Organized by IFP

Les Rencontres Scientifiques de l'IFP: "Molecular Structure of Heavy Oils and Coal Liquefaction Products"

12-13 April 2007
IFP-Lyon

The "Molecular Structure of Heavy Oils and Coal Liquefaction Products" international conference has been held in IFP-Lyon (France) from 12 to 13 April 2007, under the auspices of the French Academy of Sciences.
Due to increasing demand for fuel, in particular from developing countries, and the limited nature of reserves, the petroleum industry is and will be increasingly concerned with heavy and extra-heavy oil processing. Coal liquefaction is also being considered as a future option for fuel production. Many industrial difficulties arise during the production, transportation and refining of these heavy oils and coal liquefaction products. Despite significant progress in the characterization of heavy oils and coal liquids, many questions are still unanswered.
This IFP international conference focussed on and discussed the most recent achievements in the characterization of heavy oils and coal liquefaction products. The presentations enabled a wide-ranging review of our present knowledge and highlighted key issues remaining to be solved.

Scientific Program

• Session 1: Aspects of exploitation, production and upgrading of heavy and extra heavy crude oils - Influence of their molecular structure
• Session 2: Chemical characterization of heavy oils and coal liquids
• Session 3: Colloidal structure characterization of heavy and extra heavy oils

Scientific Committee

• Pr. Pierre Albrecht (Ecole Européenne de Chimie, Polymères et Matériaux, France)
• Dr. Jorge Ancheyta (Instituto Mexicano de Petroleo, Mexico)
• Dr. Jill S. Buckley (PRRC, USA)
• Dr. Jacques Dirkx (Shell, Canada)
• Dr. Murray Gray (University of Alberta, Canada)
• Dr. Anne Hoff (Statoil, Norway)
• Dr. Peter K. Kilpatrick (North Carolina State University, USA)
• Dr. John Lynch (IFP, France)
• Dr. Oliver C. Mullins (Schlumberger, USA)

Scientific Correspondent

Didier Espinat
IFP-Lyon, BP3, 69390 Vernaison, France
Physics and Analysis Division
Tel: +33 4 78 02 29 43 - Fax: +33 4 78 02 27 45 - E-mail: didier.espinat@ifp.fr

Conference Organization

Frédérique Léandri
IFP, Rueil-Malmaison, France
Communications Division
Tel: +33 1 47 52 67 13 - Fax: +33 1 47 52 70 96 - E-mail: events@ifp.fr