Abstract: Methods are provided for improving the yield of aromatics during conversion of oxygenate feeds. An oxygenate feed can contain a mixture of oxygenate compounds, including one or more compounds with a hydrogen index of less than 2, so that an effective hydrogen index of the mixture of oxygenates is between about 1.4 and 1.9. Methods are also provided for converting a mixture of oxygenates with an effective hydrogen index greater than about 1 with a pyrolysis oil co-feed. The difficulties in co-processing a pyrolysis oil can be reduced or minimized by staging the introduction of pyrolysis oil into a reaction system. This can allow varying mixtures of pyrolysis oil and methanol, or another oxygenate feed, to be introduced into a reaction system at various feed entry points.

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: This invention relates to aggregates of small particles of synthetic faujasite zeolite. Small primary particles of zeolite are clustered into larger secondary particles. The observable average width of the primary particles may be 0.3 micron or less and the observable average width of the secondary particles may be 0.8 micron or more. The silica to alumina ratio of the zeolite may be less than 4:1.

Abstract: The invention concerns integration of hydroprocessing and steam cracking. A feed comprising crude or resid-containing fraction thereof is severely hydrotreated and passed to a steam cracker to obtain an olefins product.

Abstract: In a process for producing cyclohexylbenzene, benzene and hydrogen are fed to at least one reaction zone comprising a catalyst system which comprises a molecular sieve and at least one hydrogenation metal. The MCM-22 family molecular sieve having an X-ray diffraction pattern including d-spacing maxima at 12.4±0.25, 6.9±0.15, 3.57±0.07 and 3.42±0.07 Angstrom, and the hydrogenation metal is selected from the group consisting of palladium, ruthenium, nickel, zinc, tin, cobalt, and combinations of any two or more thereof. Hydroalkylation conditions of temperature and pressure are selected to produce a hydroalkylation conversion in a range of from about 15% to about 75% The benzene and hydrogen are then contacted in the at least one reaction zone under said selected hydroalkylation condition to produce an effluent containing cyclohexylbenzene.

Abstract: In a process for producing phenol, cyclohexylbenzene is oxidized to produce cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide and then the resultant cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide is cleaved to produce an effluent stream comprising phenol and cyclohexanone. At least a portion of the effluent stream is then fed to at least one dehydrogenation reaction zone, where the effluent stream portion is contacted with a dehydrogenation catalyst under conditions effective to convert at least part of the cyclohexanone in the effluent portion into phenol and hydrogen.

Abstract: In a process for oxidizing a hydrocarbon to the corresponding hydroperoxide, alcohol, ketone, carboxylic acid or dicarboxylic acid, a reaction medium comprising a hydrocarbon is contacted with an oxygen-containing gas in a reaction zone and in the presence of a catalyst comprising a cyclic imide. During the oxidation process, a portion of the reaction medium is continuously or intermittently removed from the reaction zone, is stripped of water and organic acid impurities and then returned to the reaction zone.

Abstract: A process for preparing poly alpha olefins from a Fisher-Tropsch product. The process comprising the steps of contacting a C5-C18 fraction of an alpha-olefinic hydrocarbon mixture produced from thermal cracking a C16-C40 Fisher-Tropsch product with an oligomerization catalyst under conditions to produce an oligomerized product; and fractionating the oligomerized product to obtain a fractionated product having an average carbon number greater than 30. A process for preparing lubricant base stocks from a Fisher-Tropsch product is also provided.

Abstract: In a process for producing sec-butylbenzene, a C4 olefinic hydrocarbon feedstock comprising isobutene and at least one n-butene is contacted with methanol and/or water in the presence of an acid catalyst to selectively oxygenate isobutene to produce an effluent stream rich in n-butene and containing less isobutene than the feedstock. The effluent stream is then contacted with benzene under alkylation conditions and in the presence of an alkylation catalyst to produce alkylation stream comprising sec-butylbenzene.

Abstract: In a process for reducing the level of tert-butylbenzene in a mixed butylbenzene feed comprising tert-butylbenzene and sec-butylbenzene, the feed is contacted under dealkylation conditions with a catalyst system comprising a dealkylation catalyst whereby the tert-butylbenzene is selectively dealkylated to produce an effluent stream which comprises benzene and which has a lower concentration of tert-butylbenzene than said feed.

Abstract: This invention relates to aggregates of small particles of synthetic faujasite zeolite. Small primary particles of zeolite are clustered into larger secondary particles. The observable average width of the primary particles may be 0.3 micron or less and the observable average width of the secondary particles may be 0.8 micron or more. The silica to alumina ratio of the zeolite may be less than 4:1.

Abstract: In a process for producing cyclohexanone, cyclohexylbenzene is oxidized to produce cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide and then the resultant cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide is cleaved to produce an effluent stream comprising phenol and cyclohexanone. At least a portion of the effluent stream is then fed to at least one hydrogenation reaction zone, where the effluent stream portion is contacted with hydrogen in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst under conditions effective to convert at least part of the phenol in the effluent portion into cyclohexanone.

Abstract: In a process for producing cyclohexylbenzene, hydrogen and a liquid feed comprising benzene are introduced into a reaction zone and are contacted in the reaction zone under hydroalkylation conditions to produce cyclohexylbenzene. An effluent stream comprising cyclohexylbenzene and unreacted benzene is removed from the reaction zone and is divided into at least first and second portions, wherein the mass ratio of the effluent stream first portion to the effluent stream second portion is at least 2:1. The effluent stream first portion is then cooled and the cooled effluent stream first portion is recycled to the reaction zone.

Abstract: In a process for producing cyclohexylbenzene, benzene and hydrogen are fed to at least one reaction zone comprising a catalyst system which comprises a molecular sieve and at least one hydrogenation metal. The MCM-22 family molecular sieve having an X-ray diffraction pattern including d-spacing maxima at 12.4±0.25, 6.9±0.15, 3.57±0.07 and 3.42±0.07 Angstrom, and the hydrogenation metal is selected from the group consisting of palladium, ruthenium, nickel, zinc, tin, cobalt, and combinations of any two or more thereof Hydroalkylation conditions of temperature and pressure are selected to produce a hydroalkylation conversion in a range of from about 15% to about 75% The benzene and hydrogen are then contacted in the at least one reaction zone under said selected hydroalkylation condition to produce an effluent containing cyclohexylbenzene.

Abstract: In a process for oxidizing a hydrocarbon to the corresponding hydroperoxide, alcohol, ketone, carboxylic acid or dicarboxylic acid, a reaction medium comprising a hydrocarbon is contacted with an oxygen-containing gas in a reaction zone and in the presence of a catalyst comprising a cyclic imide. During the oxidation process, a portion of the reaction medium is continuously or intermittently removed from the reaction zone, is stripped of water and organic acid impurities and then returned to the reaction zone.

Abstract: The invention concerns integration of hydroprocessing and steam cracking. A feed comprising crude or resid-containing fraction thereof is treated by hydroprocessing and visbreaking and then passed to a steam cracker to obtain a product comprising olefins.

Abstract: In a process for producing sec-butylbenzene, a C4 olefinic hydrocarbon feedstock comprising isobutene and at least one n-butene is contacted with methanol and/or water in the presence of an acid catalyst to selectively oxygenate isobutene to produce an effluent stream rich in n-butene and containing less isobutene than the feedstock. The effluent stream is then contacted with benzene under alkylation conditions and in the presence of an alkylation catalyst to produce alkylation stream comprising sec-butylbenzene.

Abstract: In a process for producing phenol, cyclohexylbenzene is oxidized to produce cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide and then the resultant cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide is cleaved to produce an effluent stream comprising phenol and cyclohexanone. At least a portion of the effluent stream is then fed to at least one dehydrogenation reaction zone, where the effluent stream portion is contacted with a dehydrogenation catalyst under conditions effective to convert at least part of the cyclohexanone in the effluent portion into phenol and hydrogen.

Abstract: In a process for producing cyclohexanone, cyclohexylbenzene is oxidized to produce cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide and then the resultant cyclohexylbenzene hydroperoxide is cleaved to produce an effluent stream comprising phenol and cyclohexanone. At least a portion of the effluent stream is then fed to at least one hydrogenation reaction zone, where the effluent stream portion is contacted with hydrogen in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst under conditions effective to convert at least part of the phenol in the effluent portion into cyclohexanone.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preparing linear alpha olefin comonomers, such as 1-butene, 1-hexene or 1-octene, from ethylene monomer. The comonomer generated is stored on site for use in a subsequent process, such as a polyethylene polymerization reactor. The method includes the steps of feeding an ethylene monomer, and a catalyst in a solvent to one or more comonomer synthesis reactors; reacting the ethylene monomer and the catalyst in solvent under reaction conditions to produce an effluent stream comprising unreacted ethylene monomer, a catalyst in a solvent, and comonomer; passing the effluent stream to one or more downstream gas/liquid phase separators to form a gas stream of unreacted ethylene monomer, and a liquid stream of comonomer, and catalyst in a solvent; recycling to the one or more comonomer synthesis reactors the unreacted ethylene monomer and a portion of the liquid stream; and storing a remaining portion of said liquid stream for subsequent processing of the comonomer.