LAUSR

Abstract Microwave heating technique has attracted significant attention in heavy oil recovery and processing industry due to the benefits of penetrable, volumetric and selective heating. This study aimed at examining the heating behaviour of a heavy oil in both multimode and single-mode microwave cavities. It was found that heavy oil can be heated to temperatures sufficient for upgrading reactions in a specifically designed cavity without adding microwave absorbent. However, the addition of microwave absorbent can effectively reduce energy consumption. Significant oil upgrading was observed after microwave heating, whereas the API gravity increased around 1.5°, viscosity decreased around 90% and sulphur was partially removed.