Abstract: A method for separating and recovering ultrafine particulate solid material from a suspension or slurry of the solid material and a hydrocarbon liquid by precipitation or flocculation of a heavy fraction of the hydrocarbon liquid with an effective amount of a precipitation or flocculation agent such that the precipitated heavy fraction encapsulates the particulate solid material. The method further comprises coking the precipitated heavy fraction and grinding the coked product to an ultrafine size.

Abstract: A process for converting fine catalyst slurried in heavy oil into a coke-like material from which catalytic metals can be recovered comprises mixing fine catalyst slurried in heavy oil with solvent, which causes asphaltenes in the heavy oil to precipitate from the heavy oil; separating fine catalyst and precipitated asphaltenes from the heavy oil and solvent; and converting precipitated asphaltenes to a coke-like material by pyrolizing fine catalyst and precipitated asphaltenes separated from the heavy oil.

Abstract: A process for recovering catalytic metals from fine catalyst slurried in heavy oil comprises pyrolizing fine catalyst slurried in heavy oil to provide one or more lighter oil products and a coke-like material and recovering catalytic metals from the coke-like material.

Abstract: A method for separating and recovering ultrafine particulate solid material from a suspension or slurry of the solid material and a hydrocarbon liquid by precipitation or flocculation of a heavy fraction of the hydrocarbon liquid with an effective amount of a precipitation or flocculation agent such that the precipitated heavy fraction encapsulates the particulate solid material. The method further comprises coking the precipitated heavy fraction and grinding the coked product to an ultrafine size.

Abstract: A method for separating and recovering ultrafine particulate solid material from a suspension or slurry of the solid material and a hydrocarbon liquid by precipitation or flocculation of a heavy fraction of the hydrocarbon liquid with an effective amount of a precipitation or flocculation agent such that the precipitated heavy fraction encapsulates the particulate solid material. The method further comprises coking the precipitated heavy fraction and grinding the coked product to an ultrafine size.

Abstract: A process for recovering catalytic metals from fine catalyst slurried in heavy oil comprises pyrolizing fine catalyst slurried in heavy oil to provide one or more lighter oil products and a coke-like material and recovering catalytic metals from the coke-like material.

Abstract: A process for converting fine catalyst slurried in heavy oil into a coke-like material from which catalytic metals can be recovered comprises mixing fine catalyst slurried in heavy oil with solvent, which causes asphaltenes in the heavy oil to precipitate from the heavy oil; separating fine catalyst and precipitated asphaltenes from the heavy oil and solvent; and converting precipitated asphaltenes to a coke-like material by pyrolizing fine catalyst and precipitated asphaltenes separated from the heavy oil.

Abstract: A method for separating and recovering ultrafine particulate solid material from a suspension or slurry of the solid material and a hydrocarbon liquid by precipitation or flocculation of a heavy fraction of the hydrocarbon liquid with an effective amount of a precipitation or flocculation agent such that the precipitated heavy fraction encapsulates the particulate solid material. The method further comprises coking the precipitated heavy fraction and grinding the coked product to an ultrafine size.

Abstract: A method for making an oil soluble coking process additive, includes the steps of: providing mixture of a metal salt in water wherein the metal salt contains a metal selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals and mixtures thereof; providing a heavy hydrocarbon; forming an emulsion of the mixture and the heavy hydrocarbon; heating the emulsion so as to react the metal salt with components of the heavy hydrocarbon so as to provide a treated hydrocarbon containing oil soluble organometallic compound, wherein the organometallic compound includes the metal and is stable at a temperature of at least about 300° C. The oil soluble additive and a process using same are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for making an oil soluble coking process additive, includes the steps of: providing mixture of a metal salt in water wherein the metal salt contains a metal selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals and mixtures thereof; providing a heavy hydrocarbon; forming an emulsion of the mixture and the heavy hydrocarbon; heating the emulsion so as to react the metal salt with components of the heavy hydrocarbon so as to provide a treated hydrocarbon containing oil soluble organometallic compound, wherein the organometallic compound includes the metal and is stable at a temperature of at least about 300° C. The oil soluble additive and a process using same are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for making an oil soluble coking process additive, includes the steps of: providing mixture of a metal salt in water wherein the metal salt contains a metal selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals and mixtures thereof; providing a heavy hydrocarbon; forming an emulsion of the mixture and the heavy hydrocarbon; heating the emulsion so as to react the metal salt with components of the heavy hydrocarbon so as to provide a treated hydrocarbon containing oil soluble organometallic compound, wherein the organometallic compound includes the metal and is stable at a temperature of at least about 300° C. The oil soluble additive and a process using same are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for making an oil soluble coking process additive, includes the steps of: providing mixture of a metal salt in water wherein the metal salt contains a metal selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals and mixtures thereof; providing a heavy hydrocarbon; forming an emulsion of the mixture and the heavy hydrocarbon; heating the emulsion so as to react the metal salt with components of the heavy hydrocarbon so as to provide a treated hydrocarbon containing oil soluble organometallic compound, wherein the organometallic compound includes the metal and is stable at a temperature of at least about 300° C. The oil soluble additive and a process using same are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for making an oil soluble coking process additive, includes the steps of: providing mixture of a metal salt in water wherein the metal salt contains a metal selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals and mixtures thereof; providing a heavy hydrocarbon; forming an emulsion of the mixture and the heavy hydrocarbon; heating the emulsion so as to react the metal salt with components of the heavy hydrocarbon so as to provide a treated hydrocarbon containing oil soluble organometallic compound, wherein the organometallic compound includes the metal and is stable at a temperature of at least about 300° C. The oil soluble additive and a process using same are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for preparing an oil soluble catalytic precursor includes the steps of: providing a mixture of a catalytic metal salt in water, wherein the catalytic metal salt contains a catalytic metal selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, transition metals, and mixtures thereof; providing a heavy hydrocarbon phase; forming a water in oil emulsion of the mixture in the heavy hydrocarbon phase; and heating the emulsion at a temperature sufficient to dehydrate the emulsion so as to provide a hydrocarbon containing an oil soluble compound containing the catalytic metal.

Abstract: A process for suppressing foam formation in a bubble column reactor includes the steps of feeding a liquid and a gas to a reactor at a liquid velocity and a gas velocity respectively; and adding particles of a solid material to the liquid, wherein the particles are wettable by the liquid, and whereby foam formation in the reactor is suppressed

Abstract: A process for suppressing foam formation in a vessel includes the steps of feeding a liquid and a gas to a vessel at a liquid velocity and a gas velocity respectively; adding particles of a solid material to the liquid, the particles having a particle size and particle density; and selecting at least one of the liquid velocity, particle size and particle density so as to fluidize the particles in the liquid, whereby foam formation in the vessel is suppressed. The particles are preferably liquid phase phobic particles.

Abstract: A catalyst for the hydrogenation of a hydrocarbon material which is a member selected from the group consisting of red mud, iron oxides, iron ores, hard coals, lignites impregnated with heavy metal salts, carbon black, soots from gasifiers, and cokes produced by the hydrogenation of virgin residues, the catalyst being comprised of at least two separate particle size fractions such that the combined fractions have a particle size distribution between 0.1 and 2,000 microns with 10-40 wt. % of the particles having a particle size greater than 100 microns, and the mixture of fractions not being represented by a straight line when the accumulative weight of the particles vs. particle size which is plotted on log (minus log) vs. log graph paper has a correlation coefficient R.sup.2 less than 0.96 as determined from the equation: ##EQU1## wherein n is the number of experimental points, y is ln [-ln (n/1000)] and x is ln (dp), wherein dp is the particle size (.mu.m) of the particles.

Abstract: A process for the hydrogenation of heavy oils, residual oils, waste oils, used oils, shell oils, and tar sand oils by hydrogenating a slurry of the oil at a partial hydrogen pressure of 50-300 bar, a temperature of 250.degree.-500.degree. C., a space velocity of 0.1-5 T/m.sup.3 h, and a gas/liquid ratio of 100-10000 Nm.sup.3/ T, wherein the additive comprises two different grain size portions, a fine grain portion having a grain size of 90 microns or less and a coarse grain portion having a grain size of 100-1000 microns.

Abstract: A process for treating heavy crude oil feedstocks to reduce the asphaltenes, metals and sulfur content thereof while maintaining a high conversion thereof comprising: subjecting the feedstock to an asphaltene separation stage and thereafter subjecting the deasphaltene crude to a first hydrotreatment stage employing a first macroporous catalyst so as to produce an intermediate partially demetallized and desulfurized product and thereafter treating said intermediate product in a second hydrotreatment stage using a microporous catalyst wherein the microporous catalyst exhibits extended life period.

Abstract: A process for separating finely divided solid particles from a hydroprocessing liquid product which comprises treating a heavy hydrocarbon feed having an asphaltene content of at least 1 wt. % so as to obtain an unstable product characterized by heavy molecular weight molecules which promote the agglomeration of said finely divided solid particles and thereafter feeding said unstable product to a precipitating zone provided with a centrifugal decanter for precipitating the agglomerated solid particles and said heavy molecular weight molecules in said precipitating zone wherein at least 80 wt. % of the finely divided solid particles is recovered.