Sustainable Approach to Catalytic Cracking of Heavy Crude Oil: Asphaltene Sand Composite as Hybrid Metal Oxides from Oil-Contaminated Sand

The increasing demand for heavy crude oil as an alternative to depleting light oil resources has underscored the need for innovative methods to address its high viscosity, which hinders extraction, transportation, and refining. This study introduces a sustainable catalytic cracking method employing hybrid metal oxides derived from oil-contaminated sand to upgrade heavy asphaltic crude oil. The hybrid metal oxides serve as efficient catalysts, significantly reducing the viscosity of crude oil by up to 73.3% compared to thermal treatment alone, while lowering asphaltene, sulfur, and resin contents by 39.5%, 33.2%, and 26%, respectively upon using 0.5% additives at 200 °C for two hours. Characterization techniques, including FTIR, XRD, BET, and XRF, validated the catalyst’s structural and chemical properties, revealing its pivotal role in enhancing rheological behavior and promoting hydrocarbon bond breaking. These findings demonstrate the unique potential of valorizing waste materials and upgrading heavy crude oils, presenting a cost-effective and environmentally friendly approach to addressing industry challenges.