Patents Examined by Helane Myers
  • Patent number: 5928499
    Abstract: A process for hydrotreating a hydrocarbon feed containing components boiling above 1000.degree. F. and sulfur, metals and carbon residue utilizing a heterogeneous catalyst having a specified pore size distribution, median pore diameter by surface area and pore mode by volume, to give a product containing a decreased content of components boiling above 1000.degree. F. and decreased sulfur, metals and carbon residue is disclosed. The process includes contacting the hydrocarbon feed with hydrogen in the presence of the catalyst at isothermal hydroconversion conditions. The catalyst includes an porous alumina support containing less than or equal to 2.5 wt % silica on the finished catalyst basis, and bearing 2.2 to 6 wt % of a Group VIII metal oxide, 7 to 24 wt % of a Group VIB metal oxide and preferably less than 0.2 wt % of a phosphorous oxide. The catalyst may be characterized as having a Total Surface Area of 215 to 245 m.sup.2 /g, a Total Pore Volume of 0.82 to 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Texaco Inc
    Inventors: David Edward Sherwood, Jr., Pei-Shing Eugene Dai
  • Patent number: 5928501
    Abstract: A process for treating a hydrocarbon oil feed to reduce total acid number (TAN) and increase API gravity employs a catalyst which includes one or more metals of non-noble Group VIII of the periodic table (e.g., iron, cobalt and nickel), and at least one metal selected from Group VIB (e.g., chromium, tungsten and molybdenum) on a phosphorus treated carbon support, the phosphorus treated carbon support being comprised of phosphorus bound to the carbon surface predominantly as polyphosphate species characterized by peaks between -5 and -30 ppm in the solid-state magic angle spinning .sup.31 P nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum. The process includes blending the catalyst with the hydrocarbon oil feed to form a slurry which is then treated with hydrogen at moderate temperature and pressure in, for example, a tubular reactor. Deposit formation is minimized or avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Texaco Inc.
    Inventors: Chakka Sudhakar, Mark T. Caspary, Stephen J. DeCanio
  • Patent number: 5928497
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for heteroatom removal, particularly during process excursions, from petroleum and chemical hydrocarbon streams. The invention is comprised of at least two zones through which the hydrocarbon stream and a hydrogen containing treat gas flow. The first zone contains a bed of heteroatom hydroprocessing catalyst in contact with hydrogen-containing treat gas and the second zone contains heteroatom sorbent material(s) through which the hydrocarbon stream flows countercurrent to the up flowing hydrogen-containing treat gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Exxon Chemical Pateuts Inc
    Inventor: Larry L. Iaccino
  • Patent number: 5928502
    Abstract: The invention comprises a method for reducing the amount of carboxylic acids in petroleum feeds comprising the steps of (a) adding to said petroleum feed a catalytic agent comprising an oil soluble or oil dispersible compound of a metal selected from the group consisting of Group VB, VIB, VIIB and VIII metals, wherein the amount of metal in said petroleum feed is at least about 5 wppm, (b) heating said petroleum feed with said catalytic agent in a reactor at a temperature of about 400 to about 800.degree. F. (about 204.44 to about 426.67.degree. C.) and a pressure of about atmospheric to about 1000 psig (about 6996.33 kPa) in the substantial absence of hydrogen, and (c) sweeping the reactor containing said petroleum feed and said catalytic agent with an inert gas to maintain the combined water and carbon dioxide partial pressure below about 50 psia (344.75 kPa).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Co.
    Inventors: Roby Bearden, Saul Charles Blum, William Neergaard Olmstead
  • Patent number: 5928495
    Abstract: A surfactant which is capable being used to enhance accessing, storing and transporting carbonaceous materials such as crude oil or coal. The surfactant includes a dielectric surfactant having a predetermined range of pH. The dielectric surfactant may include a pH-modifying agent. In one embodiment, the dielectric surfactant may be combined with crude oil to reduce the viscosity of the crude oil. In another embodiment, the dielectric surfactant is capable of extracting sulfur containing compounds from crude oil. In a further embodiment, a gaseous emulsion may be combined with a gas phase material to produce a complex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Inventor: Alexander Legkow
  • Patent number: 5925235
    Abstract: A layered hydrocracking catalyst system has high middle distillate selectivity when used for hydrocracking a high sulfur and high nitrogen containing feedstock. The layered system comprises a first layer catalyst with contains a zeolite having a unit cell size of greater than about 24.35 Angstroms, and a second layer catalyst which contains a zeolite having a unit cell size of less than about 24.30 Angstroms. The layered system is particularly beneficial in terms of catalyst life and product selectivity for reactors operated under conditions of a high temperature profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventor: Mohammad M. Habib
  • Patent number: 5925238
    Abstract: A process for catalytic two-stage hydrodesulfurization of metal-containing petroleum residua feedstocks to achieve at least about 75% desulfurization of the liquid product while also providing at least about 40% reduction in catalyst consumption. In the process, used catalyst having a catalyst equilibrium age of 0.3-5.0 bbl oil feed/lb catalyst is withdrawn from the second stage reactor, rejuvenated so as to remove 10-50 wt. % of the contaminant metals and at least 80 wt. % of carbon deposited on the catalyst, and then cascaded forward and added to the first stage reactor. Sufficient fresh make-up catalyst is added to the second stage reactor to replace the used catalyst withdrawn there, and only sufficient fresh catalyst is added to the first stage reactor to replace any catalyst transfer losses. Used catalyst having a catalyst equilibrium age of 0.6 to 10.0 bbl. oil per lb. catalyst is withdrawn from the first stage reactor for discard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Assignee: IFP North America
    Inventors: John E. Duddy, Lawrence M. Abrams, Steven J. Hildebrandt
  • Patent number: 5922189
    Abstract: A process for significantly decreasing processing time, reducing capital costs, increasing yield, improving quality, and improving the safety of refining petroleum residues and sludges generated by the oil producers, refineries and re-refiners comprising the steps of heating under vacuum the petroleum residues and sludges with steam or inert gas injection or both until a temperature ranging from between 680.degree. F. to 1000.degree. F. is attained and holding the mixture at this temperature for a short residence time of from less than an hour to abut 6 hours while vacuum and sparging are being carried out to generate asphalt. Volatile products are condensed to produce fuel, waxy oil and can be further processed to produce refined fuel, wax and dewaxed oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Inventor: Benjamin Santos
  • Patent number: 5919355
    Abstract: A fractioning solvent deasphalting plant applies a solvent whose critical temperature is T.sub.c to a hydrocarbon feed containing asphaltenes and atmospheric distillate having fractions that boil above about T.sub.c -50.degree. F. such that said feed is separated into a substantially solvent-free product stream of atmospheric distillate, a substantially solvent-free product stream containing deasphalted oil substantially free of said atmospheric distillate, and a substantially solvent-free product stream containing asphaltenes substantially free of said atmospheric distillate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Assignee: Ormat Industries Ltd
    Inventor: Richard L. Hood
  • Patent number: 5919354
    Abstract: A process is provided for reducing the sulfur content of a hydrocarbon stream, wherein a hydrocarbon stream containing sulfur constituents is contacted with a sorbent under temperature and pressure conditions of low severity. The sorbent includes a metal-exchanged zeolite selected from a group consisting of Y zeolites, ultra-stable Y zeolites, and mixtures thereof. A preferred sorbent is a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) catalyst having a rare earth metal exchanged Y zeolite or ultra-stable Y zeolite. The sorbent adsorbs sulfur constituents contained in the hydrocarbon stream upon contact therewith to reduce the sulfur content of the hydrocarbon stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Assignee: Marathon Oil Company
    Inventor: Robert Bartek
  • Patent number: 5916432
    Abstract: A transition metal salt, preferably ammonium heptamolybdate, is dissolved in water to provide a solution containing the dispersed catalyst precursor. The solution is atomized by passing it through an atomizing nozzle submerged in hot oil. The minute atomized droplets are delivered into the hot oil and the water is flashed to form steam bubbles. The precursor forms catalytic particles distributed in the oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Assignee: Alberta Oil Sands Technology and Research Authority
    Inventors: Richard Anthony McFarlane, Ted Cyr, Randall Wayne Tedford Hawkins
  • Patent number: 5914030
    Abstract: The invention comprises a method for reducing the amount of carboxylic acids in petroleum feeds comprising the steps of (a) adding to said petroleum feed a catalytic agent comprising an oil soluble or oil dispersible compound of a metal selected from the group consisting of Group VB, VIB, VIIB and VIII metals, wherein the amount of metal in said petroleum feed is at least about 5 wppm, (b) heating said petroleum feed with said catalytic agent in a reactor at a temperature of about 400 to about 800.degree. F. (about 204.44 to about 426.67.degree. C.), under a hydrogen pressure of 15 psig to 1000 psig (204.75 to 6996.33 kPa), and (c) sweeping the reactor containing said petroleum feed and said catalytic agent with hydrogen-containing gas at a rate sufficient to maintain the combined water and carbon dioxide partial pressure below about 50 psia (about 344.75 kPa).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1999
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering. Co.
    Inventors: Roby Bearden, Saul Charles Blum, William Neergaard Olmstead
  • Patent number: 5911875
    Abstract: A method of generating power from residual fuel oil that is deasphalted with a flow of process steam to produce a deasphalted oil stream, a pitch stream, and a deasphalting condensate stream. The deasphalted oil stream is burned in a pressurized oxygen-bearing gas to produce a pressurized hot gas stream. This pressurized hot gas stream is expanded in a turbine that produces shaft power and an expanded gas stream. The expanded gas stream is cooled by transferring heat from it to a flow of feed water that becomes steam. A portion of the steam becomes at least part of the flow of process steam used to deasphalt the residual fuel oil, thus integrating the deasphalting and the steam generation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1999
    Assignee: Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Vernon Hervish, Kermit R. Wescott, Michael S. Briesch, Steve W. Brown
  • Patent number: 5911874
    Abstract: A process for upgrading a wax-containing feedstock to produce a wax and a high VI/low volatility lubricating oil basestock. The process comprises subjecting the raffinate from a solvent extraction step to a two step, single stage hydroconversion process wherein the first step involves severe hydroconversion of the raffinate followed by a cold hydrofinishing step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1999
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Co.
    Inventors: Ian A. Cody, Douglas R. Boate
  • Patent number: 5910241
    Abstract: Catalyst comprising a porous inorganic refractory oxide wherein the catalyst has:(a) a total pore volume in the range of from 0.2 to 0.5 ml/g,(b) a macroporosity of at least 0.1 ml/g,(c) a microporosity of at least 0.05 ml/g, and(d) a surface area of at least 5 m.sup.2 /g.Process for reducing the amount of solid contaminants and the amount or dissolved metallic contaminants, wherein a hydrocarbon oil containing such contaminants is contacted with hydrogen under hydrotreating conditions in the presence of the above catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1999
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: David John McNamara, Willem Hartman Jurriaan Stork
  • Patent number: 5910242
    Abstract: A process for reducing the total acid number of an acidic crude by treating the crude with hydrogen treat gas in the presence of a hydrotreating catalyst wherein the treat gas also contains hydrogen sulfide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1999
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Thomas R. Halbert, Kenneth L. Riley, Kenneth L. Trachte, David L. Vannauker
  • Patent number: 5908547
    Abstract: There is provided a catalyst comprising yttrium containing zeolite Y. The zeolite Y is essentially free of rare earth ions. There is also provided a method for making this catalyst. There is further provided a process for using this catalyst for cracking gas oils. It has been discovered that when yttrium is incorporated into this zeolite Y, and when this catalyst is used to crack gas oils, these results improved gasoline selectivity and reduced dry gas make.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1999
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Girish K. Chitnis, Jocelyn A. Kowalski
  • Patent number: 5908548
    Abstract: An aromatic solvent together with methods for its preparation are described. A composition includes a paraffin fraction in an amount of from approximately 9 LV % to approximately 15 LV %; a naphthene fraction in an amount of from approximately 35 LV % to approximately 55 LV %; and an alkylbenzene fraction in an amount of from approximately 8 LV % to approximately 16 LV %. The solvent provides advantages in that the high solvency that is typical of an aromatic solvent is combined with a narrow distillation range, a high flash point and higher boiling range that is typical of an aliphatic solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1999
    Assignee: Ergon, Incorporated
    Inventors: Christopher S. Rucker, Steven J. Wantling, H. Don Davis, Jimmy Rasco
  • Patent number: 5904834
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of wax for food applications, which wax has a congealing point of more than 65.degree. C. and a Saybolt color of more than +25, which wax is obtainable by subjecting a wax prepared in a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis process to a hydrogenation treatment to prepare a hydrogenated wax containing less than 1.5% by weight of oxygenates, fractionating the hydrogenated wax to obtain a hydrogenated wax fraction having a desired congealing point, and subjecting the hydrogenated wax fraction to a hydrofinishing treatment. The present invention further relates a process for the preparation of a wax which comprises subjecting a wax prepared in a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis process to a hydrogenation treatment to prepare a hydrogenated wax containing less than 1.5% by weight of oxygenates, fractionating the hydrogenated wax to obtain a hydrogenated wax fraction having a desired congealing point, and subjecting the hydrogenated wax fraction to a hydrofinishing treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Assignee: Shell Research Limited
    Inventors: Joachim Ansorge, Arend Hoek, Willem Pieter Leenhouts, Robert Anthony John Priston
  • Patent number: 5904839
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a continuous in-situ process for reducing the viscosity, corrosivity and density of heavy oils comprising the steps of (a) contacting a heavy oil with an anhydrous alkaline earth, Group IIA metal hydroxide and low pressure hydrogen at a temperature of about 380.degree. C. to about 450.degree. C. for a time sufficient to form the corresponding alkaline earth metal sulfide, recovering the reduced sulfur feed and regenerating the alkaline metal hydroxide for recycle to treat additional feed. Beneficially, the process removes heteroatoms (sulfur and nitrogen).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Co.
    Inventor: Glen Barry Brons