Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a system and method for producing a linear alpha olefin. A disulfide, a hydrogen donating compound, and water are combined to produce a mixture. The mixture is introduced to a reactor operated at a pressure equal to or greater than 22.06 MPa and a temperature equal to or greater than 374 deg. C to produce an effluent stream. The effluent stream is separated to produce a product stream including the linear alpha olefin. The disulfide can be a compound of formula R—S—S—R? where R is a first alkyl group having carbon atoms ranging from 1 to 12 and R? is a second alkyl group having carbon atoms ranging from 5 to 12. The hydrogen donating compound can include a partially hydrogenated multi-ring aromatic compound.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a method and system for recycling a plastic material to produce hydrocarbons. A plastic feed and a water feed are introduced to a first stage reactor. The first stage reactor is operated at a pressure equal to or greater than 22.06 MPa and a temperature equal to or greater than 373.9 deg. C. to produce an effluent stream. Residual solid components can be removed from the effluent stream. The effluent stream is introduced to a second stage reactor. The second stage reactor is operated at a pressure less than that of the first stage reactor but equal to or greater than 22.06 MPa and a temperature greater than that of the first stage reactor to produce a product stream. The plastic feed can include polyolefins. Optionally, a sulfur additive feed can be introduced either to the first stage reactor or the second stage reactor. Optionally, a residual oil feed can be introduced either to the first stage reactor or the second stage reactor.

Abstract: A process for producing an upgraded oil blend, the process comprising the steps of introducing the combined stream to a supercritical reactor, wherein a volumetric ratio of water to oil in the combined stream is in the range between 10:1 and 2:1; reacting the combined stream in the supercritical water reactor to produce a reactor effluent, wherein the oil undergoes conversion reactions in the supercritical reactor such that the reactor effluent comprises upgraded bio-oil and upgraded heavy oil; reducing a temperature of the reactor effluent to produce a cooled effluent; operating the soaker to produce a product effluent, wherein a temperature in the soaker is between 250° C. and 350° C., wherein decarboxylation reactions occur in the soaker; and separating the product effluent in the separation unit to produce and the upgraded oil blend, wherein the upgraded oil blend comprises upgraded bio-oil and upgraded heavy oil.

Abstract: A process directed toward enhanced oil recovery in an oil-containing formation, the process comprising the steps of removing a water/oil emulsion from an oil-water separator, wherein the water/oil emulsion comprises a stable emulsion, wherein a temperature of the water/oil emulsion is less than 120 deg C., wherein a pressure of the water/oil emulsion is greater than the saturation pressure at the temperature of the water/oil emulsion, wherein the water/oil emulsion comprises an alkali content, and introducing the water/oil emulsion into the oil-containing formation as an enhanced oil recovery stream, wherein the enhanced oil recovery stream is used in enhanced oil recovery.

Abstract: A method of upgrading a petroleum feedstock, the method comprising the steps of introducing a disulfide oil, a water feed, and a petroleum feedstock to a supercritical water upgrading unit, and operating the supercritical water upgrading unit to produce a product gas stream, a product oil stream, and a used water stream.

Abstract: Provided herein are supercritical upgrading reactors and reactor systems for upgrading a petroleum-based composition by using one or more supercritical upgrading reactors and one or more supercritical standby reactors that alternate functions such that the supercritical upgrading reactor is converted to a supercritical standby reactor and the supercritical standby reactor is converted to a supercritical upgrading reactor. The supercritical upgrading reactor upgrades a combined feed stream while a supercritical standby reactor delivers a cleaning fluid into the supercritical standby reactor. The supercritical reactors may have one or more catalyst layers and one or more purging fluid inlets, and the catalyst layers may have differing void volume ratios.

Abstract: Methods and systems for production of consistently-sized BEA zeolite nano-crystals, the method including mixing an emulsion, the emulsion comprising a surfactant and an organic solvent; heating the emulsion; mixing a zeolite solution, the zeolite solution comprising a silicon-containing compound and an aluminum-containing compound; heating the zeolite solution; adding the emulsion to the zeolite solution drop-wise over time to create an zeolite emulsion solution mixture; heating the zeolite emulsion solution mixture; and precipitating the consistently-sized BEA zeolite nano-crystals.

Abstract: Systems and methods for upgrading a heavy oil feed to a light product comprising distillate fractions and olefins, the method including combining a heavy oil feed with a naphtha-based cracking additive to produce a mixed heavy oil feed; heating the mixed heavy oil feed with a nano-zeolite catalyst in the presence of steam to effect catalytic upgrading of the mixed heavy oil feed to produce lighter distillate fractions and olefins in an upgraded product, the upgraded product including at least about 30 wt. % olefins; and separating the lighter distillate fractions from the olefins.

Abstract: Systems and methods for production of consistently-sized ZSM-22 zeolite catalyst crystals, a method including preparing an aluminate solution; preparing a silica solution; mixing the aluminate solution and the silica solution to form a zeolite-forming solution; heating the zeolite solution with microwave irradiation in a first, a second, a third, and a fourth distinct isothermal stage to produce the consistently-sized ZSM-22 zeolite catalyst crystals within a pre-selected crystal size range using a non-ionic surfactant.

Abstract: Systems and methods for upgrading a heavy oil feed to a light product comprising distillate fractions and olefins, the method including combining a heavy oil feed with a naphtha-based cracking additive to produce a mixed heavy oil feed; heating the mixed heavy oil feed with a nano-zeolite catalyst to effect catalytic upgrading of the mixed heavy oil feed to produce lighter distillate fractions and olefins in an upgraded product; and separating the lighter distillate fractions from the olefins.

Abstract: A method for producing a diesel having improved cold flow properties, the method comprising the steps of introducing a crude oil to a distillation column, separating the crude oil in the distillation unit to produce a light gas oil, and a light vacuum gas oil, where the light gas oil has a T95% cut point in the range between 300 deg C. and 340 deg C., where the light vacuum gas oil has a T95% cut point in the range between 400 deg C. and 430 deg C., processing the light vacuum gas oil in the supercritical water unit to produce an upgraded vacuum gas oil, separating the upgraded vacuum gas oil in the fractionator to produce an upgraded light fraction, an upgraded light gas oil, and upgraded heavy fraction, introducing the upgraded light gas oil into a diesel pool, and blending the light gas oil into the diesel pool.

Abstract: Systems and methods for production of externally-pore-blocked, internally-pore-opened modified zeolite crystals, the method including mixing zeolite crystals with an organic pore blocking agent; heating the zeolite crystals mixed with the organic pore blocking agent to block internal pores of the zeolite crystals and produce internally-pore-blocked zeolite crystals; mixing the internally-pore-blocked zeolite crystals with an external pore blocking agent; and calcining the internally-pore-blocked zeolite crystals mixed with the external pore blocking agent, to re-open internal pores via decomposition of the organic pore blocking agent and to block external pores via formation of a silica layer over external pores of the zeolite crystals, forming the externally-pore-blocked, internally-pore-opened modified zeolite crystals.

Abstract: An integrated upgrading process for upgrading a heavy oil, the process comprising the steps of introducing a heavy oil to a visbreaker unit; processing the heavy oil in the visbreaker unit to produce a visbreaker product stream; feeding the visbreaker product stream to a fractionator; separating the visbreaker product stream in the fractionator to produce a bottoms stream, a gas oil stream, a naphtha stream, and a gas product stream; feeding the bottoms stream to a supercritical water unit; and processing the bottoms stream in the supercritical water unit to produce an upgraded bottoms stream.

Abstract: Methods and systems for production of consistently-sized BEA zeolite nano-crystals incorporating at least one metal oxide, the method including removing an organic template from a BEA zeolite comprising an organic template via calcination; desilicating the BEA zeolite following the step of removing the organic template; incorporating at least one metal oxide into the structure of the BEA zeolite after the step of desilicating; protonating the BEA zeolite after the step of incorporating the at least one metal oxide; and calcining the BEA zeolite after the step of protonating to form a modified BEA zeolite product.

Abstract: Supercritical upgrading reactors and reactor systems are provided for upgrading a petroleum-based composition using one or more purging fluid inlets to prevent plugging of the catalyst layer in the reactor. Processes for upgrading petroleum-based compositions by utilizing a reactor having at least one purging fluid inlet are also provided.

Abstract: A method of producing a product oil stream comprising the steps of mixing the liquid product in the product mixing tank for a mixing residence time to produce a mixed liquid product, maintaining the mixed liquid product in the product separation tank for a separation residence time, separating upgraded hydrocarbons from the mixed liquid product in the product separation tank, where the separation residence time allows the upgraded hydrocarbons to separate from and float on top of a water layer in an inlet section of the product separation tank, operating the product separation tank such that the upgraded hydrocarbons flow over a weir, the weir configured to separate the inlet section from an oil collection section, withdrawing the product oil stream from the oil collection section, where the product oil stream comprises upgraded hydrocarbons, and withdrawing a spent water from the inlet section of the product separation tank.

Abstract: Some aspects relate to methods of forming an epitaxial layer. In some examples, the methods include ejecting atoms from a molten metal sputtering material onto a heated crystalline substrate and growing a single epitaxial layer on the substrate from the ejected atoms, where the atoms are ejected with sufficient energy that the grown epitaxial layer has at least a partial rhombohedral lattice, and wherein the crystalline substrate is heated to a temperature of about 600 degrees Celsius or less, or about 500 degrees or less. Other aspects relate to materials, such as a material including a single epitaxial layer on top of a crystalline substrate, the layer including one or more semiconductor materials and having at least a partial rhombohedral lattice, or a substantially rhombohedral lattice.

Abstract: A method for producing alkene gases from a cracked product effluent, the method comprising the steps of introducing the cracked product effluent to a fractionator unit, separating the cracked product effluent in the fractionator to produce a cracked light stream and a cracked residue stream, wherein the cracked light stream comprises the alkene gases selected from the group consisting of ethylene, propylene, butylene, and combinations of the same, mixing the cracked residue stream and the heavy feed in the heavy mixer to produce a combined supercritical process feed, and upgrading the combined supercritical process feed in the supercritical water process to produce a supercritical water process (SWP)-treated light product and a SWP-treated heavy product, wherein the SWP-treated heavy product comprises reduced amounts of olefins and asphaltenes relative to the cracked residue stream such that the SWP-treated heavy product exhibits increased stability relative to the cracked residue stream.

Abstract: A method for upgrading a petroleum feedstock using a supercritical water petroleum upgrading system includes introducing the petroleum feedstock, water and an auxiliary feedstock. The method includes operating the system to combine the petroleum feedstock and the water to form a mixed petroleum feedstock and introducing separately and simultaneously into a lower portion of an upflowing supercritical water reactor. The auxiliary feedstock is introduced such that a portion of a fluid contained within the upflowing reactor located proximate to the bottom does not lack fluid momentum. An embodiment of the method includes operating the supercritical water petroleum upgrading system such that the upflowing reactor product fluid is introduced into an upper portion of a downflowing supercritical water reactor. The supercritical water petroleum upgrading system includes the upflowing supercritical water reactor and optionally a downflowing supercritical water reactor.

Abstract: An integrated upgrading process for upgrading a heavy oil, the process comprising the steps of introducing a heavy oil to a visbreaker unit; processing the heavy oil in the visbreaker unit to produce a visbreaker product stream; feeding the visbreaker product stream to a fractionator; separating the visbreaker product stream in the fractionator to produce a bottoms stream, a gas oil stream, a naphtha stream, and a gas product stream; feeding the bottoms stream to a supercritical water unit; and processing the bottoms stream in the supercritical water unit to produce an upgraded bottoms stream.