Abstract: A process for producing high octane bio-based alkylate is provided. The process involves reacting isobutane and bio-ethylene using an ionic liquid catalyst. Reaction conditions can be chosen to assist in attaining, or to optimize, desirable alkylate yields and/or properties.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to drilling fluid compositions, and their method of use, comprising a C16 unbranched internal olefin, including blends of the C16 unbranched internal olefin and a C16 linear alpha olefin. The exemplary drilling fluids are characterized by properties, e.g., pour points and kinematic viscosities, that enable them to be particularly useful in deep water drilling operations and have reduced environmental impact, e.g., increased biodegradation and reduced sediment toxicity.

Abstract: One method as described herein relates to making a membrane comprising an uncrosslinked high molecular weight polyimide polymer with a small amount of bulky diamine. Also as described herein is a hollow fiber polymer membrane comprising an uncrosslinked high molecular weight polyimide polymer with a small amount of bulky diamine. The polyimide polymers include monomers comprising dianhydride monomers, diamino monomers without carboxylic acid functional groups, and optionally diamino monomers with carboxylic acid functional groups, wherein 2 to 10 mole % of the diamino monomers are bulky diamino compounds and the ratio of diamino monomers with carboxylic acid functional groups to diamino monomers without carboxylic acid functional groups is 0 to 2:3. These uncrosslinked high molecular weight polyimide polymers with a small amount of bulky diamine are useful in forming polymer membranes with high permeance and good selectivity that are useful for the separation of fluid mixtures.

Abstract: One method as described herein relates to making a high molecular weight, monoesterified polyimide polymer using a small amount of bulky diamine. These high molecular weight, monoesterified polyimide polymers are useful in forming crosslinked polymer membranes with high permeance that are useful for the separation of fluid mixtures. Another method as described herein relates to making the crosslinked membranes from the high molecular weight, monoesterified polyimide polymer containing a small amount of bulky diamine. The small amount of bulky diamine allows for formation of both the high molecular weight polyimide polymer and for covalent ester crosslinks via reaction of the carboxylic acid groups with a diol crosslinking agent. This small amount of bulky diamines reduces chain mobility or segmental motion during crosslinking and reduces large loss of permeance. As such, this method provides a crosslinked membrane with good permeance and selectivity.

Abstract: One method as described herein relates to making a membrane comprising an uncrosslinked high molecular weight, monoesterified polyimide polymer with a small amount of bulky diamine. These uncrosslinked high molecular weight, monoesterified polyimide polymers with a small amount of bulky diamine are useful in forming polymer membranes with high permeance and good selectivity that are useful for the separation of fluid mixtures. Also as described herein is a hollow fiber polymer membrane comprising an uncrosslinked high molecular weight, monoesterified polyimide polymer with a small amount of bulky diamine. The small amount of bulky diamine allows for formation of a membrane comprising the uncrosslinked polymer that exhibits high permeance and good selectivity.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a new process which comprises the steps of hydrotreating, paraffin disproportionation and hydroisomerization to convert biological hydrocarbonaceous oxygenated oils comprising triglycerides into biologically-derived paraffinic jet/diesel fuels, solvents and base oils. A combination of conventional hydrogenation/dehydrogenation catalysts, such as Pt/Al2O3, and conventional olefin metathesis catalysts, such as WO3/SiO2, or inexpensive variations thereof, is generally employed in the paraffin disproportionation step.

Abstract: One method as described herein relates to making a membrane comprising an uncrosslinked high molecular weight polyimide polymer with a small amount of bulky diamine. Also as described herein is a hollow fiber polymer membrane comprising an uncrosslinked high molecular weight polyimide polymer with a small amount of bulky diamine. The polyimide polymers include monomers comprising dianhydride monomers, diamino monomers without carboxylic acid functional groups, and optionally diamino monomers with carboxylic acid functional groups, wherein 2 to 10 mole % of the diamino monomers are bulky diamino compounds and the ratio of diamino monomers with carboxylic acid functional groups to diamino monomers without carboxylic acid functional groups is 0 to 2:3. These uncrosslinked high molecular weight polyimide polymers with a small amount of bulky diamine are useful in forming polymer membranes with high permeance and good selectivity that are useful for the separation of fluid mixtures.

Abstract: One method as described herein relates to making a membrane comprising an uncrosslinked high molecular weight, monoesterified polyimide polymer with a small amount of bulky diamine. These uncrosslinked high molecular weight, monoesterified polyimide polymers with a small amount of bulky diamine are useful in forming polymer membranes with high permeance and good selectivity that are useful for the separation of fluid mixtures. Also as described herein is a hollow fiber polymer membrane comprising an uncrosslinked high molecular weight, monoesterified polyimide polymer with a small amount of bulky diamine. The small amount of bulky diamine allows for formation of a membrane comprising the uncrosslinked polymer that exhibits high permeance and good selectivity.

Abstract: One method as described herein relates to making a high molecular weight, monoesterified polyimide polymer using a small amount of bulky diamine. These high molecular weight, monoesterified polyimide polymers are useful in forming crosslinked polymer membranes with high permeance that are useful for the separation of fluid mixtures. Another method as described herein relates to making the crosslinked membranes from the high molecular weight, monoesterified polyimide polymer containing a small amount of bulky diamine. The small amount of bulky diamine allows for formation of both the high molecular weight polyimide polymer and for covalent ester crosslinks via reaction of the carboxylic acid groups with a diol crosslinking agent. This small amount of bulky diamines reduces chain mobility or segmental motion during crosslinking and reduces large loss of permeance. As such, this method provides a crosslinked membrane with good permeance and selectivity.

Abstract: Described herein is a two-stage reforming process using a unique configuration which allows the reforming unit to operate at a higher naphtha feed rate as compared to conventional reforming configurations. In the unique reforming process described herein, a naphtha feedstock undergoes a distillation step prior to the first reforming stage. The distillation step separates the naphtha feedstock into a top light a C7 stream, which typically accounts for between 5 and 20 percent of the overall feedstock, and a C8+ stream. The C8+ stream undergoes reforming in a first stage consisting of at least one reactor containing conventional metallic reforming catalyst, under conditions sufficient to convert the C8+ stream into a first intermediate reformate. The C7 stream, bypasses the first stage and is combined with the intermediate reformate, and reformed in the second stage, at lower pressure than in the first stage, over a reforming catalyst containing a medium pore zeolite.

Abstract: Described herein is a two-stage reforming process using a unique configuration which allows the reforming unit to operate at a higher naphtha feed rate as compared to conventional reforming configurations. In the unique reforming process described herein, a naphtha feedstock undergoes a distillation step prior to the first reforming stage. The distillation step separates the naphtha feedstock into a top light C6/C7 stream, which typically accounts for between 5 and 20 percent of the overall feedstock, and a C8+ stream. The C8+ stream undergoes reforming in a first stage consisting of at least one reactor containing conventional metallic reforming catalyst, under conditions sufficient to convert the C8+ stream into a first intermediate reformate. The C6/C7 stream, bypasses the first stage and is combined with the intermediate reformate, and reformed in the second stage, at lower pressure than in the first stage, over a reforming catalyst containing a medium pore zeolite.

Abstract: Processes and systems for producing base oils and fuels from fatty acids comprising, in an embodiment, oligomerizing at least one unsaturated fatty acid to provide a mixture of fatty acid oligomers, wherein the mixture of fatty acid oligomers comprises fatty acid trimers and heavier molecules; and hydrotreating the mixture of fatty acid oligomers to provide a product comprising hydrotreated fatty acid oligomers including hydrotreated trimers and heavier molecules, wherein the product has a pour point and other characteristics suitable for use as a base oil, and wherein such processes for base oil production do not require an isomerization step.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are monoester-based lubricant compositions and methods of making these monoester-based lubricant compositions. The monoester lubricant compositions comprise an isomeric mixture of at least one monoester species having a carbon number ranging from C8 to C40. In some embodiments, the methods for making the monoester-based lubricants utilize a biomass precursor and/or low value Fischer-Tropsch (FT) olefins and/or alcohols to produce high value monoester-based lubricants. In some embodiments, the monoester-based lubricants are derived from FT olefins and fatty acids. The fatty acids can be from a bio-based source (i.e., biomass, renewable source) or can be derived from FT alcohols via oxidation.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to drilling fluid compositions, and their method of use, comprising a C16 unbranched internal olefin, including blends of the C16 unbranched internal olefin and a C16 linear alpha olefin. The exemplary drilling fluids are characterized by properties, e.g., pour points and kinematic viscosities, that enable them to be particularly useful in deep water drilling operations and have reduced environmental impact, e.g., increased biodegradation and reduced sediment toxicity.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for making a bright stock base oil blend meeting API Group II specifications. The method comprises blending (a) a major amount of a petroleum-derived bright stock component having kinematic viscosity at 100° C. of from 20 to 50 mm2/s with a sufficient amount of (b) a propylene oligomer component having a viscosity index of from 30 to 60, to provide a bright stock base oil blend having a higher viscosity than the petroleum-derived bright stock component and a higher viscosity index than the propylene oligomer component.

Abstract: We provide a process for making a base oil, comprising: feeding an olefin feed comprising a propylene to an oligomerization zone comprising an acidic ionic liquid catalyst prepared from an organic-based cation; and tuning an oligomerizing step in the oligomerization zone by mixing a C6+olefin with the propylene in the oligomerization zone to increase a viscosity index of the base oil. We also provide a process for making a base oil, comprising tuning an oligomerizing step by mixing a C6+olefin with a propylene in an oligomerization zone comprising an acidic ionic liquid catalyst prepared from an organic-based cation to increase a viscosity index of the base oil produced in the oligomerization zone; wherein the base oil has selected properties.

Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to diester-based lubricant compositions comprising one or more isomeric mixtures of diester species. The present invention is also directed to methods of making these and other similar lubricant compositions. In some embodiments, the methods for making such diester-based lubricants utilize a biomass precursor material from which mono-unsaturated free lipid species can be provided or otherwise generated, wherein such mono-unsaturated free lipid species are converted to isomeric diol species en route to the synthesis of diester species for use as/in the diester-based lubricant compositions.

Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to monoester-based lubricant compositions. The present invention is also directed to methods of making these and other similar lubricant compositions. In some embodiments, the methods for making such monoester-based lubricants utilize a biomass precursor and/or low value Fischer-Tropsch (FT) olefins and/or alcohols so as to produce high value monoester-based lubricants. In some embodiments, such monoester-based lubricants are derived from FT olefins and fatty acids. The fatty acids can be from a bio-based source (i.e., biomass, renewable source) or can be derived from FT alcohols via oxidation.

Abstract: Pulse power drilling fluids comprising a base fluid solution of a low viscosity ester and an alkylene carbonate in an amount that is soluble in the ester are provided. The pulse power drilling fluids provide excellent properties for use in pulse-power drilling, e.g., a high dielectric constant, a high dielectric strength, lower viscosity and lower conductivity than current pulse-power drilling fluids. Methods of using the pulse power drilling fluids are also described.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are monoester-based lubricant compositions and methods of making these monoester-based lubricant compositions. The monoester lubricant compositions comprise an isomeric mixture of at least one monoester species having a carbon number ranging from C8 to C40. In some embodiments, the methods for making the monoester-based lubricants utilize a biomass precursor and/or low value Fischer-Tropsch (FT) olefins and/or alcohols to produce high value monoester-based lubricants. In some embodiments, the monoester-based lubricants are derived from FT olefins and fatty acids. The fatty acids can be from a bio-based source (i.e., biomass, renewable source) or can be derived from FT alcohols via oxidation.