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No Crude Joke Here: Scientists Show How They Can Transform Heavy Crude Oil Easily and Cheaply

KTVA -- JUNEAU — In a crowded committee room in the Capitol, petrochemical scientist Steve Yarbro held up a vial of refined oil, the product of a new process he’s engineering.

The attending lawmakers took turns Thursday holding the vial up against the light, inspecting the watery dark amber liquid with keen interest.

Yarbro explained how lab tests have proved super-heated, super-pressurized water can turn sticky, viscious heavy crude, of which there are billions of barrels on the North Slope, into much more valuable medium and light crude.

The super-heated water breaks down the complex, long chains of molecules contained in heavy oil and transforms it into light, watery crude.

“The process costs about $5 a barrel,” he said. “If you upgrade it and you get an extra 20 to 25 dollars per barrel,

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Submitted Feb 11, 2013 By: bar1035

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HawaiianGuy Champion Author Idaho Posts:9,528 Points:3,079,700 Joined:May 2003	Message Posted: Feb 13, 2013 11:24:18 AM Ignore HawaiianGuy Report Abuse Only $5/barrel? That should be good for, ohhhh, about a dollar more per gallon at the pump.
sarasotasingle Sophomore Author Sarasota Posts:201 Points:236,280 Joined:Jun 2012	Message Posted: Feb 12, 2013 10:06:40 PM Ignore sarasotasingle Report Abuse REALLY ?
bby Champion Author Twin Cities Posts:5,729 Points:1,022,895 Joined:Nov 2009	Message Posted: Feb 12, 2013 7:17:49 AM Ignore bby Report Abuse Ok
joko0 Champion Author New Jersey Posts:1,975 Points:566,590 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Feb 12, 2013 4:03:03 AM Ignore joko0 Report Abuse Interesting
JMW1942 All-Star Author Michigan Posts:576 Points:407,945 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Feb 12, 2013 12:27:12 AM Ignore JMW1942 Report Abuse Bring it on.
billwho All-Star Author El Paso Posts:519 Points:252,715 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 11:57:57 PM Ignore billwho Report Abuse Twenty first century hard at work. Why so long ? Not enough money till now?
snagged Veteran Author Akron Posts:396 Points:111,430 Joined:Oct 2012	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 11:53:30 PM Ignore snagged Report Abuse Do it.
bvrbill Champion Author Eugene Posts:3,223 Points:519,600 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 10:46:58 PM Ignore bvrbill Report Abuse This technology sounds promising.
DABEE1073 Champion Author San Diego Posts:8,205 Points:1,573,085 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 10:36:59 PM Ignore DABEE1073 Report Abuse CHEAP is not in the oil companies vocabulary.
ExplorerWA Champion Author Washington Posts:4,083 Points:798,125 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 10:36:20 PM Ignore ExplorerWA Report Abuse Interesting. Hope this works.
SandeeC Champion Author Ontario Posts:2,993 Points:460,705 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 10:10:39 PM Ignore SandeeC Report Abuse Great to hear! Let's get 'er done!
erbyfub Champion Author Raleigh Posts:8,738 Points:1,678,260 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 9:57:21 PM Ignore erbyfub Report Abuse Yay science
TopGunn Champion Author Baltimore Posts:9,191 Points:2,616,505 Joined:Aug 2004	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 9:50:22 PM Ignore TopGunn Report Abuse Sounds more like another 'mouse milk' in the offing.
DrGasPain Veteran Author Dallas Posts:362 Points:458,950 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 9:48:37 PM Ignore DrGasPain Report Abuse If this works its just another step closer to energy independence for the good ole US of A and another thorn in the side of environmentalists and your president that don't want to see cheap oil so that wind and solar can genuinely compete.
alkarn Champion Author Riverside Posts:1,134 Points:246,100 Joined:Jul 2012	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 9:45:10 PM Ignore alkarn Report Abuse Double Hmmm.
DrLyon Champion Author Michigan Posts:6,650 Points:1,211,830 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 9:44:56 PM Ignore DrLyon Report Abuse Develop it...
Blue48 Champion Author Illinois Posts:7,310 Points:1,638,920 Joined:Feb 2007	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 9:40:48 PM Ignore Blue48 Report Abuse COOL!
autotech46 Veteran Author New Hampshire Posts:441 Points:62,600 Joined:Nov 2011	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 8:56:57 PM Ignore autotech46 Report Abuse I can't believe the refineries didn't know about this and making more profits with it. Unless they could make more by keeping quiet.
NakedDriver Champion Author Des Moines Posts:15,855 Points:2,461,200 Joined:Oct 2004	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 8:14:52 PM Ignore NakedDriver Report Abuse ə “no ‘crude’ joke”? bad! but if the idea is workable, it would make the extraction easier. ə
bababooey2 Champion Author Hartford Posts:6,352 Points:1,303,590 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 8:04:27 PM Ignore bababooey2 Report Abuse What is this a joke.
wcp3rd All-Star Author New Jersey Posts:734 Points:361,625 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 8:03:28 PM Ignore wcp3rd Report Abuse ok
knot2swift Champion Author Calgary Posts:4,388 Points:697,955 Joined:Nov 2009	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 8:03:21 PM Ignore knot2swift Report Abuse Better get working on it Steve!
weenerdog Champion Author Detroit Posts:9,461 Points:1,884,890 Joined:Jan 2008	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 8:00:38 PM Ignore weenerdog Report Abuse ha ha
PithyOpiner Champion Author Stockton Posts:16,205 Points:1,597,545 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 7:59:54 PM Ignore PithyOpiner Report Abuse petrochemical scientist Steve Yarbro ---------> Snake oil salesman. Watch out, Alaska.
bevmill Champion Author Georgia Posts:2,582 Points:600,545 Joined:Apr 2006	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 7:57:45 PM Ignore bevmill Report Abuse Get busy, this needs to happen PDQ.
race2IT Champion Author Fort Worth Posts:1,773 Points:725,185 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 7:56:38 PM Ignore race2IT Report Abuse Humancry, you're so on the money about them wanting to wipe the little people (big oil and corporations) right out of existence. Oil by the barrel is $96.86 making them money big time and the gas stations and the consumers poorer every day. Let’s hope they get squeezed out BIG TIME.
heysailor Champion Author Pittsburgh Posts:9,587 Points:2,333,645 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 7:56:05 PM Ignore heysailor Report Abuse More energy spent to waste ore energy. Sort of like ethanol production.
walkingtall Champion Author Toronto Posts:3,999 Points:1,121,680 Joined:Nov 2004	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 7:54:47 PM Ignore walkingtall Report Abuse No crude joke here:scientists show how they can transform heavy crude oil easily and cheaply and lets see if big oil companies let this progress.
southrob Champion Author Tucson Posts:3,600 Points:688,175 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 7:53:41 PM Ignore southrob Report Abuse dhan quick
Mikeyl Champion Author Cleveland Posts:5,159 Points:1,186,745 Joined:Aug 2004	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 7:53:35 PM Ignore Mikeyl Report Abuse Someone is working to figure this thing out... Either: 1. he'll be successful and make billions 2. he'll be assassinated by Big Oil or the Big Three 3. his patent will be bought out and buried by Big Oil
Double_Golden Champion Author San Francisco Posts:2,565 Points:606,360 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 7:53:00 PM Ignore Double_Golden Report Abuse just big oil greed saids all...
peabeax55 All-Star Author Atlanta Posts:713 Points:185,515 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 7:52:35 PM Ignore peabeax55 Report Abuse Gotta start someplace. There hasn't been any other new technique tried in a while.
humancry Champion Author Michigan Posts:4,618 Points:1,002,455 Joined:Nov 2006	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 7:48:15 PM Ignore humancry Report Abuse Yeah lets do this but will it bring our prices down NO!!! Because big oil and corporations want to the little people right out of existence
skb69sa Champion Author San Antonio Posts:3,492 Points:712,350 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 7:47:51 PM Ignore skb69sa Report Abuse Why are they not doing it? Waiting for grants?
kishoreCA Champion Author Ventura Posts:3,123 Points:393,870 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 7:47:39 PM Ignore kishoreCA Report Abuse echo Spirits
Spirits All-Star Author Florida Posts:911 Points:372,800 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 7:46:48 PM Ignore Spirits Report Abuse Talk is cheap.
race2IT Champion Author Fort Worth Posts:1,773 Points:725,185 Joined:Oct 2008	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 7:46:15 PM Ignore race2IT Report Abuse Ok, ok, let's get the ball rolling, if that's the case. Thicker the oil, more they can squeeze the oil companies out. I’m love that, and wow, no drilling saving money big time and the environment!!!
PontiacFan All-Star Author Gary Posts:776 Points:434,775 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 7:45:29 PM Ignore PontiacFan Report Abuse Cool
ShudBWalking Champion Author Kitchener-Waterloo Posts:3,608 Points:419,365 Joined:Oct 2006	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 7:44:45 PM Ignore ShudBWalking Report Abuse Then use it to keep the costs of gasoline down
Badgerjy Rookie Author New Jersey Posts:30 Points:434,950 Joined:Oct 2011	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 7:44:08 PM Ignore Badgerjy Report Abuse seems to me it would easier to use this process at a refinery, rather then the well head, or storage terminal.
BKool Champion Author Michigan Posts:5,263 Points:1,900,305 Joined:Aug 2005	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 7:42:22 PM Ignore BKool Report Abuse If it provable and works with more than one application, investors will be there.
NO_SWEAT Champion Author Toronto Posts:4,345 Points:1,080,065 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 7:42:09 PM Ignore NO_SWEAT Report Abuse Ok
mplato Champion Author Columbia Posts:8,254 Points:1,816,245 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 7:41:08 PM Ignore mplato Report Abuse heavy crude is a good thing
biggyhy Champion Author Milwaukee Posts:1,481 Points:475,230 Joined:Sep 2011	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 7:41:01 PM Ignore biggyhy Report Abuse see if big oil lets this progess
filcut Champion Author Anchorage Posts:1,173 Points:1,355,940 Joined:Jun 2005	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 7:40:01 PM Ignore filcut Report Abuse Thats something that might result in a very useful product from the multi-billions (not millions) of barrels of thick tar-like oil which are not very economical to produce now.
msf1527 All-Star Author San Bernardino Posts:551 Points:134,120 Joined:Nov 2012	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 7:39:36 PM Ignore msf1527 Report Abuse Good...start drilling...
melvindale Champion Author Michigan Posts:1,438 Points:351,230 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 7:37:36 PM Ignore melvindale Report Abuse So... Genius? ...or.... Con Man?
no8c Champion Author Ohio Posts:2,809 Points:705,825 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 7:32:58 PM Ignore no8c Report Abuse Thanks for posting this article!
hank1326 Champion Author Los Angeles Posts:8,914 Points:1,734,560 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 7:31:54 PM Ignore hank1326 Report Abuse Let's rock and roll.
Jedidiah Champion Author Maine Posts:107,779 Points:2,668,700 Joined:Dec 2005	Message Posted: Feb 11, 2013 7:27:33 PM Ignore Jedidiah Report Abuse Hope it works successfully!