Exxonmobil Research and Engineering Company

Chris A Wright

Glen Barry Brons

Daniel Paul Leta

Jonathan Martin McConnachie

Mark Alan Greaney

James Ronald Bielenberg

George A Lutz

Leo D Brown

Howard J Freund

Sharon Feiller

Roby Bearden, Jr

Kun Wang

William C Baird, Jr

Michael F Raterman

Richard A Demmin

Walter David Vann

James Ronald Rigby

Douglas Wayne Hissong

Brandon T Stone

Jonathan M Mcconnachie

The present invention is a process for desulfurizing hydrocarbon feedstreams with alkali metal compounds and regenerating the alkali metal compounds via the use of a copper sulfide reagent. The present invention employs the use of a copper sulfide reagent to convert alkali metal hydrosulfides in the generation or regeneration of the alkali hydroxide compounds which may be utilized in a desulfurization process for hydrocarbon feedstreams. Additionally, in preferred embodiments of the processes disclosed herein, carbonates which form as byproducts of the desulfurization process, and are non-regenerable with copper sulfide, are removed from the alkali hydroxide stream.

Desulfurization of heavy hydrocarbons and conversion of resulting hydrosulfides utilizing copper sulfide

Hydrocarbon feedstreams are desulfurized using an alkali metal reagent, optionally in the presence of hydrogen. Improved control over reaction conditions can be achieved in part by controlling the particle size of the alkali metal salt and by using multiple desulfurization reactors. The processes herein allow a simple and effective method for removing the majority of coke formed in the alkali metal reagent reactions with the hydrocarbon feedstreams. This makes it cost effective to run such processes at higher severities (which result in higher coke production) thereby resulting in increased amounts of valuable converted hydrocarbon product yields. The process improvements herein may also be used to increase total throughput through a unit due to the ability to effectively manage higher coke content in the reaction products.

Alkali metal hydroprocessing of heavy oils with enhanced removal of coke products

The present invention is a process for desulfurizing hydrocarbon feedstreams with alkali metal compounds and regenerating the alkali metal compounds via the use of a transition metal oxide. The present invention employs the use of a transition metal oxide, preferably copper oxide, in order to convert spent alkali metal hydrosulfides in the regeneration of the alkali hydroxide compounds for reutilization in the desulfurization process for the hydrocarbon feedstreams. Additionally, in preferred embodiments of the processes disclosed herein, carbonates which may be detrimental to the overall desulfurization process and related equipment are removed from the regenerated alkali metal stream.

Desulfurization of heavy hydrocarbons and conversion of resulting hydrosulfides utilizing a transition metal oxide

Method of isolating active resins from a high solvency dispersive power (HSDP) crude oil includes providing a HSDP crude oil, deasphalting the HSDP crude oil into at least a deasphalted oil (DAO) fraction and a first asphaltenes fraction, deasphalting the first asphaltenes fraction to isolate active resins from a second asphaltenes fraction, and combining the DAO fraction and the second asphaltenes fraction to form a de-resinated crude. Method of using components isolated from a high solvency dispersive power (HSDP) crude oil includes providing a HSDP crude oil, deasphalting the HSDP crude oil into at least a deasphalted oil (DAO) fraction and a first asphaltenes fraction, deasphalting the first asphaltenes fraction to isolate active resins from a second asphaltenes fraction, and selecting at least one of the DAO fraction, the active resins, or the second asphaltenes fraction for use in a refinery process.

Methods of isolating and using components from a high solvency dispersive power (HSDP) crude oil

Non-high solvency dispersive power (non-HSDP) crude oil with increased fouling mitigation and on-line cleaning effects includes a base non-HSDP crude oil and an effective amount of resins isolated from a high solvency dispersive power (HSDP) crude oil, and method of making same. Also, methods of using such non-HSDP crude oil for on-line cleaning of a fouled crude oil refinery component, for reducing fouling in a crude oil refinery component, and in a system capable of experiencing fouling conditions associated with particulate or asphaltene fouling.

Non-high solvency dispersive power (non-HSDP) crude oil with increased fouling mitigation and on-line cleaning effects

The present invention is a process for desulfurizing hydrocarbon feedstreams with alkali metal compounds and regenerating the alkali metal compounds via the use of a copper metal reagent. The present invention employs the use of a copper metal reagent to convert spent alkali metal hydrosulfides in the regeneration of the alkali hydroxide compounds for reutilization in the desulfurization process for the hydrocarbon feedstreams. Additionally, in preferred embodiments of the processes disclosed herein, carbonates which may be detrimental to the overall desulfurization process and related equipment are removed from the regenerated alkali metal stream.

Desulfurization of heavy hydrocarbons and conversion of resulting hydrosulfides utilizing copper metal

The electrodesulfurization of heavy oils wherein a feedstream comprised of bitumen or heavy oil is conducted, along with an effective amount of hydrogen, to an electrochemical cell. A current is applied to the cell wherein sulfur from the feedstream combines with hydrogen to form hydrogen sulfide which is removed.

Electrodesulfurization of heavy oils

A method of reducing asphaltene and particulate induced fouling during the thermal processing of petroleum oils utilizes resin extracts from HSDP crude oils to disperse and solubilize asphaltenes and disperse inorganic particulate contaminants such as salts and iron oxide. The extracts are essentially maltene fractions which may be separated from the HSDP crude by a process of extraction from a precipitated asphalt fraction using light paraffinic solvents such as n-heptane.

Method for reducing oil fouling in heat transfer equipment

Atmospheric and/or vacuum resid fractions of a high solvency dispersive power (HSDP) crude oil are added to a blend of crude oil to prevent fouling of crude oil refinery equipment and to perform on-line cleaning of fouled refinery equipment. The HSDP resid fractions dissolve asphaltene precipitates and maintain suspension of inorganic particulates before coking affects heat exchange surfaces.

Mitigation of refinery process unit fouling using high-solvency-dispersive-power (HSDP) resid fractions

Performance of equipment, such as a desalter, in a refinery is monitored in real-time and on-line to minimize fouling of downstream equipment. Using an instrument to measure particles and droplets in-process allows monitoring of the various operations to optimize performance. Such measurement can also be used during crude oil blending to detect asphaltene precipitates that can cause fouling and can be used for monitoring other fouling streams.

Focused beam reflectance measurement to optimize desalter performance and reduce downstream fouling

A high solvency dispersive power (HSDP) crude oil is added to a blend of incompatible and/or near-incompatible oils to proactively address the potential for fouling heat exchange equipment. The HSDP component dissolves asphaltene precipitates and maintains suspension of inorganic particulates before coking affects heat exchange surfaces. HSDP co-blending for fouling mitigation and on-line cleaning can be affected using different concentrations of top-performing and moderate-performing HSDP crude oils.

High-solvency-dispersive-power (HSDP) crude oil blending for fouling mitigation and on-line cleaning

A high solvency dispersive power (HSDP) crude oil is added to a blend of incompatible oils to proactively address the potential for fouling heat exchange equipment. The HSDP component dissolves asphaltene precipitates and maintains suspension of inorganic particulates before coking affects heat exchange surfaces. An HSDP oil is also flushed through heat exchange equipment to remove any deposits and/or precipitates on a regular maintenance schedule before coking can affect heat exchange surfaces.

Growing community of inventors

Bordentown, NJ, United States of America

Chris A Wright