Perpustakaan Digital ITB

The recovery of heavy oil is typically associated with significant challenges. This research examines thermochemical fluid (TCF) injection technology that employs in-situ exothermic reactions between sodium nitrite (NaNO?) and ammonium chloride (NH?Cl) to reduce viscosity. The reaction between ammonium chloride and sodium nitrite produces localized heat and nitrogen gas, thereby reducing heat losses associated with traditional steam injection methods. Laboratory experiments assessed five concentration ratios (1:1, 1:2, 2:1, 1:3, 3:1) utilizing heavy crude oil with an initial viscosity of 20 cP. Temperature profiles were recorded at 2-minute intervals over a 20-minute period, while viscosity measurements were conducted using established rheological methods. The optimal 1:1 stoichiometric ratio resulted in a maximum viscosity reduction of 68.088%, lowering oil viscosity from 20 cP to 5.6 cP. Peak reaction temperatures varied between 61°C and 70°C across different ratios. Analysis of the temperature-viscosity correlation demonstrated a weak correlation (r² = 0.0126), suggesting that thermal effects alone do not dictate performance. Imbibition tests indicated an oil recovery efficiency of 83%, surpassing conventional thermal enhanced oil recovery benchmarks significantly. TCF technology represents a significant advancement through the integration of thermal and mechanical mechanisms. The optimal stoichiometric balance enhances energy utilization, rendering this approach especially appropriate for offshore applications where operational constraints are critical, thus presenting a cost-effective alternative to traditional thermal EOR methods.