Title of Invention	CATALYTIC COMPOSITION AND USE THEREOF IN THE PRODUCTION OF LOWER MOLECULAR WEIGHT HYDROCABONS
Abstract	A catalytic composition for upgrading of a high molecular hydrocarbon comprising an admixture of water and the reaction products of particles of the following components: silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, ferric oxide, calcium oxide, titanium dioxide or boron oxide, and a transition metal salt, having a particle size of 3000 Blaine or finer wherein the wt. percents of the components are as follows: i. 15 to 35 weight percent silicon dioxide, ii. 1 to 6 weight percent aluminum oxide, iii. 5 to 20 weight percent ferric oxide, iv. 10 to 30 weight percent calcium oxide, V. at least 2 weight percent titanium dioxide or boron oxide, and vi, at least 8 weight percent transition metal salt, said weight percent being based on the total weight of components (i) - (vi).

Title of Invention

CATALYTIC COMPOSITION AND USE THEREOF IN THE PRODUCTION OF LOWER MOLECULAR WEIGHT HYDROCABONS

Abstract

A catalytic composition for upgrading of a high molecular hydrocarbon comprising an admixture of water and the reaction products of particles of the following components: silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, ferric oxide, calcium oxide, titanium dioxide or boron oxide, and a transition metal salt, having a particle size of 3000 Blaine or finer wherein the wt. percents of the components are as follows: i. 15 to 35 weight percent silicon dioxide, ii. 1 to 6 weight percent aluminum oxide, iii. 5 to 20 weight percent ferric oxide, iv. 10 to 30 weight percent calcium oxide, V. at least 2 weight percent titanium dioxide or boron oxide, and vi, at least 8 weight percent transition metal salt, said weight percent being based on the total weight of components (i) - (vi).

Full Text	FORM 2 THE PATENT ACT 1970 (39 of 1970) & The Patents Rules, 2003 PRVISIONAL/COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (See section 10 and rule 13) 1. CATALYTIC COMPOSITION AND USE THEREOF IN THEPRODUCTION OF LOWER MOLECULAR WEIGHT HYDROCARBONS. 2. (A) NEWTON, Jeffrey P. (B) UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. (C) 118 NORTH SUNSET DRIVE, ITHACA, NY 14850, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. GRANTED 27-7-2006 The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed. ORIGINAL 154/MUMNP/2005 23/2/2005 BACKGROUND. OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION: This invention relates to a process for catalytic decomposition (cracking) followed by hydrogenation of high molecular weight hydrocarbons to produce lower molecular weight hydrocarbon products in both surface and subsurface applications at ambient temperatures and pressure with no CO or CO2 emissions. This invention further pertains to the separation of inorganic solids, sands, clays, etc., from hydrocarbon compound substrates and mixtures or sludge derived from an originating petroleum source, subsurface or surface, or in the form of petroleum contaminated waste. This invention also pertains to the complete or partial desulfurization by reduction of the sulfur-containing species. This invention also pertains to the remediation of soils by the removal of hydrocarbon contaminants. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART/PRIOR ART: The generally accepted concept of the origination of oil and gas is that it was generated from the thermal degradation of kerogen, a fossilized material in shale and other sedimentary rock that yields oil upon heating. It is the most common source of carbon in the earth's crust. The major factors affecting the concentration of petroleum are the chemical nature of the kerogen, temperature, time, mineral composition, resident geological structure, etc. Traditional technology for cracking and hydrogenation, such as catalytically cracking hydrocarbon, serve to form more valuable lower molecular weight products. Hydrocracking reactions between the initial hydrocarbon substrate and the catalytic agent may be carried out in a series of bed reactors or in a distillation column. Such reactions are endothermic and, as such, the reactors must be heated. Additionally, hydrogen is recycled through the system to ensure maximum hydrocarbon saturation to form the lower molecular weight hydrocarbon products and to remove excess hydrogen generated by the catalytic reaction. In these systems, polyaromatic rings are also opened and the by-products hydrogenated. Substantial quantities of petroleum in the earth have proven difficult or impossible to recover because they are in the form of high molecular weight hydrocarbon mixtures which are distributed and intermixed in tar sands, shale, and various rock formations. Furthermore, hydrocarbon compounds cannot be economically extracted from "depleted" oil wells because they are not sufficiently concentrated to be extractable by drilling, have lost then original gas pressure, and/or have relatively high density and viscosity at the given location. The latter compounds v/ill not flow unless heat energy is applied to the petroleum deposit, as, for example, by steam. Additionally, once extracted, these materials still require heat energy to remain as liquids and may be contaminated. Waste or contaminated materials (e.g., soil, rock, sludge, oil tars) containing hydrocarbons, crude or refined, cannot be economically extracted from naturally or man-made contaminated materials. There are well known enhanced production techniques to obtain oil from depleted or under-producing wells. In situ combustion is a technique used to heat crude petroleum materials below the surface of the earth to reduce their viscosity. An oxidizing agent, such as air, is injected into the subsurface deposit at sufficiently high temperatures to initiate a combustion process or a phosphorous bomb or gas burner is lowered into the well. The lower molecular weight hydrocarbons generated then rise to the surface of the deposit. There are drawbacks to this procedure in that the high temperatures necessary for combustion, combined with the presence of oxygen, lead to undesirable side reactions of coking and the formation of phenols and ketones, which are difficult to process through other refining techniques. Thermal recovery techniques from under-producing, depleted, and heavy oil wells and bitumen deposits may also comprise steam mjection. The purpose of the injected steam is to heat the heavy hydrocarbon deposit, thereby significantly reducing the viscosity and making an economically acceptable level of recovery of the hydrocarbon deposit. In situ hydrovisbreaking and steam flooding are alternatives to the combustive techniques. Sometimes, in this process, a catalyst is suspended in the steam and circulated throughout a subsurface deposit. This heat permits the endothermic reaction to occur, causing lower molecular weight hydrocarbons rise to the surface of the petroleum deposit. This process may only be used in formations that have sufficient overburden thicknesses to withstand the injection of high temperature, high pressure materials. Waterflooding techniques are also a frequently employed method to improve oil recovery from depleted or nearly depleted oil wells and can be expected to yield between 5% and 50% of the remaining petroleum products. The water to be mjected must first be filtered to eliminate all potentially reactive particles. Then it is pumped into the well under pressure either from a group of strategically placed injection wells or from injection wells at the edge of the oilfield. Water rarely circulates evenly through the underground deposits. In most cases, the water permeates the deposits until it causes a breakthrough, creating a path of least resistance to the producing well along which the water will flow. The oil has a lower specific gravity than water and floats on top of the water. Such waterfloods are most effective in areas where there is little primary production. Variants of this technique include alkaline or caustic flooding, which involve the addition of basic agents to the water, such as sodium hydroxide. Miscible gas drive for enhanced oil recovery involves injecting an inert gas, such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen, or liquefied petroleum gas into the reservoir. The gas mixes with the petroleum deposits, making the oil less viscous, and pressures the fluid oil towards the producing well. Sometimes alternating between pumping gas and water through the well is employed. Solvent or chemical flooding comprises injecting a liquid with different chemicals in batches (slugs) into a deposit. A micellarpolymer flood will contain a polymeric surfactant to wash reservoir pore spaces clean of the heavy oils present within the earth formation. Other solvents can be used to mix with and reduce the viscosity of the petroleum deposits. Frequently used solvents include aromatic hydrocarbons, carbon disulfide, and carbon tetrafluoride, which are all capable of dissolving bituminous petroleum deposits. Water-based solvents have been used, with both heated and unheated water, to carry active ingredients throughout subsurface formations. Solvents or chemicals are frequently pumped through pipelines along with the treated oil. These must be separated out, e.g., by distillation to preserve both expensive solvents and the treated oil. Elimination of this refining step would reduce complications and cost. It can be relatively difficult and economically unfeasible to separate hydrocarbon compound mixtures from some of the inorganic solid materials that are naturally intermixed. U.S. Patent 5,700,107 relates to a method of remediating soil contamination with inorganic and organic pollutions. The soil is treated with a complexing agent capable of chelating the pollulates and a matrix generating agent for generating within the soil an alumino-silicate solid colloid matrix. It does not teach a method of cracking high molecular weight hydrocarbons such as bitumen and heavy oils with the specially constituted catalytic composition of the subject invention. U.S. Patent 5,372,708 relates to a process for the exploitation of shales oil. The process includes treating a mixture of pil shale and inorganic moieties by cracking them at a temperature in the range of from 350° to 600° C and a pressure from 8 to 80 atmospheres. As noted previously such high temperature and pressure process are exceedingly costly where as the subject invention can be preformed at ambient temperature. Furthermore, it does not describe the catalyst composition used in the subject invention. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION: This invention relates to compositions and methods for cracking and hydrogenating high molecular weight hydrocarbons to produce lower molecular weight hydrocarbons from substrates containing relatively higher molecular weight hydrocarbons. Hydrogenation is facilitated by the presence of water and, optionally, by the addition of refined and unrefined alkane and cycloalkane hydrocarbons (C5-C25). The treatment with the inventive composition results in the lower molecular weight characteristics, as can be shown by both increased API (generally the API value is more than doubled) and lower viscosity. These substrates may be treated on the earth's surface or in subsurface deposits at ambient temperatures and pressures. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION: The catalytic composition of the present invention is a reactive inorganic composition capable of homogeneous cracking and hydrogenation of high molecular weight hydrocarbon compounds in the presence of water at ambient temperature and pressure. The catalytic composition is an admixture of organic compounds in water. The exact proportions of said catalytic composition are varied depending on the high mplecular weight hydrocarbon to be treated and the desired lower molecular weight hydrocarbon products. The essential particulate components of the catalytic composition are SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, and CaO. Typical ranges are shown in Table 1 below. All weight percents are based on the total weight of these components combined in a particulate blend. TABLE 1: To form the catalytic composition, all of the particulate components must initially be ground to about 3000 Blaine or finer. Blaine is a measurement of grain fineness consisting of the ratio of a particle's surface area (in square centimeters) to weight (in grams). Then, these particles are blended with about one to five, preferably two to three times their weight water. An essential first reaction occurs when the solid particles are added to the water. This reaction forms reactive colloidal particles based on the connected surfaces of clays, metal oxides, zeolitic entities, and molecular sieves-The mixture is blended until the particles are completely suspended in the water. ' Alternatively, the catalytic composition may use composite materials to provide the essential components. For example a cement component and a volcanic ash component may provide the SiO2, and CaO components. Table 2 below illustrates the broad and preferred ranges of these compounds. TABLE 2: The cement component iis most preferably a Portland cement. Portland cements are mixtures of limestone and clay that have been ground and treated in a kiln from 1400 to 1600 °C. About 24% of Portland cement by weight is calcium silicate and about 66% by weight is CaO. Impurities may include up to about 3% by weight of alumina, ferric oxide, and magnesia. The volcanic ash component may consist of scoria, pumice, tuff, tuffstone, mafic volcanic rock, ultramafic volcanic rock, pyroclastic rock, volcanic glasses, basalt or silica-based zeolites. Scoria is the most preferred volcanic ash component. The most preferred embodiment contains British Columbia scoria. Scoria is the most common material in volcanic cones and is formed of small particles (about 1 cm across) of hardened volcanic lava. British Columbia scoria consists of about 46% SiO2, about. 18% Fe2O3, about 8% CaO, and about 2.4% TiO2. Scoria from southern Mexico consists of about 79% SiO2 and about 6.6% Fe2O3. Pumice is a light pyroclastic rock that is hardened from a lava foam into a porous glass. Tuffstone is created from pieces of volcanic ash welded together by lithification upon eruption. Tuff consists of non-welded pieces of volcanic ash. Mafic rock is defined as igneous rock which contains substantial quantities of silicates, such as pyroxene, amphibole, olivine, and mica. Ultramafic rock a volcanic rock with an ultrabasic composition aud over 90% composed of Fe-Mg minerals, predommantly olivine, orthopyroxene, and clinopyroxene. Pyroclastic rock is rock which is formed by either a volcanic explosion or an aerial expulsion from a volcanic vent. Volcanic glasses are called obsidian and consist of silica particles fused by the intense heat of a volcano. Basalt is a mafic, igneous rock composed of plagioclase. Different varieties of basalt differ in then-degree of silica saturation. Zeolites are a family of aluminum silicate minerals that may occur naturally or be produced synthetically. Zeolites from British Columbia typically consist of about 89 % SiO2, 0.8 % Fe2O3, and about 1 % CaO. Any transition metal salt with a +2 or +3 oxidation state will function in the catalytic composition. Preferred compounds include ferric chloride, ferrous chloride, cupric chloride, and cobalt chloride. Ferric chloride is the most preferred. Not including the specific metal oxides listed above, the most preferred metal oxide is titanium dioxide (TiO2). In the most preferred embodiment, titanium dioxide accounts for about 2% by weight of the total weight of the catalytic composition. Boron oxide (B2O3) can also be substituted and used in place of and in concert with TiO2. The components other than Portland cement are varied depending on the specific high molecular weight substrate being treated. Such customization can be readily carried out by testing small samples of the substrate with different catalytic compositions to determine the most effective components and relative component ratios. Particular examples are set forth below. Solid components may account for 2-10% by weight of the catalytic composition, and preferably comprise 5-10% by weight. Though specific materials are recited herein by their common names, it will be understood that other composites formed of various minerals and compounds may also be used. Optionally, refined and unrefined alkanes and cycloalkanes, such as naphtha or diesel fuel, of the C5 TO C25 range are frequently employed to facilitate and intensify the hydrogenation process. This refined or unrefined hydrocarbon component is incorporated to serve as a hydrogen donor. The included water will also function as a hydrogen source. Typically, diesel fuel or naphtha is mixed with the high molecular weight hydrocarbon substrate prior to the addition of the aqueous colloid suspension. The refined or unrefined hydrocarbon component may consist of any C5 to C25 alkane or cycloalkane or mixture thereof and may range from 0 to 50% by weight of the total catalytic composition added. Naphtha or condensate is the most preferred refined hydrocarbon. Catalytic composition to crude oil loading may vary from a ratio of 2:1 to 4:1. The preferable loading ratio is 3:1. After vigorously admixing the catalytic composition in water with the high molecular weight hydrocarbon compounds and, optionally, with a refined hydrocarbon at ambient temperatures and pressures, a rapid, almost instantaneous, reaction of cracking and hydrogenation occurs to produce a product composed of lower molecular weight hydrocarbons. The lower molecular weight hydrocarbons float on top of the water-based colloid in a separate layer. Sulfur-based and metallic impurities form solid, inert precipitates upon reaction with the catalytic composition after mixing. The process proceeds to completion very rapidly, often within minutes from the time of complete addition of the catalytic composition with no CO2 or CO emissions. The terms high molecular weight hydrocarbon and low molecular weight hydrocarbon as used herein are relative terms to one another. The term high molecular weight hydrocarbon signifies a mixture of hydrocarbons and their entrained impurities with an average molecular weight of the hydrocarbons higher than the average molecular weight of the hydrocarbons in a low molecular weight hydrocarbon. Thus, the use of the terms "high molecular weight hydrocarbon" and "low molecular weight hydrocarbon" does not signify any particular molecular weight ranges. High molecular weight hydrocarbons are typically materials such as crude oils, asphaltenes, tars, heavy oils, and the like which have limited or no practical use, but which can be converted to more valuable and useful lower molecular weight hydrocarbons via chemical means. Medium oils have resins or polar fractions less than about 25% of the weight of the total oil and have API gravity of 20 to 30 with viscosities in the range of about 100 to 1000 centipoise; heavy oils have resins or polar fractions between about 25 and 40% of the total weight of the oil and have API gravity of 10 to 20 with a viscosities m the range of about 100 to 10000 centipoise; tars have resins or polar fractions greater than about 40% of the total weight of the oil and have API gravity less than about 8 to 10 and a viscosity greater than about 8000 centipoise. The lowest molecular weight hydrocarbons may include C1 to C4 gases, e.g., methane, propane, natural gas. The inventive process also results in a reduction of density and viscosity and an mcreased API gravity value in the treated hydrocarbon mixture. In the inventive process, any solid fraction in the starting high molecular weight hydrocarbon (soils, sediments, rock mixtures, sands, etc.) will precipitate to the bottom of the aqueous mixture. A significant percentage of heavy metal ion impurities in the starting high molecular weight hydrocarbon will attach or bind to the solid fraction in the precipitate. The low molecular weight hydrocarbon product will float to the surface of the water allowing for easy retrieval of the products. 1. SUBSURFACE APPLICATION For treatment of a high molecular weight hydrocarbon below the earth's surface, the solids in the inventive catalytic composition are initially slurried with water or with a water/refined hydrocarbon mixture. This mixture is then injected into a reservoir or source rock formation of an oil or gas well. This petroleum-containing geologic formation associated with a given oil and/or gas well may be considered "dead" or under-producing and still be a candidate for the inventive treatment. The catalytic composition will reduce oil density, increase API gravity, and reduce the viscosity of any contacted oil deposits. This will increase the value of the oil per barrel. Typical barrel price of heavy oil, with an API below 16, is about $8 to about $10. With the addition of about $1.50 to $2.00 of chemistry per barrel, the value of the same oil will increase to about $15 to about $18 per barrel. In the context of a fracture and/or stimulation project on the given well, the composition may be injected under pressure. The chosen catalytic composition is directed to the reservoir formation associated with the oil or gas producing formation which has been deemed to have the greatest amount of oil and gas. The catalytic composition reacts with the silicates m the geologic formation as well as high molecular weight hydrocarbons present in the region of fracture/stimulation. The chemical reactions between the catalytic composition and the hydrocarbons generate C1 to C4 gases, most notably methane and butane, and these relatively lower viscosity hydrocarbon gases then diffuse into the surrounding hydrocarbon mass. This pervasive in-situ chemical reaction stimulates the formation of desirable lower molecular weight hydrocarbon liquid and gases with the lower density and viscosity. Another subsurface application of the present invention can occur at shallow depths in heavy oil producing environments where the method of hydrocarbon recovery uses water flooding and a pressure circulation system through the oil-bearing formation. The catalytic composition can be added to the circulating water to cause cracking and hydrogenation reactions m the heavy oils, thereby reducing the viscosity by the generation of C1 to C4 gases and lower molecular weight hydrocarbons with lower density and viscosity. This causes and increased rate of recovery of desirable hydrocarbons from the treated well. Also, the quality of the recovered oil is unproved. The addition of the catalytic composition to steam being injected into the treated hydrocarbons is also possible. The present invention will allow the oil to be recovered more rapidly than conventional technology, thereby using less steam, energy, and time for the upgrading and recovery process. The overall petroleum quality in terms of a reduction in viscosity and API value would be unproved by the application of these enhanced production technologies. Treated oik with lower viscosities and densities may increase the value and efficiency of heavy oils that need to be transported by pipelines. 2. SURFACE APPLICATION The inventive procedure may be used to upgrade high molecular weight hydrocarbon material or substrates on the earth's surface. For example, it may be used m the treatment or "upgradmg" of tar sands or heavy oil. The hydrocarbon is treated in a storage and mixing facility. The catalytic composition is admixed with the substrate of high molecular weight hydrocarbon material. Diesel fuel or condensate or a like refined or unrefined hydrocarbon is added to the admixture as a supplemental hydrogen source for the cracking reactions. Upgrading consists of chemically treating or fractionating bitumen or heavy oils to increase its value by reducing the density and viscosity, thereby generating a higher quality crude oil substitute. The specific objectives of upgrading are to increase the percentage of the saturate and aromatic fractions, reduce the polar and pentane msolvable fractions, reduce viscosity, increase API gravity, and reduce overall hydrocarbon molecular weight. API gravity is a term to relate the relative specific densities of oil products developed by the American Petroleum Institute. To convert between API gravity and specific gravity, the following formula should be followed: API to specific gravity: SG = 141.5/(131.5 + °API). By reducing the density, mcreasing the API gravity, and reducing the viscosity heavy oil or tar sands bitumen would need no or reduced addition of condensate to allow the oil to be pumped through pipes. For example, there exists a pipeline that moves 778,000 barrels of heavy oil per day from Alberta to U.S. In addition to the oil, 300,000 barrels of condensate are added so it can be pumped. The value of the oil is currently $l2 per barrel. If the API gravity were 20 to 23, then there would be no need of condensate. The value of the treated oil would now be $16-$18 per barrel and the operator could then pump 1,000,000 barrels of oil per day. Condensate is in such short supply that the condensate is currently distilled out of the oil in the U.S. and pumped back to Alberta daily. For surface applications of the present invention, the inventive reaction may be carried out at ambient temperatures and pressure, i.e., at about room temperature, which is defined as about 20 to 250C (about 68 to 77°F). Ambient pressure is about 1 atmosphere (about 760 Torr). 3. DESULFURIZATION AND THE ELIMINATION OF HYDROGEN SULFIDE Hydrogen sulfide may be generated in large amounts by thermal cracking from kerogen and from liquid sulfur-containing compounds present in crude oils. Sulfur content of crude oil generally decreases with depth, possibly due to cracking and elimination of sulfur as H2S.The total sulfur content in crude oil, heavy oil, bitumens, and tars varies from 0.04% to 8%. Generally, oils with high densities and low API gravities will have higher sulfur contents. Some of the hydrogen generated from surface catalytic reactions between the catalytic composition and water and with the refined or unrefined hydrogen source will convert sulfur heteroatoms in the polar (resin) and asphaltene fractions to H2S. Through a series of oxidation reactions, the catalytic composition converts the H2S to CaSO4. Free sulfur, if present, may also react with the hydrocarbons to produce H2S. Sulfate reduction, if present in the sediments, and the related oxidation of hydrocarbons may also occur beyond 150°C, resulting in the generation of H2Sand CO2. The following examples illustrate embodiments of the invention, but are not intended to be limiting; Example 1: Crude oil samples (about 200 to 250 grams each) were taken straight from the well at the Lloydminister oil fields, Lloydminister, Alberta, Canada (API gravity 16 to 18) and Peace River oil fields, Peace River, Alberta, Canada (API gravity 8 to 10). The samples were each placed in two-liter jars and an equal weight of water heated to 1000Cwas added to facilitate mixmg with the catalytic composition. The samples were allowed to cool to ambient temperature (160C) after treatment. The jars had screw-on gas tight lids with rubber diaphragms in place of a hole that had been drilled in the covers, to allow withdrawal of headspace gas samples for analysis. The inventive composition, in powder form, was added to each of the samples in amounts of 5 and 10% by weight to weight of oil. The composition contamed 48% Portland cement, 42% volcanic glasses-red scoria, 8% ferric chloride and 2% titanium dioxide, all percentages being based on the total weight of Ihe composition. The following table shows the weight percent of Portland cement and volcanic ash components in Ihe catalytic composition. TABLE 3: The samples were then stirred with a metal rod for 1.5 to 2 minutes and the lids were then screwed on tightly. A separate set of control samples of each crude oil without the added catalytic composition were allowed to stand for four days at ambient temperatures and pressure. Thereafter, the headspace gases were analyzed by gas chromatography for each sample. Significant amounts of hydrocarbon gases were found in the headspace gas of the Lloydminister samples, except for the control, in which there was only a water and oil mixture present. Specifically, compared to the control sample, the treated headspace gas contained 41 times more methane, 23 times more ethane, 14 times more propane, 10 times more isobutene, and 71 times more butane. The speed of the reaction is very fast and that for the Peace River samples, hydrocarbon gases were generated very rapidly and lost before the lid could be placed on the jar, or not generated for some reason. The composition of the headspace gases was determined by gas chromatography. Additional tests with crude oil from Lloydminister field showed that hydrocarbon gases were rapidly generated and the analysis indicated that 2 to 3 % of the total initial carbon was converted to C1 to C4 hydrocarbon gases, with methane being the most promment in quantity. No hydrocarbon gases were found in the headspace gases of the treated Peace River samples. Saturate, aromatic, polar, and pentane insoluble fractions (SAPA) analysis of the treated and untreated heavy oil showed significant changes in the Lloydminister heavy crude oil samples. The 9% and 8% increases in the saturates and aromatic fractions, respectively, and the 19% and 1% decreases in the polar and pentane insoluble fractions, respectively, represent significant unprovements in the quality of that heavy oil sample. There was a consistent 2% lower distillation temperature across the mass spectrum of the saturates fraction for the untreated Lloydminister heavy oil relative to the saturates fraction of the untreated oil. This means the treated saturates fraction was a relatively lighter molecular weight fraction than the untreated saturates fraction. Example 2: Samples of Syncrude bitumen were prepared to demonstrate the effectiveness of different embodiments of the present invention. Three liquid samples of Syncrude bitumen were blended with 35-50% by weight of naphtha. For two samples, the catalytic composition was prepared by adding the inorganic composition to hot tap water and mixing with a metal stirring rod the resulting colloid into the crude oil sample. The third sample received no addition of the catalytic composition and serves as the control. The catalytic composition called "Mix 1" consisted of 45% by weight Portland cement, 45% by weight volcanic scoria from British Columbia, 2% by weight titanium dioxide, and 8% by weight ferric chloride. "Mix 2" consisted of 45% Portland cement, 45% clinoptilolite zeolite from British Columbia, 2% titanium dioxide, and 8% ferric chloride. The following table shows the weight percent of the Portland cement and volcanic ash components in the Mix 1 and Mix 2 catalyst compositions. TABLE 4: 100 grams of naphtha were added to 300 grams of hot tap water and 10 grams of the catalytic compositions described above, for those samples receiving the composition. The inventive treatment for each oil sample was added and mixed vigorously for about 30 seconds. The reaction was completed almost instantaneously. The liquid in the jar separated into three layers; the treated oil at the top, a water layer in the middle, and a precipitate of inorganic material at the bottom. The gas generation occurred slowly through low bubbling and was even evidenced briefly in the sample without the catalytic composition. When the reaction vessels were opened, measurements were conducted to determine the change in the viscosity of each sample and SAPA (Saturate, Aromatic, Polars or resins, and Pentane insolubles or asephaltenes) analyses were performed. Table 5 below uses these characteristics to demonstrate the properties of each sample. TABLES: After 24 hours, headspace gases generated in each sample were analyzed. The gas analyses of the Mix 1 and Mix 2 samples showed the same compounds and relative concentrations as was found in the untreated control sample. However, the CO2 level was 91% less in the treated samples than it was in the untreated sample. It is possible that the hydrocarbon gases generated by the inventive process were reabsorbed into the treated hydrocarbon mass. Example 3: Samples of heavy oil from the Lloydminister oil fields were prepared to demonstrate the effectiveness of different embodiments of the present invention. This sample had an initially high polar fraction, 38.7%. Polar fractions have a dramatic effect on the viscosity and density of an oil sample. Two 200-gram liquid samples of oil bitumen with an initial API gravity of 9.9 were tested. The process for addition and composition of the catalytic composition used in this example is the same as that described in mix 1 of example 2 above. The specific catalytic composition consisted of 45% by weight Portland cement, 45% by weight volcanic scoria from British Columbia, 2% by weight titanium dioxide, and 8% by weight ferric chloride.. Diesel fuel and the catalytic composition were added to Sample 1. After 1 hour, the API gravity of Sample 1 had reached 22.1 and, after 24 hours, was 27.3. Sample 2 had no diesel fule added, and reached an API gravity of 14.9 one hour after the addition of the catalytic composition, and an API gravity of 17.5 24 hours later. After 24 hours of reacting, the reaction vessels were opened and measurements were conducted to determine the change in the viscosity of each sample and SAPA (Saturate, Aromatic, Polars or resins, and Pentane insolubles or asphaltenes) analyses were performed. Table 6 below uses these characteristics to demonstrate the properties of each sample. TABLE 6: We Claim, 1. A catalytic composition for upgrading of a high molecular hydrocarbon comprising an admixture of water and the reaction products of particles of the following components: silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, ferric oxide, calcium oxide, titanium dioxide or boron oxide, and a transition metal salt, having a particle size of 3000 Blaine or finer wherein the wt. percents of the components are as follows: i. 15 to 35 weight percent silicon dioxide, ii. 1 to 6 weight percent aluminum oxide, iii. 5 to 20 weight percent ferric oxide, iv. 10 to 30 weight percent calcium oxide, V. at least 2 weight percent titanium dioxide or boron oxide, and vi, at least 8 weight percent transition metal salt, said weight percent being based on the total weight of components (i) - (vi). 2. A catalytic composition comprising an admixture of water and the reaction products of a cement component, a volcanic ash component, a transition metal salt, and titanium dioxide or boron oxide, having a particle size of 3000 Blaine or finer wherein the weight percents of the components are as follows: i. 30 to 50 weight percent cement component, ii. 30 to 50 weight percent volcanic ash component, iii. at least 2 weight percent titanium dioxide or boron oxide, and iv. at least 8 weight percent transition metal salt, said weight percents being based on the total weight of components (i) - (iv). 3. The catalytic composition of claim 2 wherein the volcanic ash is scoria, basalt, pyroclastic rock, tuff, tuffstone, volcanic glass, pumice, mafic rock, ultranzafic rock, or silicate-based zeolites. 4. A composition for the upgrading of a high molecular weight hydrocarbon to fonn a lower molecular weight hydrocarbon product, comprising an aqueous catelytic composition of claims 1 to 3 and a C5 to C25 alkane or cycloalkane. 5. The composition of claim 4 wherein the C5 to C25 alkane or cycloalkane is diesel fuel ornaphtha. 6. The composition of claims 1 to 5 wherein transition metal salt is selected from Ihe group of ferric halides, cupric halides, cobalt halides, and ferrous halides. 7. A method of making a catalytic composition which comprises; (a) admixing particles having a particle size of 3000 Bline or finer of silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, ferric oxide, calcium oxide, titanium dioxide or boron oxide, and a transition metal salt; (b) blending said admixture from (a) with water and optionally a C5 to C25 alkane or cycloalkane. 8. A method of cracking a high molecular weight hydrocarbon composition to form a lower molecular weight hydrocarbon product, comprising; (a) contacting a catalytic composition comprising an admixture of water, optionally a C5 to C25 alkane or cycloalkane, and the reaction products of particles of the following components: silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, ferric oxide, calcium oxide, titanium dioxide or boron oxide, and a transition metal salt, wherein the particles have a particle size of 3000 Blaine or finer with a high molecular weight hydrocarbon; (b) generating hydrogen in said admixture from ike water and optionally from the ậ C5 to C25 alkane or cycloalkane present in said admixture and thereby hydrogenatmg and cracking said high molecular weight hydrocarbon; and (c) recovering the lower molecular weight hydrocarbon product formed in step (b), said lower molecular weight product having an average API value greater than the API value of the high molecular weight hydrocarbon composition. 9, The method of claims 7 to 8 wherein the wt. percents of the components of the catalytic composition components are as follows: (a) admixing the following solid particles: (i) 15 to 35 weight percent silicon dioxide, (ii) 1 to 6 weight percent aluminum oxide, (iii) 5 to 20 weight percent ferric oxide, (iv) 10 to 30 weight percent calcium oxide, " (v) at least 2 weight percent titanium dioxide or boron oxide, and (vi) at least 8 weight percent transition metal salt, said weight percent being based on the total weight of components (i) - (vi), wherein the admixture with water contains 2 to 10 weight percent solid components and up to 50 weight percent of the C5 to C25 alkane or cycloalkane, based on the total weight of the admixture. 10. A method of making a catalytic composition for the upgrading of a high molecular weight hydrocarbon composition which comprises: (a) admixing particles having a particle size of 3000 Blaine or finer of a cement component, a volcanic ash component, a transition metal salt, and titanium dioxide or boron oxide; (b) blending said admixture with water and optionally a C5 to C25 alkane or cycloalkane. 11. A method of cracking a high molecular weight hydrocarbon composition to form a lower molecular weight hydrocarbon product, comprising: (a) contacting a catalytic composition comprising an admixture of water, optionally a C5 to C25 alkane or cycloalkane, and the reaction products of particles of a cement component, a volcnic ash component, a transition metal salt, and titanium dioxide or boron oxide, wherein the particles have a particle size of 3000 Blaine or finer with a high molecular weight hydrocarbon; (b) generating hydrogen in said admixture from the water and optionally from the C5 to C25 alkane or cycloalkane present in said admixture and thereby hydrogenating and cracking said high molecular weight hydrocarbon; and (e) recovering the lower molecular wieght hydrocarbon product formed in step (b), said lower molecular weight product having an average API value greater than the API value of the high molecular weight hydrocarbon composition. 12. The method of claims 10 to 11 wherein the weight percents of the components are as follows: i. 30 to 50 weight percent cement component, it. 30 to 50 weight percent volcanic ash component, iii, at least 2 weight percent titanium dioxide or boron oxide, and iv. at least 8 weight percent transition metal salt, said weight percents being based on the total weight of components (i) - (iv). 13. The method of claims 10 to 12 wherein the volcanic ash is scoria, basalt, pyroclastic rock, tuff, tuffstone, volcanic glass, pumice, mafic rook, ultramafic rock, or silicate-based zeolites. 14. The method of claims 7 to 13 wherein the transition metal salt is selected fromthe group of ferric halides, cupric halides, cobalt halides, and ferrous halides. 15. The method of claims 7 to 14 wherein the C5 to C25 alkane or cycloalkne is diesel ■ ■ ^ ■ fuel or naphtha. 16. The method of claim S or 11 wherein said high molecular weight hydrocarbon composition is selected from the group of bitumens, asphaltenes, oils, and tars. 17. The method of claims 7 to 16 wherein step (a) is carried out at ambient temperature and pressure, 18. The method of claim 8, 11, or 16 wherein the weight ratio of the high molecular weigiht hydrocarbon to the catalytic composition is frm 2:1 to 4:1 . Rajesh kumar H. Acharya Advocate & Patent Agent For and on Behalf of Applicant Dated this 18th day of February 2005.

Full Text

FORM 2
THE PATENT ACT 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
The Patents Rules, 2003
PRVISIONAL/COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10 and rule 13)
1. CATALYTIC COMPOSITION AND USE THEREOF IN THEPRODUCTION OF LOWER MOLECULAR WEIGHT HYDROCARBONS.

2.
(A) NEWTON, Jeffrey P.
(B) UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
(C) 118 NORTH SUNSET DRIVE, ITHACA, NY 14850,
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

GRANTED
27-7-2006

The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

ORIGINAL
154/MUMNP/2005
23/2/2005

BACKGROUND. OF THE INVENTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION:
This invention relates to a process for catalytic decomposition (cracking) followed by hydrogenation of high molecular weight hydrocarbons to produce lower molecular weight hydrocarbon products in both surface and subsurface applications at ambient temperatures and pressure with no CO or CO2 emissions.
This invention further pertains to the separation of inorganic solids, sands, clays, etc., from hydrocarbon compound substrates and mixtures or sludge derived from an originating petroleum source, subsurface or surface, or in the form of petroleum contaminated waste.
This invention also pertains to the complete or partial desulfurization by reduction of the sulfur-containing species.
This invention also pertains to the remediation of soils by the removal of hydrocarbon contaminants.
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART/PRIOR ART:
The generally accepted concept of the origination of oil and gas is that it was generated from the thermal degradation of kerogen, a fossilized material in shale

and other sedimentary rock that yields oil upon heating. It is the most common source of carbon in the earth's crust. The major factors affecting the concentration of petroleum are the chemical nature of the kerogen, temperature, time, mineral composition, resident geological structure, etc.
Traditional technology for cracking and hydrogenation, such as catalytically cracking hydrocarbon, serve to form more valuable lower molecular weight products. Hydrocracking reactions between the initial hydrocarbon substrate and the catalytic agent may be carried out in a series of bed reactors or in a distillation column. Such reactions are endothermic and, as such, the reactors must be heated. Additionally, hydrogen is recycled through the system to ensure maximum hydrocarbon saturation to form the lower molecular weight hydrocarbon products and to remove excess hydrogen generated by the catalytic reaction. In these systems, polyaromatic rings are also opened and the by-products hydrogenated.
Substantial quantities of petroleum in the earth have proven difficult or impossible to recover because they are in the form of high molecular weight hydrocarbon mixtures which are distributed and intermixed in tar sands, shale, and various rock formations. Furthermore, hydrocarbon compounds cannot be economically extracted from "depleted" oil wells because they are not sufficiently concentrated to be extractable by drilling, have lost then original gas pressure, and/or have relatively high density and viscosity at the given location. The latter compounds v/ill not flow unless heat energy is applied to the petroleum deposit, as, for example, by steam. Additionally, once extracted, these materials still require heat energy to remain as liquids and may be contaminated. Waste or contaminated materials (e.g., soil, rock, sludge, oil tars) containing hydrocarbons, crude or refined, cannot be economically extracted from naturally or man-made contaminated materials.
There are well known enhanced production techniques to obtain oil from depleted or under-producing wells. In situ combustion is a technique used to heat crude petroleum materials below the surface of the earth to reduce their viscosity. An oxidizing agent, such as air, is injected into the subsurface deposit at sufficiently high temperatures to initiate a combustion process or a phosphorous bomb or gas burner is

lowered into the well. The lower molecular weight hydrocarbons generated then rise to the surface of the deposit. There are drawbacks to this procedure in that the high temperatures necessary for combustion, combined with the presence of oxygen, lead to undesirable side reactions of coking and the formation of phenols and ketones, which are difficult to process through other refining techniques.
Thermal recovery techniques from under-producing, depleted, and heavy oil wells and bitumen deposits may also comprise steam mjection. The purpose of the injected steam is to heat the heavy hydrocarbon deposit, thereby significantly reducing the viscosity and making an economically acceptable level of recovery of the hydrocarbon deposit. In situ hydrovisbreaking and steam flooding are alternatives to the combustive techniques. Sometimes, in this process, a catalyst is suspended in the steam and circulated throughout a subsurface deposit. This heat permits the endothermic reaction to occur, causing lower molecular weight hydrocarbons rise to the surface of the petroleum deposit. This process may only be used in formations that have sufficient overburden thicknesses to withstand the injection of high temperature, high pressure materials.
Waterflooding techniques are also a frequently employed method to improve oil recovery from depleted or nearly depleted oil wells and can be expected to yield between 5% and 50% of the remaining petroleum products. The water to be mjected must first be filtered to eliminate all potentially reactive particles. Then it is pumped into the well under pressure either from a group of strategically placed injection wells or from injection wells at the edge of the oilfield. Water rarely circulates evenly through the underground deposits. In most cases, the water permeates the deposits until it causes a breakthrough, creating a path of least resistance to the producing well along which the water will flow. The oil has a lower specific gravity than water and floats on top of the water. Such waterfloods are most effective in areas where there is little primary production. Variants of this technique include alkaline or caustic flooding, which involve the addition of basic agents to the water, such as sodium hydroxide.

Miscible gas drive for enhanced oil recovery involves injecting an inert gas, such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen, or liquefied petroleum gas into the reservoir. The gas mixes with the petroleum deposits, making the oil less viscous, and pressures the fluid oil towards the producing well. Sometimes alternating between pumping gas and water through the well is employed. Solvent or chemical flooding comprises injecting a liquid with different chemicals in batches (slugs) into a deposit. A micellarpolymer flood will contain a polymeric surfactant to wash reservoir pore spaces clean of the heavy oils present within the earth formation. Other solvents can be used to mix with and reduce the viscosity of the petroleum deposits. Frequently used solvents include aromatic hydrocarbons, carbon disulfide, and carbon tetrafluoride, which are all capable of dissolving bituminous petroleum deposits. Water-based solvents have been used, with both heated and unheated water, to carry active ingredients throughout subsurface formations. Solvents or chemicals are frequently pumped through pipelines along with the treated oil. These must be separated out, e.g., by distillation to preserve both expensive solvents and the treated oil. Elimination of this refining step would reduce complications and cost.
It can be relatively difficult and economically unfeasible to separate hydrocarbon compound mixtures from some of the inorganic solid materials that are naturally intermixed.
U.S. Patent 5,700,107 relates to a method of remediating soil contamination with inorganic and organic pollutions. The soil is treated with a complexing agent capable of chelating the pollulates and a matrix generating agent for generating within the soil an alumino-silicate solid colloid matrix. It does not teach a method of cracking high molecular weight hydrocarbons such as bitumen and heavy oils with the specially constituted catalytic composition of the subject invention.
U.S. Patent 5,372,708 relates to a process for the exploitation of shales oil. The process includes treating a mixture of pil shale and inorganic moieties by cracking them at a temperature in the range of from 350° to 600° C and a pressure from

8 to 80 atmospheres. As noted previously such high temperature and pressure process are exceedingly costly where as the subject invention can be preformed at
ambient temperature. Furthermore, it does not describe the catalyst composition used in the subject invention.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
This invention relates to compositions and methods for cracking and hydrogenating high molecular weight hydrocarbons to produce lower molecular weight hydrocarbons from substrates containing relatively higher molecular weight hydrocarbons. Hydrogenation is facilitated by the presence of water and, optionally, by the addition of refined and unrefined alkane and cycloalkane hydrocarbons (C5-C25). The treatment with the inventive composition results in the lower molecular weight characteristics, as can be shown by both increased API (generally the API value

is more than doubled) and lower viscosity. These substrates may be treated on the earth's surface or in subsurface deposits at ambient temperatures and pressures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION:
The catalytic composition of the present invention is a reactive inorganic composition capable of homogeneous cracking and hydrogenation of high molecular weight hydrocarbon compounds in the presence of water at ambient temperature and pressure. The catalytic composition is an admixture of organic compounds in water.
The exact proportions of said catalytic composition are varied depending on the high mplecular weight hydrocarbon to be treated and the desired lower molecular weight hydrocarbon products. The essential particulate components of the catalytic composition are SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, and CaO. Typical ranges are shown in Table 1 below. All weight percents are based on the total weight of these components combined in a particulate blend.
TABLE 1:

To form the catalytic composition, all of the particulate components must initially be ground to about 3000 Blaine or finer. Blaine is a measurement of grain fineness consisting of the ratio of a particle's surface area (in square centimeters) to weight (in grams). Then, these particles are blended with about one to five, preferably two to three times their weight water. An essential first reaction occurs when the solid particles are added to the water. This reaction forms reactive colloidal particles based on the connected surfaces of clays, metal oxides, zeolitic entities, and molecular sieves-The mixture is blended until the particles are completely suspended in the water.

' Alternatively, the catalytic composition may use composite materials to provide the essential components. For example a cement component and a volcanic ash component may provide the SiO2, and CaO components. Table 2 below
illustrates the broad and preferred ranges of these compounds.
TABLE 2:

The cement component iis most preferably a Portland cement. Portland cements are mixtures of limestone and clay that have been ground and treated in a kiln from 1400 to 1600 °C. About 24% of Portland cement by weight is calcium silicate and about 66% by weight is CaO. Impurities may include up to about 3% by weight of alumina, ferric oxide, and magnesia.
The volcanic ash component may consist of scoria, pumice, tuff, tuffstone, mafic volcanic rock, ultramafic volcanic rock, pyroclastic rock, volcanic glasses, basalt or silica-based zeolites. Scoria is the most preferred volcanic ash component. The most preferred embodiment contains British Columbia scoria. Scoria is the most common material in volcanic cones and is formed of small particles (about 1 cm across) of hardened volcanic lava. British Columbia scoria consists of about 46% SiO2, about. 18% Fe2O3, about 8% CaO, and about 2.4% TiO2. Scoria from southern Mexico consists of about 79% SiO2 and about 6.6% Fe2O3. Pumice is a light pyroclastic rock that is hardened from a lava foam into a porous glass. Tuffstone is created from pieces of volcanic ash welded together by lithification upon eruption. Tuff consists of non-welded pieces of volcanic ash. Mafic rock is defined as igneous rock which contains substantial quantities of silicates, such as pyroxene, amphibole, olivine, and mica. Ultramafic rock a volcanic rock with an ultrabasic composition aud over 90% composed of Fe-Mg minerals, predommantly olivine, orthopyroxene, and

clinopyroxene. Pyroclastic rock is rock which is formed by either a volcanic explosion or an aerial expulsion from a volcanic vent. Volcanic glasses are called obsidian and consist of silica particles fused by the intense heat of a volcano. Basalt is a mafic, igneous rock composed of plagioclase. Different varieties of basalt differ in then-degree of silica saturation. Zeolites are a family of aluminum silicate minerals that may occur naturally or be produced synthetically. Zeolites from British Columbia typically consist of about 89 % SiO2, 0.8 % Fe2O3, and about 1 % CaO.
Any transition metal salt with a +2 or +3 oxidation state will function in the catalytic composition. Preferred compounds include ferric chloride, ferrous chloride, cupric chloride, and cobalt chloride. Ferric chloride is the most preferred.
Not including the specific metal oxides listed above, the most preferred metal oxide is titanium dioxide (TiO2). In the most preferred embodiment, titanium dioxide accounts for about 2% by weight of the total weight of the catalytic composition. Boron oxide (B2O3) can also be substituted and used in place of and in concert with TiO2.
The components other than Portland cement are varied depending on the specific high molecular weight substrate being treated. Such customization can be readily carried out by testing small samples of the substrate with different catalytic compositions to determine the most effective components and relative component ratios. Particular examples are set forth below. Solid components may account for 2-10% by weight of the catalytic composition, and preferably comprise 5-10% by weight.
Though specific materials are recited herein by their common names, it
will be understood that other composites formed of various minerals and compounds
may also be used.
Optionally, refined and unrefined alkanes and cycloalkanes, such as naphtha or diesel fuel, of the C5 TO C25 range are frequently employed to facilitate and intensify the hydrogenation process. This refined or unrefined hydrocarbon component is incorporated to serve as a hydrogen donor. The included water will also function as a hydrogen source. Typically, diesel fuel or naphtha is mixed with the high molecular weight hydrocarbon substrate prior to the addition of the aqueous colloid suspension.

The refined or unrefined hydrocarbon component may consist of any C5 to C25 alkane or cycloalkane or mixture thereof and may range from 0 to 50% by weight of the total catalytic composition added. Naphtha or condensate is the most preferred refined hydrocarbon.
Catalytic composition to crude oil loading may vary from a ratio of 2:1 to 4:1. The preferable loading ratio is 3:1.
After vigorously admixing the catalytic composition in water with the high molecular weight hydrocarbon compounds and, optionally, with a refined hydrocarbon at ambient temperatures and pressures, a rapid, almost instantaneous, reaction of cracking and hydrogenation occurs to produce a product composed of lower molecular weight hydrocarbons. The lower molecular weight hydrocarbons float on top of the water-based colloid in a separate layer. Sulfur-based and metallic impurities form solid, inert precipitates upon reaction with the catalytic composition after mixing. The process proceeds to completion very rapidly, often within minutes from the time of complete addition of the catalytic composition with no CO2 or CO emissions.
The terms high molecular weight hydrocarbon and low molecular weight hydrocarbon as used herein are relative terms to one another. The term high molecular weight hydrocarbon signifies a mixture of hydrocarbons and their entrained impurities with an average molecular weight of the hydrocarbons higher than the average molecular weight of the hydrocarbons in a low molecular weight hydrocarbon. Thus, the use of the terms "high molecular weight hydrocarbon" and "low molecular weight hydrocarbon" does not signify any particular molecular weight ranges.
High molecular weight hydrocarbons are typically materials such as crude oils, asphaltenes, tars, heavy oils, and the like which have limited or no practical use, but which can be converted to more valuable and useful lower molecular weight hydrocarbons via chemical means. Medium oils have resins or polar fractions less than about 25% of the weight of the total oil and have API gravity of 20 to 30 with viscosities in the range of about 100 to 1000 centipoise; heavy oils have resins or polar fractions between about 25 and 40% of the total weight of the oil and have API gravity of 10 to 20 with a viscosities m the range of about 100 to 10000 centipoise; tars have

resins or polar fractions greater than about 40% of the total weight of the oil and have API gravity less than about 8 to 10 and a viscosity greater than about 8000 centipoise.
The lowest molecular weight hydrocarbons may include C1 to C4 gases, e.g., methane, propane, natural gas. The inventive process also results in a reduction of density and viscosity and an mcreased API gravity value in the treated hydrocarbon mixture.
In the inventive process, any solid fraction in the starting high molecular weight hydrocarbon (soils, sediments, rock mixtures, sands, etc.) will precipitate to the bottom of the aqueous mixture. A significant percentage of heavy metal ion impurities in the starting high molecular weight hydrocarbon will attach or bind to the solid fraction in the precipitate. The low molecular weight hydrocarbon product will float to the surface of the water allowing for easy retrieval of the products.
1. SUBSURFACE APPLICATION
For treatment of a high molecular weight hydrocarbon below the earth's surface, the solids in the inventive catalytic composition are initially slurried with water or with a water/refined hydrocarbon mixture. This mixture is then injected into a reservoir or source rock formation of an oil or gas well. This petroleum-containing geologic formation associated with a given oil and/or gas well may be considered "dead" or under-producing and still be a candidate for the inventive treatment. The catalytic composition will reduce oil density, increase API gravity, and reduce the viscosity of any contacted oil deposits. This will increase the value of the oil per barrel. Typical barrel price of heavy oil, with an API below 16, is about $8 to about $10. With the addition of about $1.50 to $2.00 of chemistry per barrel, the value of the same oil will increase to about $15 to about $18 per barrel.
In the context of a fracture and/or stimulation project on the given well, the composition may be injected under pressure. The chosen catalytic composition is directed to the reservoir formation associated with the oil or gas producing formation which has been deemed to have the greatest amount of oil and gas. The catalytic

composition reacts with the silicates m the geologic formation as well as high molecular weight hydrocarbons present in the region of fracture/stimulation. The chemical reactions between the catalytic composition and the hydrocarbons generate C1 to C4 gases, most notably methane and butane, and these relatively lower viscosity hydrocarbon gases then diffuse into the surrounding hydrocarbon mass. This pervasive in-situ chemical reaction stimulates the formation of desirable lower molecular weight hydrocarbon liquid and gases with the lower density and viscosity.
Another subsurface application of the present invention can occur at shallow depths in heavy oil producing environments where the method of hydrocarbon recovery uses water flooding and a pressure circulation system through the oil-bearing formation. The catalytic composition can be added to the circulating water to cause cracking and hydrogenation reactions m the heavy oils, thereby reducing the viscosity by the generation of C1 to C4 gases and lower molecular weight hydrocarbons with lower density and viscosity. This causes and increased rate of recovery of desirable hydrocarbons from the treated well. Also, the quality of the recovered oil is unproved. The addition of the catalytic composition to steam being injected into the treated hydrocarbons is also possible.
The present invention will allow the oil to be recovered more rapidly than conventional technology, thereby using less steam, energy, and time for the upgrading and recovery process. The overall petroleum quality in terms of a reduction in viscosity and API value would be unproved by the application of these enhanced production technologies. Treated oik with lower viscosities and densities may increase the value and efficiency of heavy oils that need to be transported by pipelines.
2. SURFACE APPLICATION
The inventive procedure may be used to upgrade high molecular weight hydrocarbon material or substrates on the earth's surface. For example, it may be used m the treatment or "upgradmg" of tar sands or heavy oil. The hydrocarbon is treated in a storage and mixing facility. The catalytic composition is admixed with the

substrate of high molecular weight hydrocarbon material. Diesel fuel or condensate or a like refined or unrefined hydrocarbon is added to the admixture as a supplemental hydrogen source for the cracking reactions. Upgrading consists of chemically treating or fractionating bitumen or heavy oils to increase its value by reducing the density and viscosity, thereby generating a higher quality crude oil substitute. The specific objectives of upgrading are to increase the percentage of the saturate and aromatic fractions, reduce the polar and pentane msolvable fractions, reduce viscosity, increase API gravity, and reduce overall hydrocarbon molecular weight. API gravity is a term to relate the relative specific densities of oil products developed by the American Petroleum Institute. To convert between API gravity and specific gravity, the following formula should be followed: API to specific gravity: SG = 141.5/(131.5 + °API).
By reducing the density, mcreasing the API gravity, and reducing the viscosity heavy oil or tar sands bitumen would need no or reduced addition of condensate to allow the oil to be pumped through pipes. For example, there exists a pipeline that moves 778,000 barrels of heavy oil per day from Alberta to U.S. In addition to the oil, 300,000 barrels of condensate are added so it can be pumped. The value of the oil is currently $l2 per barrel. If the API gravity were 20 to 23, then there would be no need of condensate. The value of the treated oil would now be $16-$18 per barrel and the operator could then pump 1,000,000 barrels of oil per day. Condensate is in such short supply that the condensate is currently distilled out of the oil in the U.S. and pumped back to Alberta daily.
For surface applications of the present invention, the inventive reaction may be carried out at ambient temperatures and pressure, i.e., at about room temperature, which is defined as about 20 to 250C (about 68 to 77°F). Ambient pressure is about 1 atmosphere (about 760 Torr).

3. DESULFURIZATION AND THE ELIMINATION OF HYDROGEN SULFIDE
Hydrogen sulfide may be generated in large amounts by thermal cracking from kerogen and from liquid sulfur-containing compounds present in crude oils. Sulfur content of crude oil generally decreases with depth, possibly due to cracking and
elimination of sulfur as H2S.The total sulfur content in crude oil, heavy oil, bitumens, and tars varies from 0.04% to 8%. Generally, oils with high densities and low API gravities will have higher sulfur contents.
Some of the hydrogen generated from surface catalytic reactions between the catalytic composition and water and with the refined or unrefined hydrogen source will convert sulfur heteroatoms in the polar (resin) and asphaltene fractions to H2S. Through a series of oxidation reactions, the catalytic composition converts the H2S to CaSO4. Free sulfur, if present, may also react with the hydrocarbons to produce H2S. Sulfate reduction, if present in the sediments, and the related oxidation of hydrocarbons may also occur beyond 150°C, resulting in the generation of H2Sand CO2.
The following examples illustrate embodiments of the invention, but are not intended to be limiting;

Example 1:
Crude oil samples (about 200 to 250 grams each) were taken straight from the well at the Lloydminister oil fields, Lloydminister, Alberta, Canada (API gravity 16 to 18) and Peace River oil fields, Peace River, Alberta, Canada (API gravity 8 to 10). The samples were each placed in two-liter jars and an equal weight of water heated to 1000Cwas added to facilitate mixmg with the catalytic composition. The samples were allowed to cool to ambient temperature (160C) after treatment. The jars had screw-on gas tight lids with rubber diaphragms in place of a hole that had been drilled in the covers, to allow withdrawal of headspace gas samples for analysis. The inventive composition, in powder form, was added to each of the samples in amounts of 5 and 10% by weight to weight of oil. The composition contamed 48% Portland cement, 42% volcanic glasses-red scoria, 8% ferric chloride and 2% titanium dioxide, all percentages being based on the total weight of Ihe composition.
The following table shows the weight percent of Portland cement and volcanic ash components in Ihe catalytic composition.
TABLE 3:

The samples were then stirred with a metal rod for 1.5 to 2 minutes and the lids were then screwed on tightly. A separate set of control samples of each crude oil without the added catalytic composition were allowed to stand for four days at ambient temperatures and pressure. Thereafter, the headspace gases were analyzed by gas chromatography for each sample.
Significant amounts of hydrocarbon gases were found in the headspace gas of the Lloydminister samples, except for the control, in which there was only a

water and oil mixture present. Specifically, compared to the control sample, the treated headspace gas contained 41 times more methane, 23 times more ethane, 14 times more propane, 10 times more isobutene, and 71 times more butane. The speed of the reaction is very fast and that for the Peace River samples, hydrocarbon gases were generated very rapidly and lost before the lid could be placed on the jar, or not generated for some reason. The composition of the headspace gases was determined by gas chromatography.
Additional tests with crude oil from Lloydminister field showed that hydrocarbon gases were rapidly generated and the analysis indicated that 2 to 3 % of the total initial carbon was converted to C1 to C4 hydrocarbon gases, with methane being the most promment in quantity. No hydrocarbon gases were found in the headspace gases of the treated Peace River samples.
Saturate, aromatic, polar, and pentane insoluble fractions (SAPA) analysis of the treated and untreated heavy oil showed significant changes in the Lloydminister heavy crude oil samples. The 9% and 8% increases in the saturates and aromatic fractions, respectively, and the 19% and 1% decreases in the polar and pentane insoluble fractions, respectively, represent significant unprovements in the quality of that heavy oil sample.
There was a consistent 2% lower distillation temperature across the mass spectrum of the saturates fraction for the untreated Lloydminister heavy oil relative to the saturates fraction of the untreated oil. This means the treated saturates fraction was a relatively lighter molecular weight fraction than the untreated saturates fraction.
Example 2:
Samples of Syncrude bitumen were prepared to demonstrate the effectiveness of different embodiments of the present invention. Three liquid samples of Syncrude bitumen were blended with 35-50% by weight of naphtha. For two samples, the catalytic composition was prepared by adding the inorganic composition to hot tap water and mixing with a metal stirring rod the resulting colloid into the crude

oil sample. The third sample received no addition of the catalytic composition and serves as the control. The catalytic composition called "Mix 1" consisted of 45% by weight Portland cement, 45% by weight volcanic scoria from British Columbia, 2% by weight titanium dioxide, and 8% by weight ferric chloride. "Mix 2" consisted of 45% Portland cement, 45% clinoptilolite zeolite from British Columbia, 2% titanium dioxide, and 8% ferric chloride.
The following table shows the weight percent of the Portland cement and volcanic ash components in the Mix 1 and Mix 2 catalyst compositions.
TABLE 4:

100 grams of naphtha were added to 300 grams of hot tap water and 10 grams of the catalytic compositions described above, for those samples receiving the composition.
The inventive treatment for each oil sample was added and mixed vigorously for about 30 seconds. The reaction was completed almost instantaneously. The liquid in the jar separated into three layers; the treated oil at the top, a water layer in the middle, and a precipitate of inorganic material at the bottom. The gas generation occurred slowly through low bubbling and was even evidenced briefly in the sample without the catalytic composition.
When the reaction vessels were opened, measurements were conducted to determine the change in the viscosity of each sample and SAPA (Saturate, Aromatic,

Polars or resins, and Pentane insolubles or asephaltenes) analyses were performed. Table 5 below uses these characteristics to demonstrate the properties of each sample.
TABLES:

After 24 hours, headspace gases generated in each sample were analyzed. The gas analyses of the Mix 1 and Mix 2 samples showed the same compounds and relative concentrations as was found in the untreated control sample. However, the CO2 level was 91% less in the treated samples than it was in the untreated sample. It is possible that the hydrocarbon gases generated by the inventive process were reabsorbed into the treated hydrocarbon mass.
Example 3:
Samples of heavy oil from the Lloydminister oil fields were prepared to demonstrate the effectiveness of different embodiments of the present invention. This sample had an initially high polar fraction, 38.7%. Polar fractions have a dramatic effect on the viscosity and density of an oil sample. Two 200-gram liquid samples of

oil bitumen with an initial API gravity of 9.9 were tested. The process for addition and composition of the catalytic composition used in this example is the same as that described in mix 1 of example 2 above. The specific catalytic composition consisted of 45% by weight Portland cement, 45% by weight volcanic scoria from British Columbia, 2% by weight titanium dioxide, and 8% by weight ferric chloride.. Diesel fuel and the catalytic composition were added to Sample 1. After 1 hour, the API gravity of Sample 1 had reached 22.1 and, after 24 hours, was 27.3. Sample 2 had no diesel fule added, and reached an API gravity of 14.9 one hour after the addition of the catalytic composition, and an API gravity of 17.5 24 hours later.
After 24 hours of reacting, the reaction vessels were opened and measurements were conducted to determine the change in the viscosity of each sample and SAPA (Saturate, Aromatic, Polars or resins, and Pentane insolubles or asphaltenes) analyses were performed. Table 6 below uses these characteristics to demonstrate the properties of each sample.

TABLE 6:

We Claim,
1. A catalytic composition for upgrading of a high molecular hydrocarbon comprising an
admixture of water and the reaction products of particles of the following components:
silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, ferric oxide, calcium oxide, titanium dioxide or boron
oxide, and a transition metal salt, having a particle size of 3000 Blaine or finer wherein
the wt. percents of the components are as follows:
i. 15 to 35 weight percent silicon dioxide,
ii. 1 to 6 weight percent aluminum oxide,
iii. 5 to 20 weight percent ferric oxide,
iv. 10 to 30 weight percent calcium oxide,
V. at least 2 weight percent titanium dioxide or boron oxide, and
vi, at least 8 weight percent transition metal salt,
said weight percent being based on the total weight of components (i) - (vi).
2. A catalytic composition comprising an admixture of water and the reaction products
of a cement component, a volcanic ash component, a transition metal salt, and titanium
dioxide or boron oxide, having a particle size of 3000 Blaine or finer wherein the weight
percents of the components are as follows:
i. 30 to 50 weight percent cement component,
ii. 30 to 50 weight percent volcanic ash component, iii. at least 2 weight percent titanium dioxide or boron oxide, and iv. at least 8 weight percent transition metal salt, said weight percents being based on the total weight of components (i) - (iv).
3. The catalytic composition of claim 2 wherein the volcanic ash is scoria, basalt,
pyroclastic rock, tuff, tuffstone, volcanic glass, pumice, mafic rock, ultranzafic rock, or
silicate-based zeolites.

4. A composition for the upgrading of a high molecular weight hydrocarbon to fonn a lower molecular weight hydrocarbon product, comprising an aqueous catelytic composition of claims 1 to 3 and a C5 to C25 alkane or cycloalkane.
5. The composition of claim 4 wherein the C5 to C25 alkane or cycloalkane is diesel fuel ornaphtha.
6. The composition of claims 1 to 5 wherein transition metal salt is selected from Ihe group of ferric halides, cupric halides, cobalt halides, and ferrous halides.
7. A method of making a catalytic composition which comprises;

(a) admixing particles having a particle size of 3000 Bline or finer of silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, ferric oxide, calcium oxide, titanium dioxide or boron oxide, and a transition metal salt;
(b) blending said admixture from (a) with water and optionally a C5 to C25 alkane or cycloalkane.
8. A method of cracking a high molecular weight hydrocarbon composition to form a
lower molecular weight hydrocarbon product, comprising;

(a) contacting a catalytic composition comprising an admixture of water, optionally a C5 to C25 alkane or cycloalkane, and the reaction products of particles of the following components: silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide, ferric oxide, calcium oxide, titanium dioxide or boron oxide, and a transition metal salt, wherein the particles have a particle size of 3000 Blaine or finer with a high molecular weight hydrocarbon;
(b) generating hydrogen in said admixture from ike water and optionally from the ậ C5 to C25 alkane or cycloalkane present in said admixture and thereby hydrogenatmg and cracking said high molecular weight hydrocarbon; and
(c) recovering the lower molecular weight hydrocarbon product formed in step (b), said lower molecular weight product having an average API value greater than the API value of the high molecular weight hydrocarbon composition.

9, The method of claims 7 to 8 wherein the wt. percents of the components of the
catalytic composition components are as follows:
(a) admixing the following solid particles:
(i) 15 to 35 weight percent silicon dioxide,
(ii) 1 to 6 weight percent aluminum oxide,
(iii) 5 to 20 weight percent ferric oxide,
(iv) 10 to 30 weight percent calcium oxide, "
(v) at least 2 weight percent titanium dioxide or boron oxide, and
(vi) at least 8 weight percent transition metal salt, said weight percent being based on the total weight of components (i) - (vi), wherein the admixture with water contains 2 to 10 weight percent solid components and up to 50 weight percent of the C5 to C25 alkane or cycloalkane, based on the total weight of the admixture.
10. A method of making a catalytic composition for the upgrading of a high molecular
weight hydrocarbon composition which comprises:
(a) admixing particles having a particle size of 3000 Blaine or finer of a cement component, a volcanic ash component, a transition metal salt, and titanium dioxide or boron oxide;
(b) blending said admixture with water and optionally a C5 to C25 alkane or cycloalkane.
11. A method of cracking a high molecular weight hydrocarbon composition to form a
lower molecular weight hydrocarbon product, comprising:
(a) contacting a catalytic composition comprising an admixture of water, optionally a C5 to C25 alkane or cycloalkane, and the reaction products of particles of a cement component, a volcnic ash component, a transition metal salt, and titanium dioxide or boron oxide, wherein the particles have a particle size of 3000 Blaine or finer with a high molecular weight hydrocarbon;
(b) generating hydrogen in said admixture from the water and optionally from the C5 to C25 alkane or cycloalkane present in said admixture and thereby hydrogenating and cracking said high molecular weight hydrocarbon; and

(e) recovering the lower molecular wieght hydrocarbon product formed in step (b), said lower molecular weight product having an average API value greater than the API value of the high molecular weight hydrocarbon composition.
12. The method of claims 10 to 11 wherein the weight percents of the components are as
follows:
i. 30 to 50 weight percent cement component,
it. 30 to 50 weight percent volcanic ash component, iii, at least 2 weight percent titanium dioxide or boron oxide, and iv. at least 8 weight percent transition metal salt, said weight percents being based on the total weight of components (i) - (iv).
13. The method of claims 10 to 12 wherein the volcanic ash is scoria, basalt, pyroclastic rock, tuff, tuffstone, volcanic glass, pumice, mafic rook, ultramafic rock, or silicate-based zeolites.
14. The method of claims 7 to 13 wherein the transition metal salt is selected fromthe group of ferric halides, cupric halides, cobalt halides, and ferrous halides.
15. The method of claims 7 to 14 wherein the C5 to C25 alkane or cycloalkne is diesel
■ ■ ^ ■
fuel or naphtha.

16. The method of claim S or 11 wherein said high molecular weight hydrocarbon composition is selected from the group of bitumens, asphaltenes, oils, and tars.
17. The method of claims 7 to 16 wherein step (a) is carried out at ambient temperature and pressure,
18. The method of claim 8, 11, or 16 wherein the weight ratio of the high molecular weigiht hydrocarbon to the catalytic composition is frm 2:1 to 4:1
. Rajesh kumar H. Acharya Advocate & Patent Agent For and on Behalf of Applicant
Dated this 18th day of February 2005.

Documents:

00154-mumnp-2005-cancelled pages(27-07-2006).pdf

00154-mumnp-2005-claims(granted)-(27-07-2006).doc

00154-mumnp-2005-claims(granted)-(27-07-2006).pdf

00154-mumnp-2005-correspondence(27-07-2006).pdf

00154-mumnp-2005-correspondence(ipo)-(07-09-2006).pdf

00154-mumnp-2005-form 1(18-02-2005).pdf

00154-mumnp-2005-form 1(23-02-2005).pdf

00154-mumnp-2005-form 13(15-06-2006).pdf

00154-mumnp-2005-form 18(18-07-2005).pdf

00154-mumnp-2005-form 2(granted)-(27-07-2006).doc

00154-mumnp-2005-form 2(granted)-(27-07-2006).pdf

00154-mumnp-2005-form 26(08-05-2006).pdf

00154-mumnp-2005-form 3(18-02-2005).pdf

00154-mumnp-2005-form 5(08-05-2006).pdf

00154-mumnp-2005-form-pct-ipea-409(14-03-2005).pdf

00154-mumnp-2005-form-pct-isa-210(10-02-2006).pdf

00154-mumnp-2005-other document(27-07-2006).pdf

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Patent Number

202738

Indian Patent Application Number

154/MUMNP/2005

PG Journal Number

42/2008

Publication Date

17-Oct-2008

Grant Date

07-Sep-2006

Date of Filing

23-Feb-2005

Name of Patentee

NEWTON, JEFFREY P.

Applicant Address

118 NORTH SUNSET DRIVE, ITHACA, NY 14850,

Inventors:

#	Inventor's Name	Inventor's Address
1	NEWTON, JEFFREY P.	118 NORTH SUNSET DRIVE, ITHACA, NY 14850,

PCT International Classification Number

N/A

PCT International Application Number

PCT/US2003/023501

PCT International Filing date

2003-07-24

PCT Conventions:

#	PCT Application Number	Date of Convention	Priority Country
1	60/398,089	2002-07-24	U.S.A.