Abstract: Process for producing purified synthesis gas from soot-containing synthesis gas having a temperature of at least 5° C. above its dew point comprising the steps of (a) cooling the soot-containing synthesis gas to a temperature below its dew point by indirect heat exchange in a shell-tube heat exchanger without removing the condensate formed, thereby forming a synthesis gas/condensate mixture; and (b) contacting the synthesis gas/condensate mixture with a scrubbing liquid to remove the condensate resulting in a purified synthesis gas and used scrubbing liquid, wherein the soot-containing synthesis gas in step (a) is passed through the shell-tube heat exchanger at the tube side.

Abstract: Process for producing purified synthesis gas from soot-containing synthesis gas having a temperature of at least 5° C. above its dew point comprising the steps of (a) cooling the soot-containing synthesis gas to a temperature below its dew point by indirect heat exchange in a shell-tube heat exchanger without removing the condensate formed, thereby forming a synthesis gas/condensate mixture; and (b) contacting the synthesis gas/condensate mixture with a scrubbing liquid to remove the condensate resulting in a purified synthesis gas and used scrubbing liquid, wherein the soot-containing synthesis gas in step (a) is passed through the shell-tube heat exchanger at the tube side.

Abstract: A process to prepare a sweet crude from an ash containing and heavy fraction of a tar sand oil comprising supplying an atmospheric distillation bottoms of a tar sands originated feed to a vacuum distillation to obtain a vacuum gas oil and a vacuum bottoms and contacting the vacuum gas oil with hydrogen to obtain a sweet synthetic crude. The vacuum bottoms obtained are separated into an asphalt fraction comprising between 0.1 and 4 wt % ash and a de-asphalted oil and the asphalt fraction is fed to a burner of a gasification reactor to obtain a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide on which a water gas shift reaction is performed. Hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide are separated from the shifted gas in an acid removal unit thereby obtaining crude hydrogen which is purified and used to obtain the sweet synthetic crude.

Abstract: The invention provides a process to prepare a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis product from a gaseous mixture of hydrocarbons comprising methane, ethane and optional higher carbon number hydrocarbons comprising the steps of: (a) pre-reforming the hydrocarbon mixture adiabatically, (b) heating the gaseous mixture obtained in step (a) to a temperature greater than 650° C., (c) performing a non-catalyzed partial oxidation by contacting the heated mixture of step (b) yielding a reactor effluent having a temperature of between 1100 and 1500° C.

Abstract: A process to prepare a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide from a methane containing gaseous feed by performing the following steps, (a) performing a partial oxidation by contacting the feed with an oxygen containing gas to prepare a gaseous mixture comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide, steam, carbon dioxide, methane and soot particles said mixture having an elevated temperature, (b) passing the gaseous mixture of step (a) through a filter where the soot particles are retained on the filter and a mixture comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane poor in soot is obtained wherein the filter is a ceramic foam filter or a ceramic wall-flow filter, and (c) converting the retained soot particles at the elevated temperature to carbon oxide.

Abstract: A process to prepare a sweet crude from an ash containing and heavy fraction of a tar sand oil by: (a) supplying an atmospheric distillation bottoms of a tar sands originated feed to a vacuum distillation to obtain a vacuum gas oil and a vacuum bottoms, (b) contacting the vacuum gas oil with hydrogen in the presence of a suitable hydrocracking catalyst to obtain a sweet synthetic crude (c) separating the vacuum bottoms obtained in step (a) into an asphalt fraction comprising between 0.

Abstract: The invention provides a process to prepare a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis product from a gaseous mixture of hydrocarbons comprising methane, ethane and optional higher carbon number hydrocarbons comprising the steps of: (a) pre-reforming the hydrocarbon mixture adiabatically, (b) heating the gaseous mixture obtained in step (a) to a temperature greater than 650° C., (c) performing a non-catalyzed partial oxidation by contacting the heated mixture of step (b) yielding a reactor effluent having a temperature of between 1100 and 1500 ° C.

Abstract: A process for preparing lower olefins from a hydrocarbon feed having at least a fraction boiling above the boiling point range of the lower olefins, which process includes thermal cracking of the hydrocarbon feed, wherein at least part of the hydrocarbon feed is a hydroprocessed synthetic oil fraction. The hydroprocessed synthetic oil fraction may be prepared by hydrogenation and/or hydroconversion and/or hydrocracking of a synthetic oil fraction.

Abstract: Hydrocarbons are prepared from a feed gas of hydrogen and carbon monoxide by feeding the feed gas into a reaction zone at an elevated temperature and pressure and allowing the hydrogen and carbon monoxide to react in the presence of a catalyst retained in the reaction zone to yield hydrocarbons. A reservoir of a hydrogen-rich gas is maintained at a pressure above the pressure of the feed gas, the reservoir and the reaction zone being connected in such a way that a continuous flow of hydrogen-rich gas is maintained from the reservoir into the reaction zone. A reactor in use in the preparation is shutdown by interrupting the feeding of the feed gas, thereby allowing hydrogen-rich gas to flow from the reservoir at increased rate and quench the reactions occurring in the reaction zone.

Abstract: In the preparation of a heavy oil with a low Ramsbottom Carbon Test (RCT) from a long residue by a two-stage process comprising catalytic hydrotreatment followed by solvent deasphalting and recycle of the asphalt to the first stage the catalytic hydrotreatment for RCT reduction in the first stage is carried out at such a severity that the C.sub.4.sup.- gas production per percent RCT reduction is kept between defined limits.

Abstract: Process for the preparation of a heavy oil with a low Ramsbottom Carbon Test (RCT) from a long residue by (a) catalytic hydrotreatment for RCT reduction at such severity that the C.sub.4.sup.- gas production per percentage RCT reduction is kept between defined limits, followed by (b) solvent deasphalting of the (vacuum or atmospheric) distillation residue of the hydrotreated product.

Abstract: Process for the preparation of a heavy oil with a low Ramsbottom Carbon Test (RCT) from an asphalt by (a) catalytic hydrotreatment for RCT reduction at such severity that the C.sub.4.sup.- gas producton per percentage RCT reduction is kept between defined limits, followed by (b) solvent deasphalting of the (vacuum or atmospheric) distillation residue of the hydrotreated product.

Abstract: Process for the preparation of a heavy oil with a low Ramsbottom Carbon Test (RCT) from a short residue by (a) catalytic hydrotreatment for RCT reduction at such severity that the C.sub.4.sup.- gas production per percentage RCT reduction is kept between defined limits, followed by (b) solvent deasphalting of the (vacuum or atmospheric) distillation residue of the hydrotreated product.

Abstract: In the preparation of a heavy oil with a low Ramsbottom Carbon Test (RCT) from a short residue by a two-stage process comprising catalytic hydrotreatment followed by solvent deasphalting and recycle of the asphalt to the first stage, the catalytic hydrotreatment for RCT reduction in the first stage is carried out at such severity that the C.sub.4.sup.- production per percent RCT reduction is kept between defined limits.

Abstract: In the preparation of a heavy oil with a low Ramsbottom Carbon Test (RCT) from a precipitation asphalt by a two-stage process comprising catalytic hydrotreatment followed by solvent deasphalting and recycle of the separated asphalt to the first stage, the catalytic hydrotreatment for RCT reduction in the first stage is carried out at such severity that the C.sub.4.sup.- gas production per percent RCT reduction is kept between defined limits.