Abstract:
Systems and methods are provided for partial upgrading of heavy hydrocarbon feeds to meet transport specifications, such as pipeline transport specifications. The systems and methods can allow for one or more types of improvement in heavy hydrocarbon processing prior to transport. In some aspects, the systems and methods can produce a partially upgraded heavy hydrocarbon product that satisfies one or more transport specifications while incorporating an increased amount of vacuum gas oil and a reduced amount of pitch into the partially upgraded heavy hydrocarbon product. In other aspects, the systems and methods can allow for increased incorporation of hydrocarbons into the fraction upgraded for transport, thereby reducing or minimizing the amount of hydrocarbons requiring an alternative method of disposal or transport. In still other aspects, the systems and methods can allow for reduced incorporation of external streams into the final product for transport while still satisfying one or more target properties.
Abstract:
Systems and methods are provided for integration of use deasphalted resid as a feed for fuels and/or lubricant base stock production with use of the corresponding deasphalter rock for gasification to generate hydrogen and/or fuel for the fuels and/or lubncant production process. The integration can include using hydrogen generated during gasification as a fuel to provide heat for solvent processing and/or using the hydrogen for hydroprocessing of deasphalted oil.
Abstract:
Methods are provided for forming lubricant base stocks from feeds such as vacuum resid or other 510°C+ feeds. A feed can be deasphalted and then catalyticaliy and/or solvent processed to form lubricant base stocks, including bright stocks that are resistant to haze formation.
Abstract:
Systems and methods are provided for controlling the flow and transport of catalyst particles within a reaction system. The flow of catalyst particles can be managed using a rotating disc or wheel that is configured within a roller volume to allow for control over the rate of catalyst flow while reducing or minimizing attrition of the catalyst particles. This can be achieved in part by maintaining a relationship between the center of the rotating disc, the inlet for catalyst particles to the roller volume, and the top wall of the roller volume so that catalyst particles are not exposed to compressive forces and/or abrasion during rotation of the disc. Additionally or alternately, the disc and roller volume surfaces can be configured to reduce or minimize the potential for catalyst particles to become trapped in "dead space" regions within the roller volume. By using a disc to provide force for transport of particles through the roller volume, the speed of catalyst movement can be controlled at relatively slow catalyst flow rates with a reduced or minimized risk for clogging or plugging within the roller volume.
Abstract:
Methods are provided for forming lubricant base stocks from feeds such as vacuum resid or other 510°C+ feeds. A feed can be deasphalted and then catalytically and/or solvent processed to form lubricant base stocks, including bright stocks. The catalytic processing can correspond to processing in at least two stages. The amount of conversion performed in each stage can be varied to produce bright stocks with various properties.
Abstract:
Processes are provided herein for producing naphtha boiling range products with a desired sulfur content by reducing the mercaptan content of the naphtha boiling range products after the products exit a hydroprocessing stage. Due to mercaptan reversion, naphtha boiling range products that contain even small amounts of olefins can have a higher than expected sulfur content after hydroprocessing. In order to reduce or mitigate the effects of mercaptan reversion, microchannel reactors (or microreactors) can be placed in a processing system downstream of a reactor that produces a low sulfur naphtha product. The microreactors can include a coating of metals that have activity for hydrodesulfurization. By passing at least a portion of the naphtha product through the downstream microreactors, the mercaptans formed by reversion reactions can be reduced or eliminated, resulting in a naphtha product with possessing a very low sulfur content.
Abstract:
This invention relates to an ultrafiltration process for separating a heavy hydrocarbon stream to produce an enriched saturates content stream(s) utilizing an ultrafiltration separations process. The enriched saturates content streams can then be further processed in refinery and petrochemical processes that will benefit from the higher content of saturated hydrocarbons produced from this separations process. The invention may be utilized to separate heavy hydrocarbon feedstreams, such as whole crudes, topped crudes, synthetic crude blends, shale oils, oils derived from bitumen, oils derived from tar sands, atmospheric resids, vacuum resids, or other heavy hydrocarbon streams into enriched saturates content product streams. The invention provides an economical method for separating heavy hydrocarbon stream components by molecular species instead of molecular boiling points.
Abstract:
This invention relates to a process for separating a heavy hydrocarbon stream to produce at least one permeate product stream and at least one retentate product stream. The process utilizes an ultrafiltration process to designed to maximize the quality of the permeate and retenate product streams as well as process embodiments which improve permeate production quantities as well as improve the quality of the product streams obtained by the separations process. In preferred embodiments, the process includes configuration and operational parameters to maximize permeate yield and selectivity.
Abstract:
An upgraded crude composition is provided, along with systems and methods for making such a composition. The upgraded crude composition can include an unexpectedly high percentage of vacuum gas oil boiling range components while having a reduce or minimized amount of components boiling above 593°C (1100°F). In some aspects, based in part on the hydroprocessing used to form the upgraded cmde composition, the composition can include unexpectedly high contents of nitrogen. Still other unexpected features of the composition can include, but are not limited to, an unexpectedly high nitrogen content in the naphtha fraction; and an unexpected vacuum gas oil fraction including an unexpectedly high content of polynuclear aromatics, an unexpectedly high content of waxy, paraffinic compounds, and/or an unexpectedly high content of n-pentane asphaltenes.
Abstract:
Systems and methods are provided for partial upgrading of heavy hydrocarbon feeds to meet transport specifications, such as pipeline transport specifications. The systems and methods can allow for one or more types of improvement in heavy hydrocarbon processing prior to transport. In some aspects, the systems and methods can produce a partially upgraded heavy hydrocarbon product that satisfies one or more transport specifications while incorporating an increased amount of vacuum gas oil and a reduced amount of pitch into the partially upgraded heavy hydrocarbon product. In other aspects, the systems and methods can allow for increased incorporation of hydrocarbons into the fraction upgraded for transport, thereby reducing or minimizing the amount of hydrocarbons requiring an alternative method of disposal or transport. In still other aspects, the systems and methods can allow for reduced incorporation of external streams into the final product for transport while still satisfying one or more target properties.