Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for slurry hydroconversion of a heavy oil feedstock, such as an atmospheric or vacuum resid, in the presence of an enhanced or promoted slurry hydroconversion catalyst system. The slurry hydroconversion catalyst system can be formed from a) a Group VIII non-noble metal catalyst precursor/concentrate (such as an iron-based catalyst precursor/concentrate) and b) a Group VI metal catalyst precursor/concentrate (such as a molybdenum-based catalyst precursor/concentrate) and/or a Group VI metal sulfided catalyst.

Abstract: A method of depolymerizing coal includes preparing a high temperature depolymerizing medium consisting of heavy hydrocarbon oils and mixing it with coal to form a mixture, performing an optional first distillation at a temperature below 250° C. to recover naphthalene, heating the mixture to a temperature between 350° C. and 450° C. to create a digested coal, centrifuging the digested coal to remove ash and obtain a centrate, and distillation of the centrate into separate fractions. The high temperature depolymerizing medium may be a heavy hydrocarbon with a hydrogen to carbon (H/C) ratio higher than 7.0% and may include liquids chosen from the group consisting of: coal tar distillate, decant oil, anthracene oil, and heavy aromatic oils. The high temperature depolymerizing medium may be blended with an oil, preferably with H/C ratio higher than 10.

Abstract: The invention relates a process for removing coke formed during steam-cracking of a hydrocarbon feed. The process includes providing a decoking feed to at least one radiant coil of a steam-cracking furnace under conditions to remove at least a portion of coke from the at least one radiant coil to form a decoking effluent. The decoking effluent is cooled with a liquid quench medium to provide an partially-quenched decoking effluent. The partially-quenched decoking effluent is cooled with a gaseous quench medium to provide a quenched effluent. An apparatus configured to perform such a process is also described.

Abstract: A crude oil processing plant that comprises a Fischer-Tropsch reactor is disclosed. The crude oil processing plant comprises a crude oil processing section and a hydrogen production section. The hydrogen production section is coupled to a hydrocracker in the crude oil processing section to deliver a high purity hydrogen stream. The Fischer-Tropsch reactor receives a syngas stream from the hydrogen production section and produces a hydrocarbon stream. When light crude oil is processed, the hydrocracker typically has excess capacities to upgrade the hydrocarbon stream from the Fischer-Tropsch reactor.

Abstract: A heavy petroleum oil feed is upgraded by having its amenability to cracking improved by subjecting the oil to selective partial oxidation with a catalytic oxidation system to partially oxidize aromatic ring systems in the heavy oil. The partially oxidized oil can then be cracked in the conventional manner but at lower severities to lower molecular weight cracking products. The cracking following the partial oxidation step may be thermal in nature as by thermal cracking, delayed, contact or fluid coking or fluid catalytic cracking or hydrogenative as in hydrocracking.

Abstract: Hydrocarbon processing apparatuses and methods of refining hydrocarbons are provided herein. In an embodiment, a method of refining hydrocarbons includes providing a cracked stream that includes a sulfur-containing component and cracked hydrocarbons. The cracked stream is compressed to produce a pressurized cracked stream. The pressurized cracked stream is separated to produce a pressurized vapor stream and a liquid hydrocarbon stream. The pressurized vapor stream includes C4? hydrocarbons and the liquid hydrocarbon stream includes C3+ hydrocarbons. The liquid hydrocarbon stream is separated to produce a first liquid absorption stream that includes C5+ hydrocarbons and a C4? hydrocarbon stream. C3+ hydrocarbons are absorbed from the pressurized vapor stream through liquid-vapor phase absorption using the first liquid absorption stream. The sulfur-containing component is removed prior to absorbing C3+ hydrocarbons from the pressurized vapor stream.

Abstract: The invention relates to pyrolysis tar upgrading processes, and in particular for decreasing reactor pressure drop when the upgrading includes converting pyrolysis tar in a reactor. The invention also relates to upgraded pyrolysis tar, and the use of upgraded pyrolysis tar, e.g., as a fuel oil blending component.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a refining process for producing hydroprocessed distillates and a heavy vacuum gas oil (HVGO). The process produces middle distillates that have reduced nitrogen and sulfur content, while simultaneously producing a 900° F.+ (482° C.+) HVGO stream useful as a fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) unit feedstock.

Abstract: A sequential mixer for mixing a heated hydrocarbon stream and a supercritical fluid to produce an intimately mixed stream upstream of a supercritical reactor. The sequential mixer comprising a body having a body length and a body diameter; a hydrocarbon inlet physically connected to the body, having an inlet diameter, the heated hydrocarbon stream is introduced through the hydrocarbon inlet; a mixed stream outlet physically connected to the body and fluidly connected to the supercritical reactor, having an outlet diameter; a traversing axis extending through the center of the body from the hydrocarbon inlet to the mixed stream outlet; and a plurality of fluid ports physically connected to the body, the plurality of fluid ports are arranged in a port alignment arrayed along the traversing axis, each fluid port has a port diameter and a port angle, the supercritical fluid is injected through the plurality of fluid ports.

Abstract: A radiant, non-catalytic recuperative reformer has a flue gas flow path for conducting hot exhaust gas from a thermal process and a reforming mixture flow path for conducting a reforming mixture. At least a portion of the reforming mixture flow path is positioned adjacent to the flue gas flow path to permit heat transfer from the hot exhaust gas to the reforming mixture. The reforming mixture flow path contains substantially no material commonly used as a catalyst for reforming hydrocarbon fuel (e.g., nickel oxide, platinum group elements or rhenium), but instead the reforming mixture is reformed into a higher calorific fuel via reactions due to the heat transfer and residence time. In a preferred embodiment, a portion of the reforming mixture flow path is positioned outside of flue gas flow path for a relatively large residence time.

Abstract: A method and system for blending natural gas liquids into liquid hydrocarbons may include using multiple blending tanks with internal mixer eductors, a plurality of analyzers, and, optionally, a recirculation tank, wherein natural gas liquid may be added into the system at each blending tank, creating a more accurately mixed final product.

Abstract: Present invention relates to a novel process for upgrading a residual hydrocarbon oil feedstock having a significant amount of Conradson Carbon Residue (concarbon), metals, especially vanadium and nickel, asphaltenes, sulfur impurities and nitrogen to a lighter more valuable hydrocarbon products by reducing or minimizing coke formation and by injecting fine droplets of oil soluble organo-metallic compounds at multiple elevations of the riser with varying dosing rates.

Abstract: Novel liquid-full process for improving cold flow properties and increasing yield of middle distillate fuel feedstock by hydrotreating and dewaxing the feedstock in liquid-full reactors.

Abstract: Methods and systems for slurry hydrocracking with reduced feed bypass and methods for modulating an amount of toluene insoluble material present in a slurry hydrocracking reactor are provided. An exemplary slurry hydrocracking method comprises the steps of: combining a hydrocarbon feed and a slurry hydrocracking catalyst or catalyst precursor to generate a slurry hydrocracking feed; introducing the slurry hydrocracking feed to a slurry hydrocracking reactor under hydrocracking conditions suitable to generate a first product stream; drawing a drag stream from the slurry hydrocracking reactor, the drag stream comprising a hydrocarbon, mesophase material, and solid catalyst particles; separating the drag stream into a first separated stream and a recycle stream, with the first separated stream comprising mesophase material and solid catalyst particles, and the recycle stream comprising the hydrocarbon; and directing the recycle stream into the slurry hydrocracking reactor.

Abstract: Methods for upgrading a hydrocarbon feed are disclosed. The methods include a hydrocarbon feed having an insolubility number, Ifeed, with at least a first fluid to form a fluid-feed mixture; and inducing a centrifugal force to the fluid-feed mixture sufficient to form at least a higher density portion and a lower density portion, said lower density portion having an insolubility number, ILD, wherein ILD/Ifeed?0.95. Methods and apparatus for hydroprocessing the treated feed and blending with a fuel oil blend-stock are also described.

Abstract: A system and method for cleaning sulfur and other pollutants from bunker oil to be used for fuel in large cargo ships is described. Preferably, the system includes two or more stages having a mixer to create an emulsion of oil and water. One or more treatment chemicals are added to the water before it is mixed with the oil in order to assist in separating the sulfur from the oil and freeing it up so that it can combine with various other molecules present in the water or be dissolved in the water. The emulsion may pass through a microcavitation chamber as well as an electrolysis reactor chamber in order to further clean the fuel oil by removing additional sulfur content. The clean fuel is sent to a fuel service tank for use in a diesel engine combustion cycle.

Abstract: An asphaltenes separation system comprising a flocculant feed system configured to add a flocculant to a production fluid to flocculate asphaltenes in the production fluid, and an asphaltenes separator configured to remove flocculated asphaltenes from the production fluid.

Abstract: Volatile organic compounds are removed from crude oil by adding an amount of stabilization energy to crude oil upstream of, or directly into, a crude oil stock storage tank or by recovering and condensing vapors from tank vent gas. Produced gas may be recovered as NGL in one or more cooling stages. Produced gas, whether partially recovered or not, may be used as fuel for the heater treater, other combustion device or compressed into a pipeline.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of liquid hydrocarbons by the use of light-end fractions from downstream synthesis in the reforming section of the plant.

Abstract: The present invention is related to formulations consisting by block copolymers ?,?-di-aryl or alkyl sulfonates of poly(ethylene oxide)w-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)w of bis-ammonium and block copolymers ?,?-di-amine of poly(ethylene oxide)w-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)w, that are effective in the dewatering and desalting crude whose specific gravities are within the range of 14 to 23° API.