Orimulsion
Orimulsion is a protected trade name of a fuel based on bitumen.
The brand name is a combination of the name of the area in which the bitumen occurs, the Orinoco basin in Venezuela and the word emulsion. In addition to the Canadian oil and tar sands Orimulsion is called the Fourth of fossil fuel. Orimulsion was developed as a fuel for heavy oil motors in a cooperation of INTEVEP and British Petroleum and used worldwide in ship propulsion and power plants. For economic reasons, the production was stopped at 31 December 2006 and not yet resumed.
Occurrence, preparation and properties
The bitumen is derived from a natural occurrence in about 1000 m depth below the Orinoco basin. The reserves are estimated at around 190 million cubic meters, equivalent to more than 50 % of the world's known oil reserves currently.
The bitumen in the original position has a very high viscosity and high specific weight (8 to 10 degrees API ), which the mining and use very difficult. Therefore, an emulsion of 70% bitumen, 30 % water, and max. 1% additives produced and so the production, transportation and use of Orimulsion much easier.
The bitumen is in a raw state a calorific value of 40 MJ / kg, compared with fuel oil. As Orimulsion reduces the calorific value of 28 MJ / kg, comparable to coal.
Economic aspect
On Orimulsion great hopes were placed, as it can be used as an alternative fuel for coal or diesel and therefore promised a greater independency of oil-producing countries. So, for example, tested the energy supply in 1993 in Swabia oil power plant Marbach near Stuttgart, in a four- million marks (about two million € ) expensive test handling and emissions from Orimulsion. With a corresponding adjustment of the flue gas cleaning, the plant used until then as peak load power plant in control mode should be used.
Orimulsion is profitable from a crude oil price of twenty dollars. To avoid damage to production quotas of OPEC, Orimulsion PDVSA was declared as Non Oil Hydrocarbon, could be produced in addition to the crude oil and marketed as a competitor to steam coal. 2003 Orimulsion was redefined by the Venezuelan hydrocarbon law in Extra Heavy Oil and thereby deprived the legal basis for marketing. Therefore, the production was on 31 December 2006, then in spite of international treaties and complaints of customers who had converted their power plants. Another reason for the cessation of production net of the investment required and the limited possibilities of PDVSA is considered. Venezuela Orimulsion considered as future reserve and the patents are not free.
Technical Aspect
Orimulsion is comparable to that of its very nature, heavy fuel oil and can therefore be handled with a similar, known effort.
However Orimulsion can not be with the known technique produced and processed in existing refineries, and the application in ship propulsion and power plants requires special equipment. The high water content and the abrasive properties of the bitumen represent a special challenge
On the other hand, the high water content has a positive effect on combustion and exhaust. A separate water injection is not required for Orimulsion.
Ecological aspect
Despite its economic advantages of Orimulsion is highly controversial because of the ecological disadvantages.
The combustion of Orimulsion produces a particularly high pollution of the atmosphere, mainly by sulfur dioxide (SO2) and trioxide (SO3).
The bitumen component of Orimulsion contains heavy metals and chemicals that concentrate in burning in the ashes and have mutagenic properties. Studies with wheat, rye and vetch showed that a proportion of 0.005% ash from combustion of Orimulsion still produces growth-promoting effects. A proportion of 0.05 % on the other hand blocks the growth in a ratio of 0.5 %, there is no germination. Appropriate long-term effects in the environment of an Orimulsion power plant would have to be feared. Required further investigations have been overtaken by the cessation of production of Orimulsion.
Orimulsion has no clear hydrophobic properties. Because of the additives which stabilize the emulsion penetrates into water exiting Orimulsion to a depth of about three meters and a dispersed, rather than accumulate on the surface and to clump together. This would be a tanker accident with Orimulsion serious than one with conventional crude oil.
The ecological aspects and the pressure from environmentalists have led BP to a premature exit from the Orimulsion use and for conversion of power plants.