Ex Situ Upgrading of Extra Heavy Oil: The Effect of Pore Shape of Co-Mo/γ-Al2O3 Catalysts

Co-Mo/γ-Al2O3 catalysts with different pore shapes were synthesized for the ex situ upgrading of extra heavy oils by hydrodesulfurization (HDS), hydrodemetallization (HDM), and hydrodeasphaltization (HDA). The using aluminum oxides that prepared various methods. It was found product obtained thermochemical activation gibbsite leads to formation slit-shaped pores in oxide, while application hydroxide deposition method precipitation sodium aluminate nitric acid gives cylindrical oxide. Co-Mo these two types exhibit catalytic activities. catalyst on a carrier exhibited higher activity sulfur, metals, asphaltenes removal reactions are slit-like pores. This is because presence decrease diffusion restrictions when removing large molecules sulfur-containing metal-containing compounds.