Abstract: Pitch compositions may be obtained by subjecting one or more crude oils to steam cracking. Processes for producing pitch compositions suitable for spinning into fibers from steam cracking of crude oils may comprise: steam cracking of one or more crude oils in a steam cracking zone to produce a first effluent comprising a heavy oil mixture comprising a steam cracker tar, a second effluent comprising a mixture of gaseous products and liquid products, and a third effluent comprising one or more bottoms products; pretreating and heat treating the first, second and/or third effluent to produce a pitch composition having a mesophase content from 0 vol % to 100 vol %, based on the total volume of the pitch product, an MCR in the range of about 40 wt % to about 95 wt %, and a softening point Tsp in the range of about 50° C. to about 400° C.

Abstract: Processes for improving hydrocarbon feedstock compatibility are provided. More specifically, a process for preparing a liquid hydrocarbon product includes heat soaking a tar stream to produce a reduced reactivity tar and blending the reduced reactivity tar with a utility fluid comprising recycle solvent to produce a lower viscosity, reduced reactivity tar. The process also includes hydroprocessing the lower viscosity, reduced reactivity tar at a temperature of greater than 350° C. to produce a total liquids product containing the liquid hydrocarbon product and the recycle solvent. The process further includes separating the recycle solvent from the total liquids product, where the recycle solvent has the SBN of greater than 110, and flowing the recycle solvent to the reduced reactivity tar for blending to produce the lower viscosity, reduced reactivity tar.

Abstract: Processes and systems for upgrading a hydrocarbon feed. The process can include feeding a hydrocarbon feed, catalyst particles, and molecular hydrogen (H2) into a separation zone. The hydrocarbon feed and H2 can be contacted in the presence of the catalyst particles under hydrotreating conditions in the separation zone that can include contacting under a total pressure of less than 3,500 kilopascals-gauge. The H2 can be fed into the separation zone at a rate of no greater than 270 cubic meters of H2 per cubic meter of the hydrocarbon feed, where the volume of H2 and hydrocarbon feed are based on a temperature of 25 C and a pressure of 101 kilopascals-absolute. A vapor phase hydrocarbon stream and a liquid phase hydrocarbon stream can be obtained from the separation zone. At least a portion of the vapor phase hydrocarbon stream can be fed into a pyrolysis reaction zone to produce a pyrolysis effluent.

Abstract: Processes and systems for upgrading a hydrocarbon feed. The process can include feeding a hydrocarbon feed, catalyst particles, and molecular hydrogen (H2) into a separation zone. The hydrocarbon feed and H2 can be contacted in the presence of the catalyst particles under hydrotreating conditions in the separation zone that can include contacting under a total pressure of less than 3,500 kilopascals-gauge. The H2 can be fed into the separation zone at a rate of no greater than 270 cubic meters of H2 per cubic meter of the hydrocarbon feed, where the volume of H2 and hydrocarbon feed are based on a temperature of 25 C and a pressure of 101 kilopascals-absolute. A vapor phase hydrocarbon stream and a liquid phase hydrocarbon stream can be obtained from the separation zone. At least a portion of the vapor phase hydrocarbon stream can be fed into a pyrolysis reaction zone to produce a pyrolysis effluent.

Abstract: A process id disclosed for upgrading tars, typically those resulting from hydrocarbon refining processes, to products suitable for other uses, such as blending with other hydrocarbons to provide low-sulfur fuel oils or Emission Control Area-acceptable fuels. A low-sulfur hydrocarbon product obtained from the process is also disclosed.

Abstract: Marine fuel oil compositions are provided that exhibit unexpectedly high cetane numbers after addition of a cetane improver. Methods of making such compositions are also provided. The unexpected nature of the marine fuel oil compositions is based in part on the ability to achieve a substantial improvement in estimated cetane number by addition of a cetane improver to a hydrocarbonaceous composition with a natural estimated cetane number of less than 35. These unexpectedly high increases in estimated cetane number for fuels or fuel blending components with low natural estimated cetane numbers can allow for production of fuel compositions with desirable combustion characteristics while also maintaining a higher level of aromatic compounds and/or reducing or minimizing the amount of distillate boiling range components in the fuel or fuel blending component.

Abstract: A first hydroprocessed product and a second hydroprocessed product produced from a multi-stage process for upgrading pyrolysis tar, such as steam cracker tar, are provided herein. Fuel blends including the first hydroprocessed product and/or the second hydroprocessed product are also provided herein as well as methods of lowering pour point of a gas oil using the first hydroprocessed product and the second hydroprocessed product.

Abstract: Processes for improving hydrocarbon feedstock compatibility are provided. More specifically, a process for preparing a liquid hydrocarbon product includes heat soaking a tar stream to produce a reduced reactivity tar and blending the reduced reactivity tar with a utility fluid comprising recycle solvent to produce a lower viscosity, reduced reactivity tar. The process also includes hydroprocessing the lower viscosity, reduced reactivity tar at a temperature of greater than 350° C. to produce a total liquids product containing the liquid hydrocarbon product and the recycle solvent. The process further includes separating the recycle solvent from the total liquids product, where the recycle solvent has the SBN of greater than 110, and flowing the recycle solvent to the reduced reactivity tar for blending to produce the lower viscosity, reduced reactivity tar.

Abstract: A process id disclosed for upgrading tars, typically those resulting from hydrocarbon refining processes, to products suitable for other uses, such as blending with other hydrocarbons to provide low-sulfur fuel oils or Emission Control Area-acceptable fuels. A low-sulfur hydrocarbon product obtained from the process is also disclosed.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for solvent deasphalting of steam cracker tar. The resulting deasphalted oil produced from the steam cracker tar can then be hydroprocessed, such as hydrotreated and/or hydrocracked in a fixed bed reactor. The solvent deasphalting can correspond to a mild or trim deasphalting or can correspond to solvent deasphalting at higher solvent to oil ratios. Performing a trim deasphalting can reduce or minimize the amount of deasphalting residue that is formed as a product from the deasphalting process.

Abstract: Marine fuel oil compositions are provided that exhibit unexpectedly high cetane numbers after addition of a cetane improver. Methods of making such compositions are also provided. The unexpected nature of the marine fuel oil compositions is based in part on the ability to achieve a substantial improvement in estimated cetane number by addition of a cetane improver to a hydrocarbonaceous composition with a natural estimated cetane number of less than 35. These unexpectedly high increases in estimated cetane number for fuels or fuel blending components with low natural estimated cetane numbers can allow for production of fuel compositions with desirable combustion characteristics while also maintaining a higher level of aromatic compounds and/or reducing or minimizing the amount of distillate boiling range components in the fuel or fuel blending component.

Abstract: A first hydroprocessed product and a second hydroprocessed product produced from a multi-stage process for upgrading pyrolysis tar, such as steam cracker tar, are provided herein. Fuel blends including the first hydroprocessed product and/or the second hydroprocessed product are also provided herein as well as methods of lowering pour point of a gas oil using the first hydroprocessed product and the second hydroprocessed product.

Abstract: A process for upgrading pyrolysis tar to higher value products. More particularly, this invention relates to the upgrading of steam cracker tar using relatively small amounts of a transition metal sulfide-containing particulate catalyst dispersed throughout the tar chargestock and in the presence of hydrogen, at relatively mild hydroconversion conditions.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for solvent deasphalting of steam cracker tar. The resulting deasphalted oil produced from the steam cracker tar can then be hydroprocessed, such as hydrotreated and/or hydrocracked in a fixed bed reactor. The solvent deasphalting can correspond to a mild or trim deasphalting or can correspond to solvent deasphalting at higher solvent to oil ratios. Performing a trim deasphalting can reduce or minimize the amount of deasphalting residue that is formed as a product from the deasphalting process.

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 invention relates to a utility fluid, such as a fluid containing aromatic and non-aromatic ringed molecules, useful as a diluent when hydroprocessing pyrolysis tar, such as steam cracker tar. The specified utility fluid comprises ?10.0 wt % aromatic and non-aromatic ring compounds and each of the following: (a) ?1.0 wt % of 1.0 ring class compounds; (b) ?5.0 wt % of 1.5 ring class compounds; (c) ?5.0 wt % of 2.0 ring class compounds; and (d) ?0.1 wt % of 5.0 ring class compounds. The invention also relates to methods for producing such a utility fluid and to processes for hydroprocessing pyrolysis tar.

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: The present invention pertains to a pervaporation membrane process for the separation of high octane fuel components from a gasoline feed stream comprising feeding a mixed phase vapor-liquid feed to a cyclone separation means to separate the liquid from the vapor, then sending the saturated vapor to the membrane, thereby extending the useful life of the membrane.

Abstract: A multipurpose chemical additives (MPC) is disclosed to mitigate fouling in hydrocarbon refinery processes, such as in a heat exchanger. A method for reducing fouling of a hydrocarbon is also disclosed that includes (i) providing a crude hydrocarbon for a refining process; and (ii) adding an additive to the crude hydrocarbon.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of functionalizing a vinyl terminated polyolefin, the method comprising combining a vinyl terminated polyolefin and a ?,?-unsaturated carbonyl compound at a temperature of at least 150° C. and a pressure of at least 14 psi, forming a functionalized polyolefin. The functionalized polyolefin comprises a compound or mixture of compounds represented the formula: wherein each R1 is, independently, selected from hydrogen and C1 to C4 or C10 alkyls; n is an integer from 2 to 800; and each X is, independently, a functional group derived from the ?,?-unsaturated carbonyl compound.