Life cycle assessment of greenhouse gas emissions of upgrading and refining bitumen from the solvent extraction process

Md.I.H. Soiket, A.O. Oni, E.D. Gemechu and A. Kumar

Applied Energy, 2019, vol. 240, issue C, 236-250

Abstract: The vapor solvent extraction process is one of the newly proposed bitumen extraction methods that use less energy and emit fewer greenhouse gases than conventional approaches. Through life cycle assessment, this paper examines the energy requirements and associated greenhouse gas emissions of three pathways of producing transportation fuels from the solvent extraction process: delayed coking upgrading, hydroconversion upgrading, and direct refining processes. A Monte Carlo simulation was performed to determine the uncertainty in the model input parameters. The hydroconversion pathway was found to be more energy- and emissions-intensive (1.03 GJ/bbl and 138.2 kg CO2 eq./bbl) than delayed coking upgrading (0.86 GJ/bbl and 92.3 kg CO2 eq./bbl) and direct refining (0.74 GJ/bbl and, 84.6 CO2 eq./bbl), but it offers a higher yield than delayed coker upgrading. Direct refining of bitumen from a vapor solvent extraction process reduces the overall life cycle emissions of transportation fuels.

Keywords: Upgrading; Refining; Energy; Life cycle assessment; Refinery process level; Monte Carlo simulation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2019.02.039

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