Comparative study of the catalytic effects of Al(CH3COO)₃ and Al₂(SO₄)₃ on heavy oil aquathermolysis in CO2 and N2 atmospheres

Water-soluble catalysts play a key role in the development of heavy oil extraction technologies. In this study, two types of catalysts were synthesized and characterized: Al(CH₃COO)₃ and Al₂(SO₄)₃. Their catalytic efficiency was evaluated during the processing of heavy oil using aquathermolysis under atmospheric conditions of CO₂ and N₂ at 300 °C for 24 h. Experimental results confirmed that in the presence of CO₂, significant interaction occurs with Al₂(SO₄)₃, which contributes to the modification of the catalyst's active sites and, as a consequence, increases its catalytic activity in various reactions such as dehydrogenation, hydrogenation, and breaking C-heteroatom bonds. This, in turn, leads to an 80% reduction in viscosity, as well as a 31% decrease in sulfur content, a 45.8% reduction in resins, and a 30.8% decrease in asphaltenes in oil samples compared to the heavy oil. These significant improvements in heavy oil processing highlight the importance of using water-soluble aluminum catalysts in aquathermolysis, opening new prospects for the development of more efficient hydrocarbon processing technologies.