SEVERAL ALTERNATIVE HIGH TECHNOLOGY PROCESSES ARE UNDER DEVELOPMENT WHICH PERMIT THE CONVERSION OF HEAVY CRUDE OIL (LESS THAN 20 DEGREES API) TO DISTILLATE PRODUCTS.

SEVERAL ALTERNATIVE HIGH TECHNOLOGY PROCESSES ARE UNDER DEVELOPMENT WHICH PERMIT THE CONVERSION OF HEAVY CRUDE OIL (LESS THAN 20 DEGREES API) TO DISTILLATE PRODUCTS. FURTHERMORE, COMBINED TECHNIQUES OF HEAVY OIL CONVERSION AND COAL LIQUEFACTION ARE UNDER DEVELOPMENT WHICH PROVIDE 80% CONVERSION OF OIL AND ABOUT 50% COAL CONVERSION, AND WHICH OPERATE AT EXTREMELY MILD CONDITIONS. HOWEVER, ALL OF THESE ADVANCED PROCESSING ROUTES EXHIBIT A COMMON LIMITATION, THE EXTREME INSTABILITY AND INCOMPATIBILITY OF THE UNCONVERTED HEAVY PRODUCT IN CONVENTIONAL FUEL OIL BLENDS. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE PRESENT PROGRAM IS TO ATTACK THIS GENERIC PROBLEM BY EXAMINING THE FEASIBILITY OF USING MEASUREMENTS OF THE EFFECTS OF STABILIZING CHEMICAL ADDITIVES ON THERMODYNAMIC AND COLLOID PARTICLE PROPERTIES TO UNDERSTAND AND PREDICT STABILITY ENHANCEMENT OF HEAVY OIL CONVERSION PRODUCTS BLENDING. THE RELEVANCE OF THESE MEASUREMENTS, AND SUPPORTING THEORIES OF THEIR ROLE, WILL BE JUDGED USING INDUSTRIAL BLENDING TESTS OF INSTABILITY AND INCOMPATIBILITY AS A REFERENCE POINT.