Abstract: A process is provided for improving the stability of a hydrocarbon mineral oil, particularly a hydrocracked stock, normally susceptible to thermal oxidation and the effect of light rays and for decreasing the tendency of the oil to form sludge material. The process involves reacting the hydrocarbon mineral oil before or after conventional treatment, such as dewaxing operations, with a stabilizing agent, such as an olefin, alcohol, ester or alkyl halide in the presence of a heterogeneous acidic catalyst which includes acid resins, clays and aluminosilicates, and which has a controlled alkylation activity. The final oil product has improved light stability over a conventionally treated oil.

Abstract: A process for converting relatively ash-free solid polymeric wastes to more valuable liquid, solid, and gaseous products which comprises mixing rubber and/or plastic wastes at high temperatures in a refractory petroleum stream and catalytically cracking the mixture.

Abstract: A method of treating a subterranean formation which has undergone an in situ leaching operation which utilzed an ammonium solution as the lixiviant. In such a leach operation, ammonium ions will exchange into the clay in the formation and will present a threat of contamination to any ground waters that may be present in the formation. The present method involves flushing the formation with a halogenated restoration fluid, e.g., chlorinated water having a halogen therein which reacts with ammonia within the formation to decompose the ammonia to nitrogen. The halogenated restoration fluid can be continuously injected or it can be injected as a slug followed by a relatively halogen-free solution to complete the operation. The ammonia concentration of the produced fluids is monitored and when it drops below a desired value, the method is complete.

Abstract: This invention provides an improved method for solubilizing carbonaceous materials which comprises contacting and dissolving comminuted coal in a highly aromatic petroleum residum solvent having a special chemical constituency and physical properties, and thereafter separating the solution phase from the undissolved solids.

Abstract: This invention provides a process for producing road paving asphalt compositions which involves heating an admixture of coal tar and fluidized catalytic cracking syntower bottoms until a homogeneous solubilized product with asphaltic properties is formed. The preferred asphalt compositions have a quantity of scrap rubber incorporated and dissolved therein.

Abstract: The treating capacity of a finishing unit for oils of lubricating viscosity is increased and the quality of oil treated therein is improved in a process comprising contacting regenerated clay adsorbent from said finishing unit with anhydrous acid gas prior to returning it to the adsorbent bed of said unit, and thereafter contacting said oil with said acid gas treated adsorbent.

Abstract: Solid organic wastes are slurried with hot coker recycle feed or fresh petroleum feedstocks at temperatures within the range from about 300.degree. to 1000.degree. F and the resulting mixture is coked to produce gas, oil, and coke. The oil can be used as clean liquid fuel, but preferably it is used as catalytic craker feed since it is a particularly suitable cracking stock and produces high yields of gasoline. This process affords a low-cost waste disposal method by a process compatible with current petroleum refining technology.

Abstract: A general method for producing low-sulfur gas and solid fuel is disclosed. Such method involves partial gasification of coal, using steam and an oxygen-containing gas, to produce low-B.t.u. fuel which can be used as a feedstock for power plants and industrial boilers. Also disclosed is a method for simultaneously producing low-sulfur gas, liquid, and solid fuels from coal in a single reaction vessel using a multi-stage fluidized gasification and desulfurization system. Synthesis gas produced in a first stage gas generator by reaction of steam, an oxygen-containing gas, and auxiliary carbonaceous fuel, is reacted with high-sulfur coal in a second stage desulfurization unit forming a solid phase consisting of low-sulfur fuel and a fluid phase consisting of sulfur-containing gaseous and liquid fuels. After disengagement of solid and fluid phases present in the second stage reaction zone, a solid fuel of reduced sulfur content is recovered.

Abstract: A process for converting relatively ash-free solid polymeric wastes to more valuable liquid, solid, and gaseous products which comprises mixing rubber and/or plastic wastes at high temperatures in a refractory petroleum stream and catalytically cracking the mixture.

Abstract: Asphaltic compositions are provided comprising a major proportion of straight-run asphalt, and minor proportions of a refractory aromatic residual fraction (syntower bottoms), ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer and terpenic resin.

Abstract: High quality petroleum sponge coke suitable for use in the manufacture of electrodes is produced by adding an effective amount of an oxygen-containing carbonaceous material which tends to decompose at high temperatures, such as sawdust, coal, or lignite to delayed coker fresh and/or recycle feed. This addition eliminates or reduces the formation of shot coke and promotes the formation of high-quality, easy-to-grind petroleum sponge coke.

Abstract: An improved process for the conversion of coal to low-sulfur products is disclosed wherein coal is heated with a liquid phase coal dissolution solvent, which is preferably a heavy aromatic petroleum solvent, in the presence of a solid, sulfur scavenger such as iron. Improved separation of inorganic solids, including both coal-derived and solvent-derived sulfur combined with the scavenger, is obtained by using a light cycle-oil modified slurry settler operation followed by separation. Vacuum distillation of the filtrate provides a low-sulfur solid which is used directly as fuel or coked to form low-sulfur distillates and coke. The scavenger is separated from other inorganics, regenerated, and recycled. Moderate amounts of fuel gas are also formed.

Abstract: Improved asphalt compositions are provided which are produced by forming a homogeneous blend of marginal asphalt stock with coal-derived asphaltenes, and air-blowing the homogeneous blend to yield an asphalt composition having a viscosity-penetration index higher than about 2.5 .times. 10.sup.5.

Abstract: This invention provides a novel asphalt cement which is produced by solubilizing solvent-refined coal in a thermally stable refinery petroleum solvent.

Abstract: A process for removing pyrite particles from coal by pulverizing and fluidizing a coal in the presence of (a) heated air, followed by removing pyrite particles with a high-gradient magnetic separator; or (b) a hot, inert gas from which condensables are separated, followed by countercurrently further heating the coal in a succession of fluidized stages with hot oxygen-containing gas to a temperature at which the pyrite particles are sufficiently converted to pyrrhotite, magnetite, and gamma-hematite to raise the average magnetic susceptibility to at least 2 .times. 10.sup.6, and removing the pyrite minerals by magnetic separation means. The beneficiated coal or semicoke particles are fed with heated air and evolve volatile matter to the combustion zone of a furnace.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for solubilizing wood or wood and coal mixtures in a highly aromatic refinery petroleum solvent to produce homogeneous compositions which have a flowable pitch-like consistency at ambient temperatures. The invention compositions are directly applicable as liquid fuels, or can be further processed into other desirable products.

Abstract: This invention provides a process which involves solubilizing coal in a thermally stable refinery petroleum solvent to form a homogeneous solution, and blending the homogeneous solution with petroleum cutter-stock to produce No. 5 fuel oil.

Abstract: A method is provided for desulfurization of oil stock, e.g. residual oil, having a minimum sulfur content of about 2 weight percent and a minimum metals content of about 50 ppm to produce a low-sulfur, high-metals content raffinate and a high-sulfur, low-metals content extract which comprises contacting said oil stock with a solvent selective for low molecular weight aromatics and having a boiling point within the range of from about 0.degree. F to about 100.degree. F and a density greater than or less than the density of the oil stock being contacted by at least 0.1 g/cc, said contacting being conducted at a temperature of from about 60.degree. F to about 212.degree. F, a solvent/oil stock volume ratio of from about 0.25 to about 10 and a pressure higher than the vapor pressure of the solvent at the contacting temperature, and separating the low-sulfur, high-metals content raffinate from the high-sulfur, low-metals content extract.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of catalytically treating lubricating oil base stocks with certain crystalline zeolite catalysts, exemplified by ZSM-5 zeolite, in order to improve the oxidative stability of the base stocks. The treatment is conducted under very mild conditions with minimal loss of lubricant material.

Abstract: A combination process is provided for residua demetalation and desulfurization and resulting coke gasification which comprises contacting said residua with a porous refractory oxide in the absence of added hydrogen, at a temperature of from greater than 700.degree.F to about 1100.degree.F and a refractory oxide to oil weight ratio of from about 0.1 to about 5 to produce upgraded residua of cracking feed quality, and contacting said refractory oxide after an amount of coke has formed thereon with steam and a free oxygen containing gas in which the mole ratio of steam to oxygen is from about 3 to about 5, at a temperature of from about 1000.degree.F to about 1500.degree.F to produce producer gas and regenerated porous refractory oxide for further contacting with residua.