THE USE OF SUPERCRITICAL FLUIDS IN PETROLEUM PROCESSING

Today, the world oil industry pays special attention to the development of new processing approaches, increasing energy efficiency and reducing operating costs. The review considers modern methods of heavy oil processing using supercritical fluids. The main attention is paid to supercritical fluid extraction, which allows for efficient extraction of hydrocarbons and removal of undesirable impurities. The review considers the kinetics of interaction of supercritical fluids, as well as the effect of temperature, pressure and solvents on the efficiency of supercritical fluid extraction. The key features of this method are the depth of purification, process selectivity, high selectivity, reduction of waste, the possibility of solvent regeneration, reduction of emissions and reduction of negative impact on the environment. However, the use of supercritical fluids in the oil industry has certain limitations, including high energy costs, the need for complex equipment and technological difficulties in scaling up processes, which requires further research and optimization of parameters. The prospects for integrating supercritical fluid technologies into the oil refining industry, including combined methods with catalysts and solvent modifiers, are considered. It has been established that the introduction of supercritical fluid technologies into the oil industry can significantly improve the efficiency of processing heavy hydrocarbon systems, contributing to the creation of more environmentally friendly and economically sustainable technologies.