Exxon Research and Engineering Company

Carl W Hudson

Glen P Hamner

Michel A Daage

Gary Brice McVicker

Edward Stanley Ellis

Michele Sue Touvelle

Sylvain S Hantzer

Darryl P Klein

William C Baird, Jr

David E Vaughan

Willard H Sawyer

James J Schorfheide

Mark Alan Greaney

Bruce R Cook

Joseph Ernest Baumgartner

Michael C Kerby

Jingguang Chen

David E W Vaughan

Gerald E Markley

Robert H Waghorne

Jingguang G Chen

Owen C Feeley

A process for the hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of multiple condensed ring heterocyclic organosulfur compounds present in petroleum and petrochemical streams and the saturation of aromatics over noble metal-containing catalysts under relatively mild conditions. The noble metal is selected from Pt, Pd, Ir, Rh and polymetallics thereof. The catalyst system also contains a hydrogen sulfide sorbent material.

Desulfurization and aromatic saturation of feedstreams containing refractory organosulfur heterocycles and aromatics

Desulfurization and aromatic saturation of feedstreams containing

Naphthenic rings in naphthenic ring-containing compounds in a feedstream are selectively opened wherein at least about 50 wt. % of the ring compounds in the feedstream are characterized as containing at least one C.sub.6 ring having at least one substituent containing 3 or more carbon atoms. The naphthenic rings are opened without significant dealkylation of any pendant substituents on the ring. The feedstream, containing such compounds, is contacted with a supported catalyst containing a metal selected from Ir, Ru, or a mixture thereof, which catalyst when reacted with a feed comprised of 20 wt. % n-butylcyclohexane in heptane diluent will result in: a) at least a 10% yield of C.sub.10 paraffin yield/%C.sub.10 ring disappearance.

Process for selectively opening naphthenic rings

The present invention provides a method for decreasing the Conradson carbon ('Concarbon') number of petroleum feedstreams by passing an electric current through a mixture of a petroleum stream, typically having a Conradson carbon residue of at least about 0.1% and an aqueous electrolysis medium at a pH and cathodic voltage for a time sufficient to decrease the Conradson carbon number of the petroleum stream. The electrolysis medium contains quaternary carbyl or hydrocarbyl onium salts; inorganic hydroxides such as NaOH or KOH, or mixtures thereof. A cathodic voltage of 0 V to -3.0 V vs. Saturated Calomel Electrode (SCE) and a pH of 6-14, preferably 7 to 14, more preferably above 7 to 14 are used. The invention has utility for converting less economically desirable refinery feeds to feeds that are more valuable.

Method for reducing Conradson carbon content of petroleum streams

A process for the production of high octane gasoline, or high octane gasoline blending components, from a sulfur-containing feed rich in fused two-ring aromatic hydrocarbons, inclusive of naphthalenes. The feed is hydrogenated in a first reaction zone to desulfurize the feed and saturate one ring of the fused two-ring aromatic hydrocarbons, but insufficient to saturate the second ring of said molecular species, to form tetralins. The product, as a feed, is reacted in a second reaction zone over a catalyst comprised of elemental iron and one or more alkali or alkaline-earth metals components to selectively hydrogenate and crack the previously hydrogenated fused two-ring aromatic hydrocarbons to produce lower molecular weight higher octane components suitable per se as gasoline, or gasoline blending components. The feed rich in fused two-ring aromatic hydrocarbons can be split from a wider boiling range hydrocarbon to obtain, additionally, a component rich in fused multi-ring aromatic hydrocarbons having three or more rings to the molecule, which fraction can also be hydrogenated to produce other fuels, or raw materials feed components.

Process for the production of ultra high octane gasoline, and other

A process for the production of high octane gasoline, or high octane gasoline blending components from a sulfur and nitrogen-containing feed composition of wide boiling range rich in fused multi-ring aromatic hydrocarbons containing two, and three or more rings in the molecule. The feed is first hydrogenated to desulfurize, denitrogenate and saturate one ring of the two-ring molecular species, but insufficient to saturate the second ring of said molecular species. The product, as a feed, is then hydrocracked to crack fused multi-ring aromatic hydrocarbons containing three or more rings to the molecule, and to produce lower molecular weight, lower boiling components. The product of the hydrocracker is then split into blends which include (i) a blend rich in fused two-ring aromatic hydrocarbons and (ii) a blend rich in fused multi-ring aromatic hydrocarbons containing three or more rings to the molecule. Blend (i) is selectively hydrogenated and cracked over a catalyst comprised of elemental iron and one or more alkali or alkaline-earth metals to produce gasoline or gasoline blending components, and blend (ii) is hydrocracked to produce gasoline or gasoline blending components.

A process for improving the color and oxidation stability of feed characterized as an admixture of liquid hydrocarbon compounds, inclusive of fused multi-ring aromatic and hydroaromatic hydrocarbons. This feed, which boils within a range of from about 224.degree. C. to about 538.degree. C. and contains moderate to high concentrations of organic sulfur and organic nitrogen compounds, is (1) hydrotreated over a hydrotreating catalyst at hydrotreating conditions, or (2) hydrotreated over a hydrotreating catalyst at hydrotreating conditions and the high boiling product therefrom hydrocracked over a hydrocracking catalyst at hydrocracking conditions, to obtain a low sulfur, low nitrogen product which is contacted as a feed in the presence of hydrogen, over a catalyst comprised of elemental iron and one or more alkali or alkaline-earth metals components at hydrogen partial pressure and temperature sufficient to improve product color, or stablize the product against light and oxygen degradation, or both.

Process for improving the color and oxidation stability of hydrocarbon

A process for the conversion of fused two-ring aromatic and fused two-ring hydroaromatic hydrocarbons into lower boiling aromatics, particularly alkylbenzenes of higher octane values. Such feeds are contacted in the presence of hydrogen over an iron catalyst at temperature sufficient to selectively hydrogenate and hydrocrack said fused two-ring aromatic hydrocarbon compound, or fused two-ring hydroaromatic hydrocarbon compounds, or both, to produce lower molecular weight, higher octane components suitable for direct blending with gasoline.

Process for improving octane by the conversion of fused multi-ring

A process wherein in a hydrofining zone, a sulfur- or nitrogen-containing distillate feed, or feed containing both sulfur and nitrogen, is hydrofined at hydrofining conditions sufficient to convert the sulfur and nitrogen to hydrogen sulfide, and ammonia, respectively, the hydrogen sulfide and ammonia are separated from the hydrofined product, and the hydrofined product contacted in a subsequent zone with hydrogen, or a hydrogen-containing gas over a catalyst which contains elemental iron and one or more alkali- or alkaline-earth metals at reaction conditions sufficient to reduce or restore the color of the hydrofined product. Operation in this manner permits hydrofining of the feed at higher severities, for longer periods, than heretofore possible because the adverse quality of the product reaction mixture normally caused by deterioration of the hydrofiner product at such conditions is remediated by treatment of the hydrofined product over the iron catalyst.

Hydrofining process

A process for hydrocracking a hydrocarbon feedstock having a propensity to form polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon compounds to suppress fouling the processing unit. The hydrocracking method includes contacting the hydrocarbon feedstock with a crystalline zeolite hydrocracking catalyst, contacting at least a portion of the resulting unconverted hydrocarbon oil containing polynuclear aromatic compounds with an iron catalyst in the presence of hydrogen to hydrogenate and hydrocrack the polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon compounds, and recycling unconverted hydrocarbon oil having a reduced concentration of polynuclear aromatic compounds to the hydrocracking zone.

Hydrocracking process

A process wherein a feed comprising an admixture of liquid hydrocarbon compounds which includes a polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon compound, or compounds (PNA's) is contacted in the presence of hydrogen over an iron catalyst at temperature sufficient to selectively hydrogenate and hydrocrack, or destroy the PNA's of the admixture without excessively hydrogenating and hydrocracking the non-PNA's of said feed. The process is particularly applicable for the removal of PNA's from reformates, processed naphthas, and other hydroprocessed streams or the like to achieve a lower and more favorable distribution of PNA's in a motor gasoline pool, and further to remove PNA's from prime fuels and heavier hydrocarbon mixtures.

Process for the removal of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon compounds

A process wherein a feed comprising a nitrogen-containing hydrocarbon compound, or compound containing a carbon-nitrogen bond, is contacted in the presence of hydrogen over an iron catalyst at reaction conditions sufficient to cleave said carbon-nitrogen bond and denitrogenate said nitrogen-containing hydrocarbon compound, or compounds. An aromatic heterocyclic nitrogen-containing hydrocarbon, or hydrocarbons, containing at least one aryl carbon-nitrogen bond, or feedstock containing such hydrocarbon, or hydrocarbons, is contacted with hydrogen, preferably over a fused iron catalyst, at reaction conditions sufficient to cleave the aryl carbon-nitrogen bond, or bonds, without significant hydrogenation of the aromatic ring portion of the molecule. The aryl carbon-nitrogen bond, or bonds, are cleaved, and the cleavage site, or sites, healed with hydrogen, without saturation of the aromatic ring portion of the molecule to which the nitrogen atom of the parent compound was bonded.

Growing community of inventors

Baton Rouge, LA, United States of America

Carl W Hudson