Four kinds of nanosilica-supported metallic and metatitanic acid nanocatalysts were synthesised as potential phase transfer catalysts for enhancing heavy oil recovery via a liquid-reduction method. The catalysts were carried by water and transferred into oil phase, and the catalytic performance of catalysts for the aquathermolysis reaction and viscosity reduction of the extra-heavy oil recovered at Shengli Oilfield (Dongying, China) was investigated. At a mass fraction of 1%, an aquathermolysis reaction temperature of 150°C and an aquathermolysis time of 36 h, the as-synthesised silica/zero valence iron and nickel (denoted as SiO₂/Fe/Ni) catalyst was able to reduce the apparent viscosity of the two kinds of heavy oils by 79.3 and 77.6%, showing promising application in the industrial production of heavy crude oil.

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Preparation of phase transfer functional catalysts and their application in viscosity reduction of heavy oils

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