Patents Examined by Derek Mueller
  • Patent number: 9314786
    Abstract: A reactor allowing continuous regeneration of catalyst grains having a chamber with an oxychlorination zone superposed on a calcination zone equipped with a pipe for introducing calcination gas and at least one pipe for injecting oxychlorination gas emptying into the inner space. Each gas passage has a gas evacuation device that is permeable to gas and impermeable to catalyst grains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: AXENS
    Inventor: Xavier Decoodt
  • Patent number: 9303217
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a process for catalytically reforming naphtha, comprising, in the presence of hydrogen gas, contacting naphtha with at least one reforming catalyst under the conditions of a pressure ranging from 0.15 to 3.0 MPa, a temperature ranging from 300 to 540° C., a volume space velocity ranging from 2.1 to 50 h?1, to carry out a shallow catalytic reforming reaction so as to achieve a naphthene conversion ratio of greater than 85 mass %, and a conversion ratio of paraffins to arenes and C4? hydrocarbons of less than 30 mass %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignees: China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation, China Research Institute of Petroleum Processing, Sinopec
    Inventors: Aizeng Ma, Jieguang Wang, Jincheng Pan
  • Patent number: 9295985
    Abstract: A reactor for regenerating catalyst grains comprises a vessel having an oxychlorination zone superimposed over a calcining zone having a line for introducing gas. A chamber, disposed between oxychlorination and calcining zones, comprises an internal space located between two plates which are gas tight and impervious to catalyst grains. A plurality of tubes pass through the chamber to allow catalyst to pass from oxychlorination zone to calcining zone. A plurality of means pass through the chamber to allow calcining gas to pass from calcining zone to oxychlorination zone. At least one oxychlorination gas injection line opens into the internal space of the chamber. Each means for passage of calcining gas comprises at least one orifice communicating with the chamber internal space, and a means for evacuating gas which is permeable to gas and impermeable to catalyst grains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: AXENS
    Inventors: Xavier Decoodt, Cecile Plais, Frederic Bazer-Bachi
  • Patent number: 9296961
    Abstract: A process is provided that is directed to a steam pyrolysis zone integrated with a hydroprocessing zone including residual bypass to permit direct processing of crude oil feedstocks to produce petrochemicals including olefins and aromatics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Raheel Shafi, Abdennour Bourane, Esam Sayed, Ibrahim A Abba, Abdul Rahman Zafer Akhras
  • Patent number: 9284497
    Abstract: A process is provided that is directed to a steam pyrolysis zone integrated with a solvent deasphalting zone to permit direct processing of crude oil feedstocks to produce petrochemicals including olefins and aromatics. The integrated solvent deasphalting and steam pyrolysis process for the direct processing of a crude oil to produce olefinic and aromatic petrochemicals comprises charging the crude oil to a solvent deasphalting zone with an effective amount of solvent to produce a deasphalted and demetalized oil stream and a bottom asphalt phase; thermally cracking the deasphalted and demetalized oil stream in the presence of steam to produce a mixed product stream; separating the mixed product stream; recovering olefins and aromatics from the separated mixed product stream; and recovering pyrolysis fuel oil from the separated mixed product stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Abdennour Bourane, Raheel Shafi, Essam Sayed, Ibrahim A. Abba, Abdul Rahman Zafer Akhras
  • Patent number: 9284502
    Abstract: A process is provided that is directed to a steam pyrolysis zone integrated with a solvent deasphalting zone and a hydrotreating zone to permit direct processing of crude oil feedstocks to produce petrochemicals including olefins and aromatics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Abdennour Bourane, Raheel Shafi, Essam Sayed, Ibrahim A. Abba, Abdul Rahman Zafer Akhras
  • Patent number: 9279088
    Abstract: Steam pyrolysis and hydroprocessing are integrated including hydrogen redistribution to permit direct processing of crude oil feedstocks to produce petrochemicals including olefins and aromatics. A feed is initially split into a light portion and a heavy portion, and the heavy portion is hydroprocessed. A hydroprocessed effluent is charged, along with steam, to a convection section of a steam pyrolysis zone. The mixture is heated and passed to a vapor-liquid separation section. A residual portion is removed and light components are charged to a pyrolysis section of the steam pyrolysis zone. A mixed product stream is recovered from the steam pyrolysis zone and it is separated into product including olefins and aromatics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Raheel Shafi, Abdennour Bourane, Esam Sayed, Ibrahim A Abba, Abdul Rahman Zafer Akhras
  • Patent number: 9267082
    Abstract: The invention is directed towards a method of removing mercury bearing species from a hydrocarbon containing fluid. The method comprises the steps of: i) adding dithiocarbamate polymer to the fluid in an amount such that the number of mercury bonding sites on the polymer exceeds the amount of mercury atoms by at least 10% and ii) removing the mercury bearing dithiocarbamate polymer with a water/oil separation device. The invention relies upon an unexpected reversal in the solubility of dithiocarbamate polymer at very high concentrations. Because of the high solubility the polymer remains within the water phase of the hydrocarbon fluid and can be removed without the need for cumbersome precipitation methods and complicated solid liquid separation devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: NALCO COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael L. Braden, Samuel A. Lordo
  • Patent number: 9243194
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for hydroconversion of heavy carbon-containing feedstocks that comprises a stage (1) for hydroconversion of the feedstock in at least one reactor that contains a boiling-bed catalyst and then a stage (2) for hydroconversion of at least a portion of the effluent that is obtained in at least one reactor that contains a slurry catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventors: Frederic Morel, Patrick Sarrazin, Alain Quignard, Jan Verstraete
  • Patent number: 9238780
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a process for obtaining extracted crude oil (ECO) which is substantially free of naphthenic acids, calcium and other impurities from low asphaltic crude oils or their residue fractions by preferential extraction of saturates using at least one solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2016
    Assignee: Reliance Industries Limited
    Inventors: Harender Bisht, Asit Kumar Das, Bibeka Hazarika, Biswajit Shown, D. P. S. Rana, Mahesh G. Marve, Manthan A. Malvanker, Paras N. Shah, Rohit R. Irabatti, Sukumar Mandal, Suyog S. Salgarkar
  • Patent number: 9222030
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for removing oxygen from an oil sand stream, the method including the steps of: (a) providing an oil sand stream; (b) introducing the oil sand stream into a liquid bath; (c) transporting the oil sand through the liquid bath to a confined space above the surface of the liquid bath; (d) removing the oil sand from the confined space; and (e) extracting bitumen from the oil sand removed in step (d).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Stephen Gerard Delude, Steven Paul Giles, Cristiane Michaëla Visser
  • Patent number: 9216401
    Abstract: Reactors for carrying out a chemical reaction, as well as related components, systems and methods are provided. In accordance with one embodiment, a reactor is provided that includes a furnace and a crucible positioned for heating by the furnace. A downtube is disposed at least partially within the interior crucible along an axis. At least one structure is coupled with the downtube and extends substantially across the cross-sectional area of the interior volume taken in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis. A plurality of holes is formed in the structure enabling fluid flow therethrough. The structure coupled with the downtube may include a lower body portion and an upper body portion coupled with the lower body portion, wherein the plurality of holes is formed in the lower body portion adjacent to, and radially outward from, a periphery of the upper body portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance LLC
    Inventors: Terry D. Turner, Dennis N. Bingham, Bradley C. Benefiel, Kerry M. Klingler, Bruce M. Wilding
  • Patent number: 9212325
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: Eric D. Joseck, Michael Brian Carroll, David Mentzer
  • Patent number: 9206360
    Abstract: Liquid fuel is produced by feeding a biomass feedstock into a one stage atmospheric pressure thermo-catalytic plasma gasifier, contacting the feedstock with oxygen or steam or both to obtain a syngas stream; splitting the syngas stream into first and second streams; conveying the first stream to a water gas shift reactor for producing a modified syngas stream containing CO and hydrogen; the second stream bypassing the water gas shift reactor and being added to the modified syngas steam; optionally reforming natural gas by steam methane reforming to produce a synthetic gas and optionally adding the synthetic gas to the water gas shift reactor; thereby obtaining a syngas having a H2:CO ratio of about 1:1 to about 2:1; subjecting the syngas to a Fischer Tropsch reaction thereby producing a wax product; and subjecting the product to a hydrogen cracking process to produce liquid fuel; and apparatus therefore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: SOLENA FUELS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robert T. Do, Sylvain A. Motycka
  • Patent number: 9206363
    Abstract: Heavy oil feeds are hydroprocessed in the presence of a solvent under conditions that provide a variety of benefits. The solvent can be an added solvent or a portion of the liquid effluent from hydroprocessing. The processes allow for lower pressure processing of heavy oil feeds for extended processing times or extended catalyst lifetimes be reducing or mitigating the amount of coke formation on the hydroprocessing catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: Hyung Suk Woo, Jane Chi-ya Cheng, Teh C. Ho, Stephen Harold Brown, Richard Charles Dougherty, David Thomas Ferrughelli, Federico Barrai
  • Patent number: 9200212
    Abstract: A method for desulfurization of heavy fuel oil using ferrate compounds by mixing fuel oil containing sulfur compounds with a solvent and forming a fuel oil solvent mixture, dissolving the sulfur compounds present in the fuel oil solvent mixture. Adding a liquid ferrate solution to the fuel oil solvent mixture produces oxidized sulfur compounds, in solution. An absorbing agent is added to remove the oxidized sulfur compounds from said solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Florida Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Virender K. Sharma, Abdullah Al-Abduly
  • Patent number: 9162208
    Abstract: A system and process for producing synthetic crude oil from produced fluids of an oil well is disclosed. The system comprises a separation plant for producing an associated gas stream from produced fluids a membrane unit comprising a plurality of polymer membranes to provide a CO2 enriched permeate stream and a CO2 depleted product gas stream, a gas conversion plant for converting the CO2 depleted product gas stream into a synthetic crude oil and a heat exchanger adding heat to the associated gas stream so that the membrane unit operates at a temperature of at least 80° C. during separation of the associated gas stream using the membrane unit. A process using the aforementioned components, including separation of the associated gas stream using the membrane unit at a temperature >80° C., into a CO2 enriched stream and a CO2 depleted product stream, is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Chinn, Gordon R. Deppe, Anne M. Helgeson, Shabbir Husain
  • Patent number: 9133403
    Abstract: The invention involves a process for hydrocarbon conversion. The process can include providing a feed to a primary upgrading zone and then treating the product from the primary upgrading zone with a feed-immiscible ionic liquid to remove metal compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Beckay J. Mezza, Haiyan Wang, Christopher P. Nicholas, Alakananda Bhattacharyya, Brenna E. Huovie, Rajeswar R. Gattupalli
  • Patent number: 9133400
    Abstract: The invention involves a process for hydrocarbon conversion. The process can include providing a feed to a primary upgrading zone and then treating the product from the primary upgrading zone with a feed-immiscible ionic liquid to remove carbon residue compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Beckay J. Mezza, Haiyan Wang, Christopher P. Nicholas, Alakananda Bhattacharyya, Brenna E. Huovie, Rajeswar R. Gattupalli
  • Patent number: 9133402
    Abstract: The invention involves a process for hydrocarbon conversion. The process can include providing a feed to a primary upgrading zone and then treating the product from the primary upgrading zone with a feed-immiscible ionic liquid to remove nitrogen compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Beckay J. Mezza, Haiyan Wang, Christopher P. Nicholas, Alakananda Bhattacharyya, Brenna E. Huovie, Rajeswar R. Gattupalli