Protonation-Induced Molecular Fragmentation to Improve Heavy Crude Quality: Comparative Laboratory-Field Study with RDV®

Heavy crude oils present significant operational challenges due to their high viscosity and low API gravity. Conventional methods are often inefficient and lack scalability. This study evaluates the chemical technology known as RDV® (dynamic vasoactive reactor), a formulation characterized by threshold-based molecular reconfiguration, validated through field-proven catalytic behavior that induces molecular fragmentation of long-chain fractions (C₁₇+) into medium-chain fractions (C₁₃-C₁₆) through protonation and carbocation formation. A field study in Texas was conducted on 160 barrels of heavy crude (19.6° API) treated with an ultra-low dose of 1,486 ppm of RDV®. Results obtained over a 157-day period under seasonal thermal variations showed an increase of +5.4° API, a reduction in water content to 0.1%, and complete elimination of the paraffin bed. Unlike conventional chemical treatments, RDV® operates at ultra-low concentrations and sustains its effect over extended periods without re-dosing, redefining operational paradigms in heavy crude processing. These findings validate the effectiveness of RDV® under uncontrolled field conditions and demonstrate a per-ppm efficiency 21.8 times higher than previously observed in laboratory studies. RDV® technology is established as a scalable and economically efficient solution for upgrading heavy crude oils. These results position RDV® as a transformative technology for sustainable energy operations, with direct implications for heavy crude upgrading strategies in industrial settings.