Abstract: Methods are provided for producing a plurality of lubricant base oil products with an increased overall yield. Prior to the final hydrocracking stage for viscosity index uplift, a feed for making a lubricant base oil is fractionated in order to form at least a feed for making a lighter lubricant base oil and a feed for making a heavier lubricant base oil. The fractionation cut points are selected to so that the feed fraction for forming a light lubricant base oil has a higher Noack volatility and a lower viscosity than the desired targets for the lighter lubricant base oil. The feed fractions are then hydroprocessed separately to achieve desired properties. After hydroprocessing, a portion of the heavier base oil is blended into the light lubricant base oil to produce a blended base oil product. This returns the volatility and the viscosity of the blended base oil to the desired specifications.

Abstract: Methods are provided for producing multiple lubricating oil basestocks from a feedstock. Prior to dewaxing, various fractions of the feedstock are exposed to hydrocracking conditions of different severity to produce a higher overall yield of basestocks. The hydrocracking conditions of different severity can represent exposing fractions of a feedstock to different processing conditions, exposing fractions of a feedstock to different amounts of hydrocracking catalyst, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: Conditions selected for lubricant base oil production can be used to also produce a high quality diesel product. The diesel product can have a cetane index or cetane number of at least 55, corresponding to a high value diesel fuel. The diesel product can also have good cold flow properties, such as a pour point of ?40° C. or less and/or a cloud point of ?25° C. or less. Additionally, the sulfur content of the diesel product can be low, such as less than 1 wppm. This can allow the diesel product to be blended with other potential diesel boiling range products that have a higher sulfur content while still meeting an overall diesel fuel specification. The aromatics content can also be low, allowing the premium diesel to comply with various regulatory requirements.

Abstract: Methods are provided for producing a plurality of lubricant base oil products with an increased overall yield. Prior to the final hydrocracking stage for viscosity index uplift, a feed for making a lubricant base oil is fractionated in order to form at least a feed for making a lighter lubricant base oil and a feed for making a heavier lubricant base oil. The fractionation cut points are selected to so that the feed fraction for forming a light lubricant base oil has a higher Noack volatility and a lower viscosity than the desired targets for the lighter lubricant base oil. The feed fractions are then hydroprocessed separately to achieve desired properties. After hydroprocessing, a portion of the heavier base oil is blended into the light lubricant base oil to produce a blended base oil product. This returns the volatility and the viscosity of the blended base oil to the desired specifications.

Abstract: Methods are provided for producing multiple lubricating oil basestocks from a feedstock. Prior to dewaxing, various fractions of the feedstock are exposed to hydrocracking conditions of different severity to produce a higher overall yield of basestocks. The hydrocracking conditions of different severity can represent exposing fractions of a feedstock to different processing conditions, exposing fractions of a feedstock to different amounts of hydrocracking catalyst, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: Conditions selected for lubricant base oil production can be used to also produce a high quality diesel product. The diesel product can have a cetane index or cetane number of at least 55, corresponding to a high value diesel fuel. The diesel product can also have good cold flow properties, such as a pour point of ?40° C. or less and/or a cloud point of 25° C. or less. Additionally, the sulfur content of the diesel product can be low, such as less than 1 wppm. This can allow the diesel product to be blended with other potential diesel boiling range products that have a higher sulfur content while still meeting an overall diesel fuel specification. The aromatics content can also be low, allowing the premium diesel to comply with various regulatory requirements.

Abstract: The present invention is a process for removing waxy haze from and improving the filterability of base stocks including heavy mineral oil base stocks, gas-to-liquids (GTL) and hydrodewaxed or hydroisomerized waxy feed basestocks by filtering the waxy haze causing particles out of the base stock employing a filter characterized by a high surface area of pores accessible to the haze wax particles which have particles dimensions of no more than about 5 microns.

Abstract: An integrated process for producing lubricant base oils from feedstocks under sour conditions is provided. The ability to process feedstocks under higher sulfur conditions allows for reduced cost processing and increases the flexibility in selecting a suitable feedstock. The sour feed can be delivered to a catalytic dewaxing step without any separation of sulfur and nitrogen contaminants, or a high pressure separation can be used to partially eliminate contaminants.

Abstract: Provided is a three stage hydroprocessing process for producing lubricant base stocks with a stripping/separating zone between the first two hydroprocessing zones and a separating zone following the third hydroprocessing zone. The stripping/separating zone occurs at high pressure and temperature with no disengagement between or following the hydroprocessing zones and without the use of a liquid pump prior to the second hydroprocessing zone. The process pressure is greatest at the entrance to the first hydroprocessing zone. There is also recycle of compressed gaseous effluent from the last separating zone to the stripping zone, the first hydroprocessing zone, the second hydroprocessing zone, and/or the third hydroprocessing zone.

Abstract: The present invention is a process for removing waxy haze from and improving the filterability of base stocks including heavy mineral oil base stocks, gas-to-liquids (GTL) and hydrodewaxed or hydroisomerized waxy feed basestocks by filtering the waxy haze causing particles out of the base stock employing a filter characterized by a high surface area of pores accessible to the haze wax particles which have particles dimensions of no more than about 5 microns.

Abstract: An integrated process for producing lubricant base oils from feedstocks under sour conditions is provided. The ability to process feedstocks under higher sulfur conditions allows for reduced cost processing and increases the flexibility in selecting a suitable feedstock. The sour feed can be delivered to a catalytic dewaxing step without any separation of sulfur and nitrogen contaminants, or a high pressure separation can be used to partially eliminate contaminants.

Abstract: It has been discovered that extraction processes which employ solvents to separate components from a feed stream and which solvents are themselves recovered by stripping from the thus produced extract or raffinate or both are improved in that the solvent is stripped from the extract, raffinate or both by the use of steam which has been previously distilled from a major portion of the process stream in one of the initial stages of the solvent recovery process, which steam rather than being vented or condensed for disposal is employed as a replacement for specifically generated fresh steam. This recycle steam is employed to strip any residual solvent from the extract, the raffinate or both. The steam and any residual solvent thus stripped is recycled from the extract stripper, raffinate stripper or both to the input feed of the solvent recovery train.