in terms of natural bitumen is concerned, amounts to 42 thousand 720 million metric tons, this means 267 billion barrels, ensuring reliable supply of Orimulsion ® for 150 years or so.
New Brunswick Power, New Brunswick, Canada.
20-year contract to supply up to 800 thousand tons / year to the electric plant in Dalhousie (315 MW).
Sk Power Asnaes Denmark.
Contract to supply up to 1.3 million tonnes / year to Asnaes electric plant (650 MW).
Lithuania State Power
System Lutuania.
17 years contract to supply up to 500 thousand tons / year Elektrenai Power Plant (150 MW).
Kashima Kita Electric Power Corporation, Japan.
Contract to supply 500 thousand tons / year to Kashima Power Plant (220 MW).
China National United Oil Corporation, People's Republic of China.
Contract to supply up to 480 thousand tons in 2000 to power plants and industrial sector of China for commercial trials.
Kansai Electric Power, Japan.
Contract to supply 80 thousand tons a year to the Osaka Power Plant (150 MW).
Hokkaido Electric Power Company, Japan.
Contract to supply 100 thousand tons per year to power plant Shiriuchi.
Arawak Cement Company Ltd., Barbados.
10-year contract for delivery of 40 thousand tons of Orimulsion, the Arawak cement plant, Barbados.
Enel, Italy.
Contract for 3 million tonnes of Orimulsion ® supply to power plants in Brindisi (2 units of 660 MW each), Fiume Santo (2 units of 320 MW each) and San Filippo (2 units of 640 MW c / u). Studies are underway to convert the plant to supply Piombino, from the year 2003, 2.6 million tons per year.
Orimulsion ® and the environment
Combustion tests: to gin the technical feasibility of burning Orimulsion has been intensively studied in its handling characteristics and combustibility, and
The properties of the combustion gases.
Since 1986 he has conducted numerous combustion tests in Venezuela and abroad in the area of laboratories, pilot plants and commercial. Laboratories at the premises of the Teques Intevep Venezuela, London England Sunbury, Pilot Plants in Nagasaki Japan, U.S. Kreisiger.
At Monte Bello California United States during this test was gassed about 144 tons of Orimulsion ® and operational results were derived from the design bases for power plants to be built in the future, which is little pollution, this effort led to the identification of 186 billion tons of extra heavy oil and natural bitumen which is composed of the following chemicals such as carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, sulfur, ash.
Novel method for the determination of contaminants in Orimulsion ® by XRF. They are as follows: Sulfur and Vanadium, this parameter also the first to be decisive for marketing of fuels, is required for establishing the level of contamination of fuel.
Determination of Vanadium and nickel content is also very important because these metals are associated with undesirable compounds formed during fuel processing and can cause damage to the infrastructure used.
Advantages of Orimulsion ® as independent evidence and in accordance with the results of its commercial application, Orimulsion ® is the new PDVSA fuels for electricity generation and other industrial uses, compares favorably with various fossil fuels in terms of its impact environmental plant using Orimulsion ® meet all requirements of health, safety and environmental protection in countries where they are.
Health:
It is unlikely that the Orimulsion ® cause skin damage as a result brief or occasional contact but can cause dermatitis if contact is repeated or prolonged, is unlikely to cause harm by inhalation at room temperature, but the gases or vapors from hot oil may cause irritation to the nose and throat.
Safety:
Orimulsion ® is transported and stored at room temperature, Orimulsion ® is not flammable and therefore, under normal circumstances.
Toxicity
There have been toxicity tests to assess the environmental impacts that would have an eventual and unlikely Orimulsion ® spill specific tests were performed taking into account marine species to the various markets supplied Orimulsion ® was found that this fuel is similar or less toxic than heavy fuel oil.
Behavior of spills
Orimulsion ® is shipped aboard via double-hulled tankers. Has been tested to contain and recover spills of Orimulsion ® in both the terminal and offshore, and have prepared two plans for managing continence possibility of a spill, one technique has been successfully evaluated the using a floating boom with a nylon skirt that extends about 2 or 3 meters below the surface of a vertical plane, allowing to recover the bitumen through the use of pumps.
Orimulsion ® Stabilized With Intan - 400
It is necessary to note that the use of compounds of the type of nonyl phenol ethoxylates, has been banned in Europe for environmental reasons. The Intan - 100, based surfactant in the manufacture of Orimulsion ® to 1998, contains this chemical as active material for that reason, the replacement of this surfactant, became imperative.
The alcohol ethoxylates surfactants were investigated as alternatives to the use of nonyl phenol ethoxylates, in the manufacture of Orimulsion ®. This surfactant, known as Intan - 200, is biodegradable and therefore environmentally friendly, especially in aquatic environments.
Other options studied to stabilize Orimulsion ® was the use of some components of bitumen, which possess interfacial activity. These components, commonly known as natural surfactants, chemically consist of mixtures of carboxylic acids. The natural surfactants are activated with Intan - 300, basic solution whose active ingredient is metanolamina.
Orimulsion ® production could be reduced by up to 50%, if we replace the Intan - 100, by Intan - 300. Moreover, the studies showed that the Intan - 300 is a highly additive environmentally friendly.
Combinations of natural surfactants activated with monoethanolamine (Intan - 300) and ethoxylated tridecanol (Intan - 200) is mixtures of anionic surfactants and non - ionic. It is widely reported in the literature that such mixtures originate synergy generated interfacial emulsions more stable than those obtained when using surfactants separately. This consideration, together with the fact that this mixture has some resistance to the presence of divalent metal salts and surfactant makes competitive prices, led the study for use in the stabilization of Orimulsion ®. This mixture of surfactants was called Intan - 400.
The information obtained from pilot plant, which was used to verify the excellent static stability of Orimulsion ®, Stabilized with Intan - 400, also allowed to collect the data required for scaling the process to commercial level. Currently, the capacity to produce 120,000 bpd of this product, which is already used as fuel in most power plants ORIMULSION ® users.