Patents Represented by Attorney Bruce M. Berdelon
  • Patent number: 7736493
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for improving a deasphalting unit process by producing an improved feedstream for the deasphalting process via ultrafiltration of a vacuum resid-containing feedstream. In particular, the present invention produces an improved quality feedstream to a solvent deasphalting process which results in improved deasphalted oil (DAO) production rates and/or higher quality deasphalted oils. The present invention can be particularly beneficial when used in conjunction with an existing deasphalting equipment to result in improved deasphalted oil (DAO) production rates and/or higher quality deasphalted oils from the existing deasphalting equipment without the need for significant equipment modifications to the existing deasphalting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Daniel P. Leta, Lisa M. Rogers, Merryl J. Miranda, Keith K. Aldous, Stephen M. Cundy, MaryKathryn Lee, Edward W. Corcoran