Abstract: The present invention provides a method for separating sulfolane from a mixture containing conjunct polymers, sulfolane, and hydrofluoric acid comprising the sequential steps of:(a) removing HF from said mixture to provide an intermediate stream containing less than about 30 weight percent HF;(b) contacting said intermediate stream with water;(c) contacting said intermediate stream with an aliphatic hydrocarbon co-solvent having from about 3 to about 20 carbon atoms concurrently with said water-contacting step (b);(d) recovering an extract stream enriched in sulfolane and hydrofluoric acid; and(e) recovering a raffinate stream enriched in conjunct polymers.

Abstract: Improved process techniques and equipment for reacting crude aqueous ethanol feedstock with iso-olefinic hydrocarbons to produce C.sub.6.sup.+ ethyl t-alkyl ethers, which comprises: distilling the aqueous ethanol feedstock; contacting ethanol rich distillate overhead containing a minor amount of water with a liquid hydrocarbon extractant rich in C.sub.4.sup.+ isoalkene under liquid extraction conditions; recovering an aqueous phase containing water introduced from the overhead; recovering an organic extract phase comprising the hydrocarbon extractant and a major amount of ethanol introduced in the feedstock; and reacting the extracted ethanol and C.sub.4.sup.+ isoalkene in contact with an acid etherification catalyst under catalytic reaction conditions to produce ether product.

Abstract: The invention discloses that hydrocarbon lubricants containing olefinic unsaturation participate in an olefin metathesis reaction with alkenes containing polar functional groups to provide an equilibrium mixture containing hydrocarbon lubricants containing the polar groups of the alkenes. The discovery is particularly applicable to the functionalization of near linear lubricants prepared from the oligomerization of propylene using surface deactivated zeolite or lubricants prepared by the oligomerization of C.sub.6 -C.sub.20 alpha olefins using coordination catalyst. Functionalized groups can be incorporated that impart a wide range of properties to the lubricant such as anti-wear or anti-corrosion resistance, or improve the compatibility of the lubricant with other additives.

Abstract: A process for preparing a pipelineable oil from a heavy crude oil by thermally treating the oil in the absence of added hydrogen, and under sufficiently severe conditions to induce the formation of an upgraded, low viscosity oil phase and a liquid asphalt phase that contains dispersed coke. The reaction is conducted under pressure sufficient to retain in the reactor most of the normally liquid hydrocarbons, under which conditions the two phases are readily separated and recovered solely by gravity settling. The process is readily adapted to oil field use with skid mounted units. The severity is adjusted to provide sufficient asphalt which, when burned, furnishes the steam required for production of the heavy crude oil.

Abstract: An improved olefin upgrading technique has been developed for increasing production of premium heavy hydrocarbons, such as distillate fuel, from lower olefinic feedstock. During recovery and recycle of intermediate range hydrocarbons products, a process has been found for withdrawing a fraction rich in C.sub.5 -C.sub.9 gasoline range olefinic hydrocarbons from the oligomerization reactor effluent stream. By separating the reaction effluent in a multistage distillation system, fractionation feed can be separated into a heavier bottoms stream rich in C.sub.10+ hydrocarbons and a light hydrocarbon overhead, while withdrawing a liquid stream as an overflash fractionation stream rich in intermediate hydrocarbons. The overflash stream is combined to form a portion of the recycle stream to the reactor, thereby providing a more efficient and lower cost recovery process.

Abstract: A process is disclosed whereby cumene and/or benzene is brought into contact propylene in the presence of a ZSM-12 catalyst to selectively produce para-diisopropylbenzene.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for recovering oil from a subterranean, viscous oil-containing formation by injecting a gaseous driving fluid such as carbon dioxide into the formation and recovering oil therefrom while simultaneously transmitting vibrations in the seismic frequency range having an amplitude not exceeding 100 Angstrom units through the formation which enhances the flow of the carbon dioxide and thereby increases the efficiency of recovering the oil. The frequency of the vibrations is within the range of 0.1 the 500 Hz and preferably 1 to 100 Hz.