Abstract: The reduction of viscosity of petroleum products and hydrocarbon emulsions and the like is effected by applying electrodynamic shocks unto a foaming streamflow of the high viscosity emulsion to create a densely whirled streamflow by agitation with a high radial gradient of pressure. Chemical bonding breakup and destruction of long structured molecules of paraffin occur in the emulsion to result in the formations of free radicals and carbamides, and separation of a processed mixture into light and heavy fractions. The process alters the physiochemical properties of the emulsion to cause decrease of density, and the reduction of viscosity.

Abstract: An integrated process simultaneously removes the diluent and reduces the TAN, resulting in cost savings from the diluent recovery and increasing the value of the produced heavy crude stream by removing the acids and other contaminants, while reducing the overall energy requirements when compared to performing the two processes separately.

Abstract: Compositions consisting of 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, are provided that are effective in the dewatering and desalting crude oils whose specific gravities are within the range of 14 to 20° API. A method of dewatering and desalting heavy crude oil adds a mixture of the copolymer bifunctionalized with an aliphatic or aromatic secondary amine and a copolymer bifunctionalized with an aliphatic or aromatic tertiary amine.

Abstract: The invention relates to removing contaminants from oil using solid sorbents that are comprised primarily of carbon and preferably of coke particles. The coke particles have an affinity for contaminants in oil and are sized to be filtered from oil without plugging. Most contaminants have such a small size that they tend to plug up filters. As the contaminants agglomerate onto the solid sorbent, the resulting particles form a filter cake on conventional filter materials in such a way as to allow the oil to pass on through without significant pressure drop or delay.

Abstract: Integrated processes for upgrading crude shale-derived oils, such as those produced by oil shale retorting or by in situ extraction or combinations thereof. Processes disclosed provide for a split-flow processing scheme to upgrade whole shale oil. The split flow concepts described herein, i.e., naphtha and kerosene hydrotreating in one or more stages and gas oil hydrotreating in one or more stages, requires additional equipment as compared to the alternative approach of whole oil hydrotreating. While contrary to conventional wisdom as requiring more capital equipment to achieve the same final product specifications, the operating efficiency vis a vis on-stream time efficiency and product quality resulting from the split flow concept far exceed in value the somewhat incrementally higher capital expenditure costs.

Abstract: The invention relates to removing contaminants from oil using solid sorbents that are comprised primarily of carbon and preferably of coke particles. The coke particles have an affinity for contaminants in oil and are sized to be filtered from oil without plugging. Most contaminants have such a small size that they tend to plug up filters. As the contaminants agglomerate onto the solid sorbent, the resulting particles form a filter cake on conventional filter materials in such a way as to allow the oil to pass on through without significant pressure drop or delay.

Abstract: In one implementation, a method for recovery of crude oil from a production fluid comprising an oil-water emulsion is provided. The method comprises adding a solid hydrophilic compound to the production fluid to form a production fluid-solid hydrophilic compound mixture. The method further comprises separating the production fluid-solid hydrophilic compound mixture to produce an oil phase containing the heavy crude oil and a water phase containing the solid hydrophilic compound. The production fluid-solid hydrophilic compound mixture may be separated by centrifuging the production fluid-solid hydrophilic compound mixture to produce the oil phase and the water phase. After separation, the oil phase may be analyzed to determine at least one of: oil composition, physical properties, and geochemical analysis. The crude oil comprises at least one of heavy crude oil, bitumen or combinations thereof.

Abstract: A process for producing a kerosene base fuel according to the present invention comprises removing paraffins having carbon number of 7 or less from a first fraction having an initial boiling point of 95 to 140° C. and a final boiling point of 240 to 280° C. obtained from a hydrotreated oil of a Fischer-Tropsch synthetic oil to obtain a second fraction having a content of paraffins having carbon number of 7 or less of 0.1 to 0.7% by mass.

Abstract: Deep desulfurization of hydrocarbon feeds containing undesired organosulfur compounds to produce a hydrocarbon product having low levels of sulfur, i.e., 15 ppmw or less of sulfur, is achieved by first subjecting the entire feed to an extraction zone to separate an aromatic-rich fraction containing a substantial amount of the aromatic refractory and sterically hindered sulfur-containing compounds and an aromatic-lean fraction containing a substantial amount of the labile sulfur-containing compounds. The aromatic-rich fraction is contacted with isomerization catalyst, and the isomerized aromatic-rich fraction and the aromatic-lean fraction are combined and contacted with a hydrotreating catalyst in a hydrodesulfurization reaction zone operating under mild conditions to reduce the quantity of organosulfur compounds to an ultra-low level.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling a hydrocracker and fractionator reaction loop is disclosed. The method and system utilizes a sidedraw tray within the fractionator distillation zone upon which liquid is collected. This liquid is withdrawn as a sidedraw stream. The withdrawal of the liquid from the sidedraw tray is controlled based on the level of liquid on the sidedraw tray rather than at a set or determined flow rate. The sidedraw stream is separated into a first stream and a product stream. Unlike other processes where the flow rate of the product stream is set and the internal reflux flow rate varies, the method involves fixing the flow rate of the first stream that is returned to the distillation zone of the fractionators with the flow rate of the product stream being set so as to control the liquid level on the sidedraw tray.

Abstract: Systems and methods for removing fluid from a slurry fluid and a plurality of solid particles including flowing a slurry stream that includes the slurry through a slurry conduit, injecting a displacing fluid through a first perforated region that is in fluid communication with the slurry conduit, displacing at least a portion of the slurry fluid from the slurry, and producing a displaced fluid stream, which may include the displaced portion of the slurry fluid and/or a portion of the injected displacing fluid, from a second perforated region that is in fluid communication with the slurry conduit. The systems and methods also may include producing a product slurry stream from the slurry conduit, separating the components of the displaced fluid stream, separating the components of the product slurry stream, and/or recycling a portion of one or more of the streams.

Abstract: A method for adjusting the softening point of a pitch material includes heating the pitch material to form molten pitch material, and rising the softening point of the pitch material by moving a plurality of movable members so that the movable members repetitively move at least some of the molten pitch material out of a liquid level of the molten pitch material and back to the molten pitch material.

Abstract: A portable unit along with a service is described to separate the organic acids in refinery brine (brine) without the high capital costs of a “fixed asset” processing plant or paying to have the entire brine stream hauled off site for organic acid recovery and waste water treatment. This will result in substantial cost savings and minimize the producers' exposure to risk.

Abstract: Methods and FCC apparatuses are provided for cracking hydrocarbons. An FCC apparatus includes a riser with a riser outlet positioned within a reactor catalyst collection area. A stripper is coupled to the reactor catalyst collection area, where the riser extends through the stripper, and where the stripper includes a stripper exterior wall. A sleeve is positioned within the stripper between the riser and the stripper exterior wall.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for the conversion of asphaltenes to light fractions, including: a process of reacting a hydrogen donor solvent with an asphaltene-containing feedstock, and fractionating reaction products, where a weight ratio of the hydrogen donor solvent to the asphaltene-containing feedstock is 0.1-5:1, a weight hourly space velocity of the reaction is 0.2-5 h?1, reaction pressure is 0.5-25 MPa, reaction temperature is 360-500° C., and the hydrogen donor solvent is a solvent containing polycyclic aromatic compound having ?-hydrogen. The method according to the present invention can effectively achieve light fraction conversion of the asphaltenes to light fractions, and the process operation is simple.

Abstract: Treating a hydrocarbon feed having a sulphur content of at least 0.5% by weight, an asphaltenes content of at least 1% by weight, an initial boiling point of at least 340° C. and a final boiling point of at least 480° C., in order to obtain at least one deasphalted oil fraction with a sulphur content of 0.5% by weight or less and a sediment content of 0.1% by weight or less.

Abstract: A process for upgrading oil including optionally pre-treating a heavy oil including at least one dissolved gas, asphaltenes, water, and mineral solids; reducing at least one dissolved gas content from said heavy oil, optionally further reducing water content from said heavy oil; adding a paraffinic solvent to said heavy oil, at a predetermined paraffinic solvent:heavy oil ratio, facilitating separation of asphaltenes, water, and mineral solids from the heavy oil resulting in a de-asphalted or partially de-asphalted oil (“DAO”)-paraffinic solvent stream, comprising a low asphaltenes content DAO-paraffinic solvent stream and an asphaltenes-mineral solids-paraffinic solvent-water slurry stream; optionally separating the paraffinic solvent and water from the asphaltenes-mineral solids-paraffinic solvent-water slurry stream; optionally separating the DAO-paraffinic solvent stream into a paraffinic solvent rich stream and a DAO stream; and optionally adding diluent to the DAO stream resulting in transportable oil.

Abstract: An integrated vapor-liquid separation device is provided in conjunction with a steam pyrolysis cracking unit operation. In certain aspects, a feed is charged to the inlet of a convection portion of a steam pyrolysis unit where the feed is heated to conditions effective for steam cracking The convection section effluent is separated in a vapor-liquid separator and the separator vapor effluent is charged to the inlet steam cracking portion of the steam pyrolysis zone. The liquid effluent can be further processed, recycled within the system or a combination thereof. In additional aspects, a feed separated upstream of the convection portion of a steam pyrolysis unit using a flash vessel equipped with a vapor-liquid separator device described herein.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device and method for distributing a liquid and gas in a multiple-bed downflow reactor, such as a hydrocarbon processing reactor, like a hydrocracker. The device comprises respectively the method uses a distributor device comprising a substantially horizontal collecting tray provided with a central gas passage. Gas passing in downward direction through the central gas passage is forced into a swirling motion by a swirler. This swirling motion has a swirl direction around a vertical swirl axis so that the gas leaves the central gas passage as a swirl. At a location above the collecting tray, a quench fluid is ejected into gas in an ejection direction, which is, viewed in a horizontal plane, at least partly opposite to the swirl direction.

Abstract: A method of converting carbon containing compounds such as coal, methane or other hydrocarbons into a liquid hydrocarbon fuel utilizes a high pressure, high temperature reactor which operates upon a blend of a carbon compound including CO2 and a carbon source, a catalyst, and steam. Microwave power is directed into the reactor. The catalyst, preferably magnetite, will act as a heating media for the microwave power and the temperature of the reactor will rise to a level to efficiently convert the carbon and steam into hydrogen and carbon monoxide.