Abstract:
Hydroprocessing can be performed at low pressure using acoustic energy. For example, hydroprocessing a feedstock having one or more hydrocarbon compounds carried in, or mixed with, a transport gas involves flowing the feedstock through a reaction zone in a reactor that has a bulk pressure less than 68 atm and applying acoustic energy through the reaction zone. The hydrocarbon compounds are chemically reacted with a hydrogen source in the presence of a catalyst, wherein the reacting occurs in the reaction zone.
Abstract:
A multifunction hydrotreater includes a particulate removal zone having a particulate trap to remove particulate contaminants from a coal tar stream and a demetallizing zone including a demetallizing catalyst to remove organically bound metals from the de-particulated stream. The demetallizing zone is positioned after the particulate removal zone. The hydrotreater also includes a hydrodesulfurization, hydrodenitrogenation, and hydrodeoxygenation zone positioned after the demetallization zone, which includes at least one hydrodesulfurization, hydrodenitrogenation, and hydrodeoxygenation catalyst to provide a hydrotreated coal tar stream.
Abstract:
An oil production well is drilled into a kerogenous chalk source rock comprising (i) type IIs kerogen and (ii) shallow naturally-occurring unconventional oil derived from the type IIs kerogen that is resident within pore space of the source rock. In some embodiments, the production well is drilled at a location where the geothermal gradient is at least 3 degrees C per 100 m is present at or near the production well. It is believed that the presence of this geothermal gradient accelerated maturation of the type IIs kerogen of the source rock to convert a portion of the type IIs kerogen into the unconventional oil. In some embodiments, the shallow production well is non-vertical. In some embodiments, at depths that are shallow and within the source rock, the production well is cased and perforated. Oil from the source rock may be produced via the production well and the shallow-depth perforated locations thereof.
Abstract:
A method of treating tailings comprising a solids fraction and a hydrocarbon fraction is disclosed. A primary flow is supplied to a jet pump, the primary flow comprising water and less than 20% solids by mass. A secondary flow is supplied to a mixing chamber of the jet pump, the secondary flow comprising a slurry of water and tailings, the slurry comprising more solids by mass than the primary flow. The jet pump is operated using the primary flow such that the tailings are agitated to effect at least a partial phase separation of the hydrocarbon fraction from the tailings. The methods disclosed herein may also be applied to treat tailings ponds.
Abstract:
A hydrodynamic cavitation treated oil which has a viscosity which is lower than the viscosity of the oil prior to treatment The treated oil and the oil prior to the treatment having distillation curves or boiling point curves which are the same as or approximate to each other.
Abstract:
This invention relates to processes for removing particles such as catalyst fines from hydrocarbon streams, such as a wax dried from a Fischer Tropsch reaction using centrifugation in combination with a treatment with an aqueous solution preferably containing an acid, or with an acid. According to an aspect of the invention, catalyst particles are removed from a wax derived from a Fischer Tropsch by pre-treating the hydrocarbon stream with an aqueous solution and forming a mixture comprising the hydrocarbon stream and 5-25% v/v organic acid solution; and introducing the mixture to a centrifuge and separating, from the mixture, a hydrocarbon stream, an aqueous solution and particles. The process may be a continuous and/or a batch process.
Abstract:
High rate gas stripping for removal of sulfur-containing components such as mercaptans from crude oil may be conducted by feeding sweet gas to the bottom of a tower containing pre-heated mercaptan-containing crude oil feed. The gas bubbles up through the crude becoming enriched with H2S, mercaptans, CO2 and/or hydrocarbons. The rich gas exits the tower, and is treated to produce a sweetened gas, a portion of which is recycled to the tower, and an acid gas. The remainder of the sweetened and/or the acid gas may be used as a fuel or processed to recover a portion of any hydrocarbons that may have been stripped out of the crude oil with the mercaptans, sulfur-containing components, CO2, used for enhanced oil recovery or disposed.
Abstract:
The present invention provides a process for the treatment of crude oil or aged crude oil residue comprising the steps of (a) contacting the oil or residue with a phenol resin and with a diluent, to provide a diluted phenol resin treated oil or residue; and (b) optionally removing solid material from the diluted phenol resin treated oil or residue.
Abstract:
According to the present invention, there is provided an ultrasonically operated liquid fuel modifying device for applying an ultrasonic wave to liquid fuel having high viscosity and poor quality, and modifying it into good emulsified oil. The modifying system of the present invention comprises: a fuel tank (10) for storing liquid fuel having high viscosity and poor quality; a water tank (20) for storing water; an agitating device (30) for agitating the liquid fuel and water fed from the fuel and water tanks (10, 20), respectively; and an ultrasonically operated modifying device (40) including an ultrasonic vibration generator (56) for generating an ultrasonic wave so as to apply the ultrasonic wave to the liquid fuel and the water fed from the agitating device (30) and to modify it into good emulsified oil, and ultrasonic wave-generating portions (65).