Patents Assigned to Exxon Research and Engineering
  • Patent number: 6103206
    Abstract: Very low sulfur content hydrocarbon gas is achieved by sequentially contacting the gas first with zinc oxide and then with nickel metal. This has reduced the total sulfur content of natural gas feed for a fluid bed syngas generator to less than 0.1 ppm and has resulted in greater syngas productivity. A zinc oxide guard bed downstream of the syngas generator reduces the total sulfur content of the syngas to less than 10 vppb and preferably less than 5 vppb. This very low sulfur content syngas is used for sulfur sensitive processes, such as hydrocarbon synthesis. The process is especially useful for natural gas which contains H.sub.2 S, COS, mercaptans and other sulfur bearing compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Co
    Inventors: James H. Taylor, Jr., James P. Glass, Jr., Geoffrey R. Say, Richard P. O'Connor
  • Patent number: 6103104
    Abstract: A process for hydroprocessing middle distillate petroleum streams in two temperature stages. The feedstream is hydroprocessed in two or more first temperature stages operated at a temperature from about 360.degree. C. to about 450.degree. C. The reaction product of the first temperature stage(s) is quenched to a temperature from about 260.degree. C. to about 350, stripped of H.sub.2 S, NH.sub.3 and other dissolved gases, then sent to the second temperature stage which is operated at said quenched temperature range. The product from the second temperature stage is also stripped of dissolved gases. Color bodies produced in the higher temperature first stage are hydrogenated in the last stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company
    Inventor: Ramesh Gupta
  • Patent number: 6103832
    Abstract: The present invention provides a functionalized styrenic polymer or copolymer which contains functionalized stryene moiety having the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is hydrogen, alkyl, primary and secondary halo alkyl groups, and R.sub.2 is: ##STR2## where n is an integer of from 2 to about 10, R.sub.3 is independently hydrogen or an alkyl group and X is NH, O or S. The novel copolymers of the present invention have particular utility in forming polymer blends. For example, the amine and alcohol functionalized polymers can be used as compatabilizers by reacting them with a carboxylic acid containing polymer or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Co.
    Inventor: Abhimanyu Onkar Patil
  • Patent number: 6103773
    Abstract: A gas conversion process comprising synthesis gas production, hydrocarbon synthesis and hydrogen production from the synthesis gas, also includes hydrodesulfurizing sulfur-containing hydrocarbon liquids separated from a mixture of natural gas and the liquids produced from a gas well. Hydrogen produced from the synthesis gas is used for the hydrodesulfurization, to remove at least a portion of the sulfur as H.sub.2 S and form desulfurized hydrocarbon liquid. The hydrogen is produced from the synthesis gas by one or more of (i) physical separation means such as pressure swing adsorption and (ii) chemical means such as a water gas shift reactor. The synthesized hydrocarbons are upgraded by hydroconversion. A portion of the hydrogen produced from the synthesis gas may also be used for at least one of (i) hydrocarbon synthesis catalyst rejuvenation and the hydroconversion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Co
    Inventors: Robert J. Wittenbrink, Charles W. DeGeorge
  • Patent number: 6099719
    Abstract: A process for producing a lubricating oil basestock having at least 90 wt. % saturates and a VI of at least 105 by solvent extracting a feedstock to produce a raffinate, solvent dewaxing the raffinate, selectively hydroconverting the solvent dewaxed raffinate in a two step hydroconversion zone followed by a hydrofinishing zone and a dewaxing zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Ian A. Cody, William J. Murphy, Thomas J. Ford
  • Patent number: 6099621
    Abstract: The present invention is directed toward a composition comprising a polyamine or its polymer blend and at least one salt of an aminoacid, the salt of the aminoacid being present in an amount ranging from about 10 to 80 wt % based on the total weight of the composition. Another embodiment of the present invention comprises a membrane suitable for use in separating CO.sub.2 from gas streams containing CO.sub.2, especially H.sub.2 rich gas streams containing CO.sub.2 and CO. The membrane of this invention with polyamine shows higher CO.sub.2 selectivity and permeability than the prior membrane without polyamine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company
    Inventor: W. S. Winston Ho
  • Patent number: 6096196
    Abstract: The instant invention is directed a process for extracting organic acids from a starting crude oil comprising the steps of: (a) treating the starting crude oil containing naphthenic acids with an amount of an alkoxylated amine and water under conditions and for a time and at a temperature sufficient to form a water-in-oil emulsion of amine salt wherein said alkoxylated amine is selected from the group consisting of alkoxylated amines having the following formulae (A) and (B): ##STR1## where m+n=5 to 50 and R=linear or branched alkyl group of C.sub.8 to C.sub.20.(B) H-(OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2).sub.y -(CH.sub.2 CHCH.sub.3 O).sub.p -{NHCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 NH}.sub.x -(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.z -(CH.sub.2 CHCH.sub.3 O).sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Co.
    Inventors: Ramesh Varadaraj, Thomas M. Pugel, David W. Savage
  • Patent number: 6096192
    Abstract: A bitumen is rendered pipelineable by partially hydroconverting the bitumen and then adding sufficient diluent to the partially hydroconverted bitumen to provide a mixture having an API gravity at 15.degree. C. of at least 19.degree. and a viscosity at 40.degree. C. in the range of about 35 to about 60 cP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Co.
    Inventors: Ronald Damian Myers, John Brenton MacLeod, Mainak Ghosh, Tapan Chakrabarty
  • Patent number: 6096690
    Abstract: Discloses environmentally friendly, low temperature base oils and drilling fluids, or drilling mud compositions useful in the production of oil and gas. The drilling fluid is constituted of one or more of weighting agents, emulsifiers, wetting agents, viscosifiers, fluid loss control agents, proppants, and other particulates such as used in a gravel pack, emulsified with a paraffinic solvent composition which forms a continuous oil phase, or water-in-oil invert phase. The solvent composition is constituted of a mixture of C.sub.10- C.sub.24 n-paraffins and isoparaffins having an isoparaffin:n-paraffin molar ratio ranging from about 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Co.
    Inventors: Robert Jay Wittenbrink, Charles John Mart, Daniel Francis Ryan, Bruce Randall Cook
  • Patent number: 6096940
    Abstract: Discloses novel biodegradable high performance hydrocarbon base oils useful as lubricants in engine oil and industrial compositions, and process for their manufacture. A waxy, or paraffinic feed, particularly a Fischer-Tropsch wax, is reacted over a dual function catalyst to produce hydroisomerization and hydrocracking reactions, at 700.degree. F.+ conversion levels ranging from about 20 to 50 wt. %, preferably about 25-40 wt. %, sufficient to produce a crude fraction, e.g., a C.sub.5 -1050.degree. F.+ crude fraction, containing 700.degree. F.+ isoparaffins having from about 6.0 to about 7.5 methyl branches per 100 carbon atoms in the molecule. The methyl paraffins containing crude fraction is topped via atmospheric distillation to produce a bottoms fraction having an initial boiling point between about 650.degree. F. and 750.degree. F. which is then solvent dewaxed, and the dewaxed oil is then fractionated under high vacuum to produce biodegradable high performance hydrocarbon base oils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Robert Jay Wittenbrink, Richard Frank Bauman, Daniel Francis Ryan
  • Patent number: 6096189
    Abstract: A process for producing a lubricating oil basestock having at least 90 wt. % saturates and a VI of at least 105 by selectively hydroconverting a raffinate from a solvent extraction zone in a two step hydroconversion zone followed by a hydrofinishing zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Co.
    Inventors: Ian A. Cody, Douglas R. Boate, Sandra J. Alward, William J. Murphy, John E. Gallagher, Alberto Ravella, Richard A. Demmin
  • Patent number: 6093867
    Abstract: A process for selectively producing C.sub.3 olefins from a catalytically cracked or thermally cracked naphtha stream. The naphtha stream is introduced into a process unit comprised of a reaction zone, a stripping zone, a catalyst regeneration zone, and a fractionation zone. The naphtha feedstream is contacted in the reaction zone with a catalyst containing from about 10 to 50 wt. % of a crystalline zeolite having an average pore diameter less than about 0.7 nanometers at reaction conditions which include temperatures ranging from about 500.degree. to 650.degree. C. and a hydrocarbon partial pressure from about 10 to 40 psia. Vapor products are collected overhead and the catalyst particles are passed through the stripping zone on the way to the catalyst regeneration zone. Volatiles are stripped with steam in the stripping zone and the catalyst particles are sent to the catalyst regeneration zone where coke is burned from the catalyst, which is then recycled to the reaction zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Paul K. Ladwig, John Ernest Asplin, Gordon F. Stuntz, Tan-Jen Chen
  • Patent number: 6093311
    Abstract: The present invention is a process to remove a +2 ionic charged metal from a petroleum feed. The process includes contacting feed with carbon dioxide at a temperature between 40.degree. C. and 200.degree. C. and autogenous pressure. In a preferred embodiment the metal is a Group II metal. In particular, the metal is calcium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Co
    Inventors: Saul Blum, Guido Sartori, David W. Savage, Bruce H. Ballinger
  • Patent number: 6092811
    Abstract: A hybrid gasket includes a core defining an aperture therein, the core having an outer edge portion and an inner edge portion immediately surrounding the aperture. The gasket further includes a chemically resistant material encapsulating the inner edge portion, and an expanded graphite material encapsulating the outer edge portion. A method of sealing two substantially parallel surfaces includes the steps of interposing between the surfaces a gasket, and securing the surfaces to one another. The gasket including a core defining an aperture therein, the core having an outer edge portion and an inner edge portion immediately surrounding the aperture. The gasket further including a chemically resistant material encapsulating the inner edge portion and an expanded graphite material encapsulating the outer edge portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignees: Jamco Products, LLC, Exxon Research and Engineering Co.
    Inventors: Raphael M. Bojarczuk, Roger Dean Paulson
  • Patent number: 6093310
    Abstract: Atomization of a high boiling point, hot liquid, such as a hydrocarbon feed oil for a fluid cat cracker, is enhanced by injecting subcooled water into the hot liquid, to form a two-phase fluid of the liquid and steam, upstream of the atomization. The hot liquid is at conditions of temperature and pressure effective for the injected, subcooled water to vaporize into steam, when the water contacts it. Typically this means that the hot liquid is hotter and at a lower pressure than the water. In an FCC process, the subcooled water is sparged into the flowing hot oil in a conduit in a riser feed injector. This produces a spray of hot oil in the riser reaction zone in which the oil drops are smaller and more uniformly distributed in the spray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Co.
    Inventor: George A. Swan
  • Patent number: 6090758
    Abstract: Foaming of a lube oil comprising a base stock derived from wax isomeration and an additive package is effectively reduced to within specification limits of 50 ml/ml over a temperature range of from at least 24.degree. C. to 93.5.degree. C. by adding to the oil an effective amount of an antifoamant exhibiting a spreading coefficient of at least about 2 mN/m. This has been found to be particularly effective in reducing foaming of lube oils containing a mixture of a wax isomerate oil and a petroleum oil fraction. Antifoamants typically used with conventional lube oils containing one or more petroleum fraction base stocks, but which do not exhibit a spreading coefficient of at least 2 mN/m with the wax isomerate containing oil, have been found not to be effective in reducing the foaming of the oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Co.
    Inventors: Lilianna Zofia Pillon, Patrick Desmond Fraser Vernon, Andre Ernest Asselin
  • Patent number: 6090859
    Abstract: Small particle size catalysts having an average particle size of less than 20 or 10 microns, which agglomerate when contacted with a hydrocarbon liquid, are easily dispersed in the hydrocarbon liquid by first forming a mixture comprising the catalyst particles and one or more non-acidic, liquid polar oxygenates, such as an alcohol, ketone, ester, ether or mixture thereof. The mixture is contacted with the hydrocarbon liquid in which the particles then readily disperse. This process is useful for adding fresh or regenerated small particle size catalyst to catalytic hydroprocessing process slurries, including a reactive Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbon synthesis slurry. One to four carbon atom alcohols are preferred oxygenates for use with a Fischer-Tropsch slurry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Co.
    Inventors: Gregg J. Howsmon, Robert J. Wittenbrink, Claude C. Culross, Louis F. Burns
  • Patent number: 6090742
    Abstract: A process for the preparation of a catalyst which is highly active for the synthesis of hydrocarbons from mixtures of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. A silica or silica-containing support is treated with a solution containing both an Iron Group metal, or metals, and nitrous acid, nitric acid, or a nitro-containing organo, or nitro-containing hydrocarbyl compound, or compounds, sufficient to hydroxylate the surface thereof and increase the number of hydroxyl groups on the surface of the support such that the metal component will be highly dispersed, this increasing the activity of the catalyst in a hydrocarbon synthesis reaction as contrasted with that of a catalyst of similar composition, similarly prepared except that the support component of the catalyst was not contacted and simultaneously treated with both the Iron Group metal and the acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company
    Inventor: Claude C. Culross
  • Patent number: 6090761
    Abstract: A lubricating oil suitable for machinery which may come into incidental contact with food is described, which contains a food grade base oil and a combination of food grade additives including a thickener, an antioxidant, a rust inhibitor, an anti-wear additive, an antifoamant, optionally a metal passivator, and a combination of up to 2.5 wt % emulsifier and coupling agent. The lubricating oil exhibits good resistance to wear, oxidation and rust, and reduced sludging at equipment surface temperatures of about 200.degree. F. and higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Kevin David Butler, Robert D. Dewalt, Christopher Jeffrey Still Kent
  • Patent number: 6086751
    Abstract: TAN containing oils, e.g., crudes, are treated by flashing to remove substantially all of the water therefrom, thermally treating the recovered liquid to reduce the naphthenic acid content thereof, and re-combining light gases recovered from the flashing step with the treated liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Co
    Inventors: Marty G. Bienstock, John G. Matragrano, Rutton Dinshaw Patel, Roby Bearden, Jr.