Refining Patents (Class 208/97)
  • Patent number: 11673805
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing hydrogen by reforming hydrocarbons with steam, and for separation of carbon dioxide. The process includes one endothermic and one autothermal reforming step for production of a synthesis gas stream, wherein heat generated in the autothermal reforming step is utilized for heating in the endothermic reforming step. The process also includes a step of converting the synthesis gas stream obtained for enrichment with hydrogen, a step of separating the hydrogen thus prepared by pressure swing adsorption, and a step of separation of carbon dioxide from the residual gas obtained in the pressure swing adsorption. The reforming units for the endothermal and autothermal reforming steps are arranged parallel to one another or in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude
    Inventors: Sophia Schmidt, Teja Schmid McGuinness
  • Patent number: 11643610
    Abstract: Diesel fuel compositions are provided that have unexpectedly beneficial cold flow properties. Methods for forming such diesel fuel compositions are also provided. The improved cold flow properties are achieved in part based on dewaxing of a distillate fraction of the composition. The improved cold flow properties are achieved further in part based on inclusion of a cold flow additive and fatty acid alkyl ester in the composition, such as fatty acid methyl ester.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: EXXONMOBIL TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: Gregory P. Rockwell, Alex S. Lang
  • Patent number: 11566188
    Abstract: Method of refining whole crude oil or a wide cut crude oil, the methods comprising a combination of a hydrotreating reactor, a distillation tower, and an optional flash evaporation separator. The methods can also include light ends processing, fluid catalytic cracking, reforming, hydrocracking, and demetalization. In some methods a whole crude oil is first processed through a flash evaporation separator to create a wide cut crude oil and in other methods, the flash evaporation separator is not used as the whole crude oil is first treated in a hydrotreater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: EXXONMOBIL TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: Xiaochun Xu, Xinrui Yu, Shifang Luo, Randolph J. Smiley, Hyung S. Woo
  • Patent number: 11396636
    Abstract: Proposed is a mineral lubricating base oil having improved low-temperature performance, in which the lubricating base oil has kinematic viscosity of 9.0 cSt or less (at 40° C.), kinematic viscosity of 2.5 cSt or less (at 100° C.), and a pour point of ?50° C. or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: SK INNOVATION CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seung Eon Lee, Hak Mook Kim, Jin Hee Ok, Kyung Seok Noh, Jun Soo Park, Yong Rae Cho
  • Patent number: 11149216
    Abstract: An integrated hydrothermal process for upgrading heavy oil includes the steps of mixing a heated water stream and a heated feed in a mixer to produce a mixed fluid, introducing the mixed stream to a reactor unit to produce a reactor effluent that includes light fractions, heavy fractions, and water, cooling the reactor effluent in a cooling device to produce a cooled fluid, depressurizing the cooled fluid in a depressurizing device to produce a depressurized fluid, introducing the depressurized fluid to a flash drum configured to separate the depressurized fluid into a light fraction stream and a heavy fraction stream. The light fraction stream includes the light fractions and water and the heavy fraction stream includes the heavy fractions and water. The process further includes the step of introducing the heavy fraction stream to an aqueous reforming unit that includes a catalyst to produce an aqueous reforming outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Ki-Hyouk Choi, Mazin M. Fathi, Bader M. Alotaibi, Ali S. Al-Nasir
  • Patent number: 10696909
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a heavy oil may be processed by a method that may include upgrading at least a portion of the heavy oil to form an upgraded oil, where the upgrading includes contacting the heavy oil with a hydrodemetalization catalyst, a transition catalyst, a hydrodenitrogenation catalyst, and a hydrocracking catalyst to remove at least a portion of metals, nitrogen, or aromatics content from the heavy oil and form the upgraded oil; and passing the upgraded oil to a steam cracker and steam cracking the upgraded oil to form a steam-cracked effluent; and where the final boiling point of the upgraded oil is less than or equal to 540° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Kareemuddin Shaik, Lianhui Ding, Mazin Tamimi, Ibrahim Abba, Abdennour Bourane
  • Patent number: 10696910
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a heavy oil may be processed by a method that may include upgrading at least a portion of the heavy oil to form an upgraded oil, where the upgrading comprises contacting the heavy oil with a hydrodemetalization catalyst, a transition catalyst, a hydrodenitrogenation catalyst, and a hydrocracking catalyst to remove at least a portion of metals, nitrogen, or aromatics content from the heavy oil and form the upgraded oil. The method may further include passing at least a portion of the upgraded oil to a separation device that separates the upgraded oil into one or more transportation fuels; and where the final boiling point of the upgraded oil is less than or equal to 540° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Kareemuddin Shaik, Lianhui Ding, Mazin Tamimi, Ibrahim Abba, Abdennour Bourane
  • Patent number: 10596555
    Abstract: This invention relates to a hydrodesulfurization catalyst, a method for preparing the catalyst, and a method for the preparation of low sulfur gasoline fuel with minimal loss of RON. The catalyst particles include a group VIB metal and a support material having relatively high surface area, and optionally includes one or more group VIIIB metal. The method for preparing the catalyst allows for greater loading of the active metal species on the surface of the support material under aqueous reaction conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil company
    Inventors: Ki-Hyouk Choi, Sameer Ali Al-Ghamdi, Ali H. Al-Shareef, Ali H. Al-Hamadah
  • Patent number: 10066176
    Abstract: Embodiments of a process for producing high grade coke from crude oil residue include at least partially separating, in a solvent extraction unit, the crude oil residue into a deasphalted oil (DAO)-containing stream and an asphaltene containing-stream, producing a pressurized, heated DAO-containing stream, where the pressurized, heated DAO-containing stream, mixing a supercritical water stream with the pressurized, heated DAO-containing stream to create a combined feed stream, introducing the combined feed stream to an upgrading reactor system operating at supercritical temperature and pressure to yield one or more upgrading reactor output streams comprising upgraded product and a slurry mixture, where the slurry mixture comprises sulfur and one or more additional metals. The process also may include calcining the slurry mixture at a temperature of from 700° C. to 1900° C. to produce a product stream comprising the high grade coke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Ki-Hyouk Choi, Mohammad A. AlAbdullah, Emad N. Al-Shafei, Massad S. Alanzi, Bandar K. Alotaibi, Bandar Hussain Alsolami, Ali M. Alsomali
  • Patent number: 10011790
    Abstract: Embodiments of processes for upgrading a petroleum-based composition while decreasing plugging comprise mixing a supercritical water stream with a pressurized, heated petroleum-based composition in a mixing device to create a combined feed stream, and introducing to a supercritical upgrading reactor system are provided. The processes also comprise cooling the upgraded product in a cooling device, and decreasing the pressure of the cooled upgraded product in a pressure reducer. To reduce plugging, the processes also comprises injecting plug remover solution into one or more of the following injection locations: an injection port on a process line connecting the mixing device with the upgrading reactor system; an injection port on a process line connecting the upgrading reactor system with the cooling device; or an injection port on a process line connecting the cooling device with the pressure reducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Ki-Hyouk Choi, Muneef F. Al-Qarzouh, Joo-Hyeong Lee, Bader M. Al-Otaibi, Abdullah T. Alabdulhadi
  • Patent number: 9810146
    Abstract: A calcium looping combustion process for sour gas combustion comprising a system that includes several reaction zones. The system is configured to provide oxygen transfer media production, generation of a syngas product stream, and in-situ H2S removal from the sour gas. The system is also configured such that the calcium-based transfer media and the calcium-based oxygen carrier are reproduced via reactions in another reaction zone, and recirculated in the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Ali Hoteit, Mourad Younes
  • Patent number: 9102578
    Abstract: Processes for the disproportionation and isomerization of a hydrocarbon feed using a liquid catalyst comprising an ionic liquid and a carbocation promoter are described. The ionic liquid is unsupported, and the reactions occur at temperatures below about 200° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Stuart Smith, Alakananda Bhattacharyya
  • Patent number: 9096483
    Abstract: Processes for the disproportionation and isomerization of a hydrocarbon feed using a liquid catalyst comprising an ionic liquid and a carbocation promoter are described. The ionic liquid is unsupported, and the reactions occur at temperatures below the decomposition temperature of the ionic liquid, typically below about 250° C. The process includes isomerizing a hydrocarbon feed comprising normal C6 alkane or branched C6 alkane by contacting the hydrocarbon feed with a liquid catalyst in a reaction zone to form a product mixture. Isomerization reaction mixtures are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Alakananda Bhattacharyya, Stuart Smith, Dana K. Sullivan, Susie C. Martins
  • Publication number: 20150141535
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to the modification of the hydrocarbon production sequence of operations including the Fischer-Tropsch process for the production of hydrocarbon fuels in an efficient manner, along with the production of commercially valuable co-products from by-products of the hydrocarbon production process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventor: Steve Kresnyak
  • Publication number: 20150129462
    Abstract: Embodiments of apparatuses and methods for desulfurization of naphtha are provided. In one example, a method comprises fractionating a partially hydrodesulfurized, olefin-enriched naphtha stream in a first vapor-liquid contacting chamber to form a partially hydrodesulfurized, H2S-depleted, olefin-enriched naphtha stream. The partially hydrodesulfurized, H2S-depleted, olefin-enriched naphtha stream is contacted with a hydrotreating catalyst to form an additionally hydrodesulfurized, olefin-enriched naphtha stream. The additionally hydrodesulfurized, olefin-enriched naphtha stream is fractionated in a second vapor-liquid contacting chamber to form a hydrodesulfurized, H2S-depleted, olefin-enriched naphtha product stream. The first and second vapor-liquid contacting chambers are enclosed in a split shell stripper vessel and separated by a dividing wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Sarathsatyakalyan Konda, Krishnan Vaidyanathan, Venkat Ram Naidu Pandranki
  • Publication number: 20150129461
    Abstract: Embodiments of apparatuses and methods for hydrotreating coker kerosene or other thermally or catalytically cracked hydrocarbon stream are provided. In one example, a method comprises splitting a feed comprising coker kerosene into first and second feed streams. The first feed stream is heated to form a heated first feed stream. The second feed stream is partially heated to form a partially heated second feed stream. The heated first feed stream is contacted with a first hydrotreating catalyst to form a first hydrotreated intermediate stream. The first hydrotreated intermediate stream is combined with the partially heated second feed stream to form a partially quenched first hydrotreated intermediate combined stream. The partially quenched first hydrotreated intermediate combined stream is contacted with a second hydrotreating catalyst to further hydrotreat the partially quenched first hydrotreated intermediate combined stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: UOP LLC
    Inventor: Soumendra Mohan Banerjee
  • Patent number: 8986537
    Abstract: Provided are multiple correlations for relationships between MI value for a brightstock extract and the distillation cut point temperature used for separation of the vacuum resid that is used to form the brightstock extract. Based on these correlations, a BSE having a desired MI value can be formed based on an adjustment of the distillation cut point temperature. A first correlation establishes a relationship between a fractional weight boiling temperature for a vacuum resid fraction and a distillation cut point temperature for separating the vacuum resid fraction from at least one distillate fraction in a feedstock. A second correlation establishes a relationship between a fractional weight boiling temperature for a brightstock extract derived from the vacuum resid fraction, and the fractional weight boiling temperature for the vacuum resid fraction. A third correlation has been established between the fractional weight boiling temperature for the brightstock extract and a mutagenicity index value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Inventors: Cristina M. Sircar, Keith K. Aldous, James J. Freeman, Katy O. Goyak
  • Publication number: 20150060331
    Abstract: Methods for processing a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock flows are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes providing two or more hydroprocessing stages disposed in sequence, each hydroprocessing stage having a hydroprocessing reaction zone with a hydrogen requirement and each stage in fluid communication with the preceding stage. The hydrocarbonaceous feedstock flow may be separated into portions of fresh feed for each hydroprocessing stage, and the first portion of fresh feed to the first hydroprocessing stage is heated. The heated first portion of fresh feed may be supplied with hydrogen from the hydrogen source in an amount satisfying substantially all of the hydrogen requirements of the hydroprocessing stages to a first hydroprocessing zone. The unheated second portion of fresh feed is injected counter current to the process flow as quench at one or more locations in one or more of the reaction zones.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Paul A. Sechrist, Robert L. Bunting, Nicholas W. Bridge, RIchard K. Hoehn
  • Patent number: 8945372
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process for hydroprocessing comprising treating a hydrocarbon feed in a first two-phase hydroprocessing zone having a liquid recycle, producing product effluent, which is contacted with a catalyst and hydrogen in a downstream three-phase hydroprocessing zone, wherein at least a portion of the hydrogen supplied to the three-phase zone is a hydrogen-rich recycle gas stream. Optionally, the product effluent from the first two-phase hydroprocessing zone is fed to a second two-phase hydroprocessing zone containing a single-liquid-pass reactor. The two-phase hydroprocessing zones comprise two or more catalyst beds disposed in liquid-full reactors. The three-phase hydroprocessing zone comprises one or more single-liquid-pass catalyst beds disposed in a trickle bed reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: E I du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Hasan Dindi, Luis Eduardo Murillo, Thanh Gia Ta
  • Publication number: 20150014218
    Abstract: A process for hydrotreating full range naphtha is disclosed including the steps of passing a vapor stream composed of naphtha hydrocarbons to a first catalyst bed of a hydrotreating reactor, passing a liquid stream composed of naphtha hydrocarbons to a second catalyst bed of the hydrotreating reactor, and recovering a hydrotreated product stream from the hydrotreating reactor. The first and second catalyst beds are arranged in series within the hydrotreating reactor, and the second catalyst bed is downstream of the first catalyst bed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Deepak Bisht, Soumendra Banerjee
  • Patent number: 8920631
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for removing sulfur from crude oils using a catalytic hydrotreating process operating at moderate temperature and pressure and reduced hydrogen consumption. The process produces sweet crude oil having a sulfur content of between about 0.1 and 1.0 wt % in addition to reduced crude density. The method employs least two reactors in series, wherein the first reactor includes a hydroconversion catalyst and the second reactor includes a desulfurization catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Stephane Cyrille Kressmann, Raheel Shafi, Ali Hussain Alzaid, Esam Z. Hamad
  • Publication number: 20140374315
    Abstract: The present application concerns a process for the treatment of a gasoline containing sulphur-containing compounds and olefins, with the following steps: a) a step for hydrodesulphurization of said gasoline in order to produce an effluent which is depleted in sulphur by passing the gasoline mixed with hydrogen over at least one hydrodesulphurization catalyst; b) a step for separating the partially desulphurized gasoline from the hydrogen introduced in excess as well as the H2S formed during step a); c) a catalytic step for sweetening desulphurized gasoline obtained from step b), which converts residual mercaptans into thioethers via an addition reaction with the olefins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventors: Julien GORNAY, Philibert LEFLAIVE, Annick PUCCI, Olivier TOUZALIN
  • Patent number: 8906224
    Abstract: Sweet and sour lubricant feeds are block and continuous processed to produce lubricant basestocks. Total liquid product yields at a desired pour point are maintained for catalytic dewaxing of both sweet and sour conditions. The desired pour point is achieved for both the sweet and sour feeds by varying the catalytic dewaxing reaction temperature as a function of sulfur content entering the reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Exxonmobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Krista Marie Prentice, Michel Daage, Gary Paul Schleicher, Christine Nicole Elia, Stephen J. McCarthy, Wenyih F. Lai, Shifang L. Luo, Robert Andrew Migliorini
  • Publication number: 20140353211
    Abstract: This invention describes a process for mild hydrocracking of heavy hydrocarbon fractions of the vacuum distillate type or the deasphalted oil type with optimized thermal integration for the purpose of reducing the cost of the exchangers that are used as well as greenhouse gas emissions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventors: Romina DIGNE, Heloise DREUX, Frederic FEUGNET, Nicolas LAMBERT
  • Patent number: 8882989
    Abstract: A lubricating base oil manufacturing plant comprising a means for hydroisomerization dewaxing a wax at a specified hydrogen to feed ratio and a means for hydrofinishing the hydroisomerized wax to produce one or more base oils having greater than 10 weight percent total molecules with cycloparaffinic functionality and less than 0.5 weight percent molecules with multicycloparaffinic functionality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: John M. Rosenbaum, Nancy J. Bertrand, Scott C. Deskin, Kamala Krishna, Stephen J. Miller, Susan M. Abernathy
  • Publication number: 20140326639
    Abstract: A process for production of middle distillate fraction from gas-to-liquid (GTL) conversion comprising providing a feed stream comprising natural gas and separating a condensate from the feed stream to produce a condensate stream and a feed stream; processing the feed stream via a Fischer-Tropsch (FT) reaction to generate a long chain hydrocarbon product stream; processing the product stream via a heavy paraffinic conversion in order to produce a FT product stream; treating the condensate stream with a desulfurization step to generate a condensate product stream; combining the FT product stream with the condensate product stream to provide a distillate feed stream; and performing a distillation step on the distillation feed stream, wherein the processing steps occur substantially concurrently with the treating step and wherein distillation provides for isolation of middle distillate products. Middle distillate fractions and fuel oils/fuel oil blends obtained according to the process are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Inventors: Arend Hoek, Wilhelmus Johannes Franciscus Scholten, Ali Mohammed Ali Shahab Al-Sharshani
  • Patent number: 8858784
    Abstract: A process for treating a hydrocarbon-containing feedstock is provided in which a hydrocarbon-containing feedstock comprising at least 20 wt. % of heavy hydrocarbons is mixed with hydrogen and a catalyst to produce a vapor comprising a first hydrocarbon-containing product. The vapor comprising the first hydrocarbon-containing product is separated from the mixture, and, apart from the mixture, the first hydrocarbon-containing product is contacted with hydrogen and a catalyst containing a Column 6 metal to produce a second hydrocarbon-containing product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Stanley Nemec Milam, Michael Anthony Reynolds, Scott Lee Wellington, Frederik Arnold Buhrman
  • Publication number: 20140299515
    Abstract: Process for conversion of petroleum feed for production of low sulphur content fuel comprising the following steps: a step of ebullated bed hydroconversion of the feed in the presence of a supported catalyst, a separation step allowing a residual fraction to be obtained, a step of fixed bed hydrotreatment of the residual fraction using an upstream system of permutable reactors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: IFP Energies nouvelles
    Inventors: Wilfried Weiss, Jerome Majcher
  • Publication number: 20140291201
    Abstract: One exemplary embodiment can be a process for hydroprocessing. The process can include providing a hydroprocessing zone having at least two beds, and quenching downstream of a first bed of the at least two beds with a first vacuum gas oil that may be lighter than another vacuum gas oil fed to the first bed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: UOP, LLC
    Inventors: Soumendra Mohan Banerjee, Mani Krishna, Avnish Kumar
  • Publication number: 20140262940
    Abstract: A process for upgrading residuum hydrocarbons is disclosed. The process may include: contacting a residuum hydrocarbon fraction and hydrogen with a first hydroconversion catalyst in a first ebullated bed hydroconversion reactor system; recovering a first effluent from the first ebullated bed hydroconversion reactor system; solvent deasphalting a vacuum residuum fraction to produce a deasphalted oil fraction and an asphalt fraction; contacting the deasphalted oil fraction and hydrogen with a second hydroconversion catalyst in a second hydroconversion reactor system; recovering a second effluent from the second hydroconversion reactor system; and fractionating the first effluent from the first ebullated bed hydroconversion reactor system and the second effluent from the second hydroconversion reactor system to recover one or more hydrocarbon fractions and the vacuum residuum fraction in a common fractionation system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: LUMMUS TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventors: Mario C. Baldassari, Ujjal K. Mukherjee, Ann-Marie Olsen, Marvin I. Greene
  • Publication number: 20140262944
    Abstract: Methods are provided for producing lubricant base oils from petrolatum. After solvent dewaxing of a brightstock raffinate to form a brightstock base oil, petrolatum is generated as a side product. The petrolatum can be hydroprocessed to form base oils in high yield. The base oils formed from hydroprocessing of petrolatum have an unexpected pour point relationship. For a typical lubricant oil feedstock, the pour point of the base oils generated from the feedstock increases with the viscosity of the base oil. By contrast, lubricant base oils formed from hydroprocessing of petrolatum have a relatively flat pour point relationship, and some of the higher viscosity base oils unexpectedly have lower pour points than lower viscosity base oils generated from the same petrolatum feed. The base oils from petrolatum are also unusual in yielding both high viscosity and high viscosity index and can be generated while maintaining a high yield.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Jeenok T. Kim, Gary Paul Schleicher, Halou Oumar-Mahamat, Chad Hinden Mondor
  • Patent number: 8834707
    Abstract: A process for treating a hydrocarbon-containing feedstock is provided in which a hydrocarbon-containing feedstock comprising at least 20 wt. % of heavy hydrocarbons is mixed with hydrogen, hydrogen sulfide and a metal-containing catalyst at a temperature of 375° C. to 500° C. and a pressure of from 6.9 MPa to 27.5 MPa to produce a vapor comprising a first hydrocarbon-containing product, where the hydrogen sulfide is mixed with the feedstock, metal-containing catalyst, and hydrogen at a mole ratio of hydrogen sulfide to hydrogen of at least 1:10. The vapor comprising the first hydrocarbon-containing product is separated from the mixture, and, apart from the mixture, the first hydrocarbon-containing product is contacted with hydrogen and a catalyst containing a Column 6 metal at a temperature of 260° C.-425° C. and a pressure of from 3.4 MPa to 27.5 MPa to produce a second hydrocarbon-containing product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Stanley Nemec Milam, Michael Anthony Reynolds, Scott Lee Wellington, Frederik Arnold Buhrman
  • Patent number: 8834708
    Abstract: A process for treating a hydrocarbon-containing feedstock is provided in which a hydrocarbon-containing feedstock comprising at least 20 wt. % of heavy hydrocarbons is mixed with hydrogen and a metal-containing non-acidic catalyst at a temperature of 375° C. to 500° C. to produce a vapor comprising a first hydrocarbon-containing product. The vapor comprising the first hydrocarbon-containing product is separated from the mixture, and, apart from the mixture, the first hydrocarbon-containing product is contacted with hydrogen and a catalyst containing a Column 6 metal at a temperature of 260° C.-425° C. to produce a second hydrocarbon-containing product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Stanley Nemec Milam, Michael Anthony Reynolds, Scott Lee Wellington, Frederik Arnold Buhrman
  • Publication number: 20140221709
    Abstract: A process for upgrading residuum hydrocarbons is disclosed. The process may include: contacting a residuum hydrocarbon fraction and hydrogen with a first hydroconversion catalyst in a first ebullated bed hydroconversion reactor system; recovering a first effluent from the first ebullated bed hydroconversion reactor system; solvent deasphalting a vacuum residuum fraction to produce a deasphalted oil fraction and an asphalt fraction; contacting the deasphalted oil fraction and hydrogen with a second hydroconversion catalyst in a second hydroconversion reactor system; recovering a second effluent from the second hydroconversion reactor system; and fractionating the first effluent from the first ebullated bed hydroconversion reactor system and the second effluent from the second hydroconversion reactor system to recover one or more hydrocarbon fractions and the vacuum residuum fraction in a common fractionation system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2013
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: LUMMUS TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventors: Mario C. Baldassari, Ujjal K. Mukherjee, Ann-Marie Olsen, Marvin I. Greene
  • Patent number: 8795515
    Abstract: Processes for the catalytic dechlorination of one or more hydrocarbon products involve contacting a mixture comprising the hydrocarbon product(s) and a carrier gas with a dechlorination catalyst under catalytic dechlorination conditions to provide a dechlorinated hydrocarbon product, HCl, and the carrier gas. The dechlorinated hydrocarbon product may be separated from the HCl and the carrier gas to provide liquid fuel or lubricating base oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Bi-Zeng Zhan, Michael Driver, Hye-Kyung Timken
  • Patent number: 8790507
    Abstract: Processes and catalyst systems are provided for dewaxing a hydrocarbon feedstock to form a lubricant base oil. A layered catalyst system of the present invention may comprise a first hydroisomerization dewaxing catalyst disposed upstream from a second hydroisomerization dewaxing catalyst. Each of the first and second hydroisomerization dewaxing catalysts may be selective for the isomerization of n-paraffins. The first hydroisomerization catalyst may have a higher level of selectivity for the isomerization of n-paraffins than the second hydroisomerization dewaxing catalyst. At least one of the first and second hydroisomerization dewaxing catalysts comprises small crystallite zeolite SSZ-32x.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Kamala Krishna, Guan-Dao Lei
  • Publication number: 20140197071
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for using field enhanced separations to produce multiple fractions from a petroleum input. A liquid thermal diffusion and/or electric field separation is used to produce the fractions. The fractions can then be used to form multiple outputs that share a first feature while being different with regard to a second feature. For example, a first fraction from the plurality of fractions can have a desired value for a first property such as viscosity index. Two or more additional fractions from the plurality of fractions can then be blended together to make a blended fraction or output. The blended fraction can have a value for the first property that is substantially similar to the value for the first fraction. However, for a second property, the first fraction and the blended fraction can have distinct values. As a result, multiple output fractions can be formed that share a first feature but differ in a second feature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Krista M. Prentice, Jason M. McMullan, Michel Daage, Gregory J. DeMartin, John Stephen Szobota, Ronald M. Gould, Anastasios Ioannis Skoulidas, Ajit Bhaskar Dandekar, Patrick Loring Hanks, Charles Lambert Baker, JR., Lei Zhang, X B. Cox, III
  • Publication number: 20140174982
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: Benjamin S. Umansky, Charles R. Bolz, Anjaneya S. Kovvali, Carlos N. Lopez, Rathna P. Davuluri
  • Patent number: 8715486
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing a new type of high-quality hydrocarbon base oil of biological origin. The process of the invention comprises ketonization, hydrodeoxygenation, and isomerization steps. Fatty acids and/or fatty acid esters based on a biological raw material are preferably used as the feedstock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Neste Oil Oyj
    Inventors: Jukka Myllyoja, Juha Jakkula, Pekka Aalto, Eija Koivusalmi, Juha Moilanen
  • Publication number: 20140114097
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for the continuous microwave depolymerization of high molecular weight organic feedstock material, such as waste plastics and includes intermittent or continuous feeding of the processing material on the surface or into the bulk of the sensitized hot bed located under microwave irradiation. As a result of the interaction of electromagnetic field with processed materials, sensitizer is heated by microwave energy and feedstock material undergoes the depolymerization reactions. The reaction zone can be localized on the surface of the hot bed or distributed in the bulk of the reaction mass depending on the agitation conditions of the reaction mass, such as stirring, or other agitation means, for example by re-circulated gas. Products of the reactions are vaporized and transported to the collection system, which may include a combination of a scrubber, a condenser and a settler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: CLIMAX GLOBAL ENERGY
    Inventors: John Hemmings, Thomas Pinto, Viktor Sharivker
  • Patent number: 8673134
    Abstract: A method for the removal of nitrogen compounds from FCC feed or from catalytically cracked distillates including FCC cycle oils by using formaldehyde to selectively couple organic heterocyclic nitrogen species in the FCC feed or FCC distillate to form higher boiling coupling products out of the boiling range of FCC distillate. Removal of the nitrogenous compounds improves the operation of subsequent hydrodesulfurization steps needed for the distillate fraction to conform to low sulfur standards. The formaldehyde is preferably used in the form of paraformaldehyde. The reaction between the nitrogenous compounds in the cycle oil fraction with the formaldehyde is conveniently carried out in the cycle oil pumparound circuit of the FCC main column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Stacey E. Siporin, David Thomas Ferrughelli, Steven S. Lowenthal, Randolph J. Smiley, Alan Roy Katritzky, Bruce R. Cook
  • Publication number: 20140054198
    Abstract: A process for reducing the sulfur content of a hydrocarbon stream is disclosed. A full range cracked naphtha is contacted with a hydrogenation catalyst to convert at least a portion of the dienes and mercaptans to thioethers and to hydrogenate at least a portion of the dienes. The full range cracked naphtha is fractionated into a light naphtha fraction, a medium naphtha fraction, and a heavy naphtha fraction. The heavy naphtha fraction is hydrodesulfurized. The medium naphtha fraction is mixed with hydrogen and gas oil to form a mixture, which is contacted with a hydrodesulfurization catalyst to produce a medium naphtha fraction having a reduced sulfur concentration. The light, heavy, and medium naphtha fractions may then be recombined to form a hydrodesulfurized product having a sulfur content of less than 10 ppm in some embodiments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: CATALYTIC DISTILLATION TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventor: Gary G. Podrebarac
  • Publication number: 20140048446
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for making naphtha substantially free of H2S are described. The method includes stripping an incoming stream containing naphtha and H2S in a fractionator into at least an overhead stream containing the naphtha and H2S and a bottoms stream, and introducing the overhead stream from the fractionator into a separator to form a naphtha stream substantially free of H2S and an overhead stream containing H2S.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Applicant: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Krishnan Vaidyanathan, Venkat Ram Naidu Pandranki
  • Patent number: 8652321
    Abstract: Production of gasolines with low sulfur contents from a starting gasoline containing sulfur-containing compounds comprising a stage a) for selective hydrogenation of non-aromatic polyunsaturated compounds present in the starting gasoline, a stage b) for increasing the molecular weight of the light sulfur-containing products that are initially present in the gasoline that enters this stage, a stage c) for alkylation of at least a portion of the sulfur-containing compounds present in the product that originates from stage b), a stage d) for fractionation of the gasoline that originates from stage c) into at least two fractions, one fraction virtually lacking in sulfur-containing compounds, whereby the other contains a larger proportion of sulfur-containing compounds (heavy gasoline), a stage e) for catalytic treatment of the heavy gasoline for transformation of sulfur-containing compounds under conditions for the at least partial decomposition of hydrogenation of these sulfur-containing compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: IFP Energies nouvelles
    Inventors: Quentin Debuisschert, Denis Uzio, Jean-Luc Nocca, Florent Picard
  • Publication number: 20140034549
    Abstract: A process for upgrading residuum hydrocarbons and decreasing tendency of the resulting products toward asphaltenic sediment formation in downstream processes is disclosed. The process may include: contacting a residuum hydrocarbon fraction and hydrogen with a hydroconversion catalyst in a hydrocracking reaction zone to convert at least a portion of the residuum hydrocarbon fraction to lighter hydrocarbons; recovering an effluent from the hydrocracking reaction zone; contacting hydrogen and at least a portion of the effluent with a resid hydrotreating catalyst; and separating the effluent to recover two or more hydrocarbon fractions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: LUMMUS TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventors: Ujjal K. Mukherjee, Mario C. Baldassari
  • Publication number: 20140021095
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a hydrocarbon oil, including performing a hydrocracking by continuously feeding, to a hydrocracking reactor containing a hydrocracking catalyst, a wax to be processed including: a raw wax containing 70% by mass or more of straight-chain hydrocarbons with a boiling point of higher than 360° C.; and an uncracked wax containing 70% by mass or more of straight-chain hydrocarbons with a boiling point of higher than 360° C., which uncracked wax is separated from a hydrocracking product discharged from the reactor, to thereby yield a hydrocarbon oil including hydrocarbons with a boiling point of 360° C. or lower.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicants: JAPAN OIL, GAS AND METALS NATIONAL CORPORATION, INPEX CORPORATION, NIPPON STEEL & SUMIKIN ENGINEERING CO., LTD., JAPAN PETROLEUM EXPLORATION CO., LTD., COSMO OIL CO., LTD., JX NIPPON OIL & ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Marie Iwama, Kazuhiko Tasaka, Yuichi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20140001095
    Abstract: A gas-liquid catalyzed reaction is performed by introducing at least a portion of the reactive gas into the catalyst as a cross-flow or radial-flow stream. Introducing at least a portion of the reactive gas as a radial flow stream allows the reactive gas to travel through the catalyst bed along a shorter path length. This reduces the pressure drop for the radial flow portion of the gas. The reactive gas can be introduced into the catalyst bed at various heights relative to the height of the catalyst bed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Inventor: Hans G. Korsten
  • Publication number: 20140001089
    Abstract: Process for hydrotreating a heavy hydrocarbon fraction using a system of switchable fixed bed guard zones each containing at least two catalyst beds and in which whenever the catalyst bed that is brought initially into contact with the feed is deactivated and/or clogged during the steps in which the feed passes successively through all the guard zones, the point of introduction of the feed is shifted downstream. The present invention also relates to an installation for implementing this process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: IFP Energies nouvelles
    Inventors: Frederic Bazer-Bachi, Christophe Boyer, Isabelle Guibard, Nicolas Marchal, Cecile Plain
  • Publication number: 20140001088
    Abstract: A process for removing a nitrogen compound and a sulfur compound from a hydroprocessed vacuum gas oil feed includes contacting the hydroprocessed vacuum gas oil feed comprising the nitrogen compound and the sulfur compound with a VGO-immiscible phosphonium ionic liquid to produce a hydroprocessed vacuum gas oil and VGO-immiscible phosphonium ionic liquid mixture, and separating the mixture to produce a hydroprocessed vacuum gas oil effluent having a reduced nitrogen compound and sulfur compound content relative to the vacuum gas oil feed. It was found that the amount of the sulfur compound being removed was significantly improved by first removing the nitrogen compounds, especially polar nitrogen compounds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Beckay J. Mezza, Alakananda Bhattacharyya, Christopher P. Nicholas, Haiyan Wang
  • Publication number: 20130324760
    Abstract: A method of crystallizing a crystalline molecular sieve having a pore size in the range of from about 2 to about 19 ?, said method comprising the steps of (a) providing a mixture comprising at least one source of ions of tetravalent element (Y), at least one hydroxide source (OH?), and water, said mixture having a solid-content in the range of from about 15 wt. % to about 50 wt. %; and (b) treating said mixture to form the desired crystalline molecular sieve with stirring at crystallization conditions sufficient to obtain a weight hourly throughput from about 0.005 to about 1 hr?1, wherein said crystallization conditions comprise a temperature in the range of from about 200° C. to about 500° C. and a crystallization time less than 100 hr.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Inventors: Ivy D. Johnson, Wenyih Frank Lai