Abstract: Mesophase pitch compositions may be obtained by subjecting isotropic pitch compositions to heat-treatment. Methods for producing mesophase pitch compositions may comprise heat treating an isotropic pitch composition comprising two or more aromatic classes linked with at least one methylene bridge between each aromatic classes, at a temperature of about 300° C. to about 500° C. to produce a mesophase pitch composition having a weight average molecular weight of about 300 g/mol to about 2,000 g/mol, a softening point of about 100° C. or greater, a mesophase content of about 0.01 vol % to 100 vol %, based on the total volume of the mesophase pitch composition, and a micro carbon residue of about 25 wt % or greater, based on the total weight of the mesophase pitch composition; wherein heat treating induces cyclization between at least two of the two or more aromatic classes to form one or more 5-membered rings and/or 6-membered rings.

Abstract: Processes for improving hydrocarbon feedstock compatibility are provided. More specifically, a process for preparing a liquid hydrocarbon product includes heat soaking a tar stream to produce a reduced reactivity tar and blending the reduced reactivity tar with a utility fluid comprising recycle solvent to produce a lower viscosity, reduced reactivity tar. The process also includes hydroprocessing the lower viscosity, reduced reactivity tar at a temperature of greater than 350° C. to produce a total liquids product containing the liquid hydrocarbon product and the recycle solvent. The process further includes separating the recycle solvent from the total liquids product, where the recycle solvent has the SBN of greater than 110, and flowing the recycle solvent to the reduced reactivity tar for blending to produce the lower viscosity, reduced reactivity tar.

Abstract: Processes for preparing a low particulate liquid hydrocarbon product are provided and include blending a tar stream containing particles with a fluid and heating to a temperature of 250° C. or greater to produce a fluid-feed mixture that contains tar, the particles, and the fluid. The fluid-feed mixture contains about 20 wt % or greater of the fluid, based on a combined weight of the tar stream and the fluid. Also, about 25 wt % to about 99 wt % of the particles in the tar stream are dissolved or decomposed when producing the fluid-feed mixture.

Abstract: Processes for preparing a low particulate liquid hydrocarbon product are provided and include blending a tar stream containing particles with a fluid and heating to a temperature of 250° C. or greater to produce a fluid-feed mixture that contains tar, the particles, and the fluid. The fluid-feed mixture contains about 20 wt % or greater of the fluid, based on a combined weight of the tar stream and the fluid. Also, about 25 wt % to about 99 wt % of the particles in the tar stream are dissolved or decomposed when producing the fluid-feed mixture.

Abstract: A method for selective extraction of naphthenic acids from an acidic crude oil, including: providing an acidic crude oil including naphthenic acids and having a total acid number (TAN) greater than 0.4; mixing the acidic crude oil with a first aqueous solution including water and a weak base to extract a portion of naphthenic acids from the acidic crude oil thereby creating a second aqueous solution containing a mixture of the portion of naphthenic acids, the water and the weak base in an emulsion; separating the second aqueous solution from the emulsion; wherein the second aqueous solution contains an additional portion of the acidic crude oil; adding a salt to the second aqueous solution, thereby causing the additional portion of the acidic crude oil to separate from the second aqueous solution; removing the additional portion of the acidic crude oil from the second aqueous solution; and extracting the portion of the naphthenic acids from the second aqueous solution.

Abstract: Marine fuel oil compositions are provided that exhibit unexpectedly high cetane numbers after addition of a cetane improver. Methods of making such compositions are also provided. The unexpected nature of the marine fuel oil compositions is based in part on the ability to achieve a substantial improvement in estimated cetane number by addition of a cetane improver to a hydrocarbonaceous composition with a natural estimated cetane number of less than 35. These unexpectedly high increases in estimated cetane number for fuels or fuel blending components with low natural estimated cetane numbers can allow for production of fuel compositions with desirable combustion characteristics while also maintaining a higher level of aromatic compounds and/or reducing or minimizing the amount of distillate boiling range components in the fuel or fuel blending component.

Abstract: A first hydroprocessed product and a second hydroprocessed product produced from a multi-stage process for upgrading pyrolysis tar, such as steam cracker tar, are provided herein. Fuel blends including the first hydroprocessed product and/or the second hydroprocessed product are also provided herein as well as methods of lowering pour point of a gas oil using the first hydroprocessed product and the second hydroprocessed product.

Abstract: Processes for improving hydrocarbon feedstock compatibility are provided. More specifically, a process for preparing a liquid hydrocarbon product includes heat soaking a tar stream to produce a reduced reactivity tar and blending the reduced reactivity tar with a utility fluid comprising recycle solvent to produce a lower viscosity, reduced reactivity tar. The process also includes hydroprocessing the lower viscosity, reduced reactivity tar at a temperature of greater than 350° C. to produce a total liquids product containing the liquid hydrocarbon product and the recycle solvent. The process further includes separating the recycle solvent from the total liquids product, where the recycle solvent has the SBN of greater than 110, and flowing the recycle solvent to the reduced reactivity tar for blending to produce the lower viscosity, reduced reactivity tar.

Abstract: Marine fuel oil compositions are provided that exhibit unexpectedly high cetane numbers after addition of a cetane improver. Methods of making such compositions are also provided. The unexpected nature of the marine fuel oil compositions is based in part on the ability to achieve a substantial improvement in estimated cetane number by addition of a cetane improver to a hydrocarbonaceous composition with a natural estimated cetane number of less than 35. These unexpectedly high increases in estimated cetane number for fuels or fuel blending components with low natural estimated cetane numbers can allow for production of fuel compositions with desirable combustion characteristics while also maintaining a higher level of aromatic compounds and/or reducing or minimizing the amount of distillate boiling range components in the fuel or fuel blending component.

Abstract: A first hydroprocessed product and a second hydroprocessed product produced from a multi-stage process for upgrading pyrolysis tar, such as steam cracker tar, are provided herein. Fuel blends including the first hydroprocessed product and/or the second hydroprocessed product are also provided herein as well as methods of lowering pour point of a gas oil using the first hydroprocessed product and the second hydroprocessed product.

Abstract: Processes for selective extraction of surface active naphthenic acids from high total acid number crude oils for use in enhanced oil recovery are provided.

Abstract: A process for selective isolation of high molecular weight (˜1230 Daltons) naphthenic acids (Arn acids). The process includes providing a polymeric resin with a bound a quaternary amino group and applying a crude oil sample containing Arn acids to the polymeric resin. A first wash of an organic solvent is applied to the sample followed by a second wash of a polar organic solvent mixture. The first two washes remove unwanted crude oil compositions while the Arn acids are bound to the quaternary amino groups. A third wash of acidified organic solvent removes the Arn acids from the polymeric resin, thereby forming an elute comprising the Arn acids and the acidified organic solvent. The acidified organic solve is then evaporated isolating the Arn acids from the crude oil sample.

Abstract: A method to determine the model-of-composition of a vacuum resid in which the resid is separated into fractions including the DAO fraction which is then separated into chemical classes including saturates, aromatics, sulfides and polars by a combination of soft ionization methods. The results of the ionization analysis are reconciled with other analysis such as bulk analysis, then consolidated to generate the modeol-of composition.

Abstract: A method for characterizing the saturates portion of a petroleum or hydrocarbon sample that includes compounds with boiling points of 1000° F. (538° C.) or higher includes use of laser desorption ionization (LDI) to desorb and vaporize petroleum saturates into the gas phase. After ionization, the saturate compounds cations can be detected using mass spectrometry. The mass spectrum generated from the ionized saturated compounds is then characterized by assigning molecular formulas to any “detected” masses that exhibit a peak with an intensity greater than a defined signal to noise threshold. After making the molecular assignments, the abundance of each assigned molecule can be determined based on the signal magnitude of the peaks in the mass spectrum. The assigned molecules and the corresponding abundances can then be grouped based on a variety of factors.

Abstract: The stability of distillate type jet fuels is improved by cathodic hydrogenation in an electrolytic cell with a proton permeable membrane separating cathode and anode compartments; a source of hydrogen is oxidized in the anode compartment to form protons which permeate the membrane to effect a cathodic reduction of the nitrogenous components of the fuel in the cathode compartment.

Abstract: A method for the determination of the aromatic cores or building blocks of a vacuum resid by controlled fragmentation. Molecules can be generated from these building blocks.

Abstract: A method to determine the model-of-composition of a vacuum resid in which the resid is separated into fractions including the DAO fraction which is then separated into chemical classes including saturates, aromatics, sulfides and polars by a combination of soft ionization methods. The results of the ionization analyses are reconciled with other analyses such as bulk analysis, then consolidated to generate the modeol-of composition.

Abstract: A method for the determination of the aromatic cores or building blocks of a vacuum resid by controlled fragmentation. Molecules can be generated from these building blocks.

Abstract: A method to determine the model-of-composition of a vacuum resid wherein the resid is separated into eight fractions, saturates, aromatics, sulfides and polars by a combination of soft ionization methods.