Atlantic Richfield Company

Syntroleum Corporation

Sybtroleum Corporation

Gary L Beer

Ying H Li

Steven D Crane

Michael D Briscoe

Harrison F Blacker

James L Skinner

Richard L Payne

John R Wolflick

James Francis Leahy

Kernan J McHugh

Greg A Lisewsky

A method for producing a synthesis gas from a light hydrocarbon stream using air or oxygen-enriched air as an oxidant in a high pressure autothermal reactor and converting the synthesis gas in a Fischer-Tropsch process using a supported cobalt catalyst to produce heavy paraffins wherein the required process pressure is supplied by charging the reactant streams to the autothermal reactor at a high pressure.

Method for operating a fischer-tropsch process using a high pressure autothermal reactor as the pressure source for the process

A process for extending the life of a Fisher-Tropsch catalyst in a process for converting synthesis gas produced in an autothermal reactor by the substoichiometric oxidation of a light hydrocarbon gas by removing ammonia from the synthesis gas prior to passing the synthesis gas to a Fischer-Tropsch reactor.

Extended catalyst life Fischer-Tropsch process

A method of regenerating a finely-divided particulate catalyst involves the use of an external regeneration system comprising first and second regeneration stations. The method is particularly adapted to regenerating supported catalysts used in Fischer-Tropsch slurry reactors. A slurry-containing partially spent catalyst is flowed from the reactor and alternately regenerated in one of the first and second regeneration stations. The alternate use of the stations for catalyst regeneration permits one station to receive partially deactivated slurry from the reactor while the other station returns regenerated slurry to the reactor. The operation of the reactor thus may be continuous.

Process and apparatus for regenerating a particulate catalyst

A process for converting a hydrocarbon gas (e.g. natural gas) to syngas which, in turn, is converted into a liquid hydrocarbon product wherein a substantial amount of the heat generated in the process is recovered for use in generating steam needed in the process or for conversion into mechanical energy. Further, tail gas produced by the process is used to fuel the gas turbine which, in turn, is used power the compressors needed for compressing the air used in the process. By using tail gas to fuel the gas turbine, less of the compressed combustion-air is needed to cool the combustion gases in the turbine and, instead, can be used to provide a portion of the process-air required in the process; thereby possibly saving up to 20 to 30 percent of the horsepower otherwise needed to compress the required volume of process-air.

Process for converting gas to liquids

An extended catalyst life two-stage hydrocarbon synthesis process wherein a first synthesis gas stream is reacted in a first stage reactor in the presence of a suitable catalyst to produce liquid hydrocarbon products and a gaseous stream; the gaseous stream is cooled and water and liquid hydrocarbons are separated from the gaseous stream to produce a second synthesis gas stream which is then passed to a second stage reactor for the production of additional liquid hydrocarbons.

Extended catalyst life two stage hydrocarbon synthesis process

A method for producing a heavy crude oil from a subterranean formation through a wellbore, transporting the heavy crude oil to a market location and converting the heavy crude oil into a product distillate hydrocarbon stream and by-products such as heat, steam, electricity and synthesis gas by separating distillable components of the heavy crude oil by distillation and solvent deasphalting and converting the asphaltic residual portion of the heavy crude oil in a fluidized bed to at least one of heat, steam, electricity or synthesis gas. The method also produces diluent hydrocarbons useful as a separate product, a distillable hydrocarbon stream or a diluent for use in the production and transportation of the heavy crude oil.

Method for transporting a heavy crude oil produced via a wellbore from a

A method for producing a heavy crude oil from a subterranean formation via a wellbore, transporting the heavy crude oil to a market and producing a distillable hydrocarbonaceous stream from the crude oil, the method includes: producing the heavy crude oil from a subterranean formation via a wellbore, mixing the heavy crude oil with a diluent to form a mixture, transporting the mixture to a selected location and converting the heavy crude oil into a product distillate hydrocarbon stream and at least one of heat, steam, electricity and synthesis gas by separating distillable components of the heavy crude oil by distillation and converting the residual portion of the heavy crude oil in a fluidized bed to at least one of heat, steam, electricity or synthesis gas. The diluent is typically a hydrocarbonaceous distillate material which may be recovered as a separate product.

Method for producing from a subterranean formation via a wellbore,

A method for producing a heavy crude oil from a subterranean formation through a wellbore and converting the heavy crude oil into a product distillate hydrocarbon stream and at least one of heat, steam, electricity and synthesis gas by separating distillable components of the heavy crude oil by distillation and converting the residual portion of the heavy crude oil in a fluidized bed to at least one of heat, steam, electricity or synthesis gas. The method also produces diluent hydrocarbons useful in the production and transportation of the heavy crude oil.

Method for producing heavy crude oil via a wellbore from a subterranean

A process for providing oxygen to a feed gas wherein the oxygen is first absorbed from an oxygen-containing gas (e.g. air) and then desorbed into the feed gas (e.g. natural gas). The oxygen is adsorbed from air by passing the air in contact with an oxygen-sorbent material (e.g. a solid-state, lithium cyanocobaltate) until the sorbent-material is substantially saturated after which the feed gas is passed in contact with the sorbent material to desorb the oxygen into the feed gas.

Method for providing oxygen in gas process

Steam quality in flow lines equipped with orifice meters may be determined by injecting a predetermined quantity of water into the flow line and measuring the orifice pressure differential with and without water injection. An approximation of the James correlation, which relates the orifice differential pressure, the total fluid mass flow rate and steam quality raised to the 1.5 power, may be used for conditions both before and during water injection together with an energy balance for conditions both before and during water injection to determine steam quality before water injection. A portable water injection unit may be temporarily connected to each flow line at a tap installed in the flow line upstream of the orifice. The effect of water injection for each flow condition may be prior confirmed by injecting a predetermined quantity of water downstream of the orifice based on an initial estimate of dry steam flow in the line.

Method for steam quality measurement

A method and apparatus for recovering water and light aromatic hydrocarbons from a wet gas stream, by contacting the wet gas stream with an absorbent for the water and light aromatic hydrocarbons in a contactor to absorb the water and light aromatic hydrocarbons and produce a water and light hydrocarbon laden absorbent stream and a dried gas stream. The water and light aromatic hydrocarbon laden absorbent stream is heated in a regenerator to produce a vaporous water and light aromatic hydrocarbon stream and a lean absorbent for recycle to the contactor. The vaporous water and light aromatic hydrocarbon stream is passed to a condenser where liquid water and liquid light aromatic hydrocarbons are recovered and where a light gas stream is recovered for use as a fuel gas for the regenerator.

Method and apparatus for separating and recovering water and light

Crude oil sludges and other relatively heavy hydrocarbon liquid sludges are mixed with diatomaceous earth or perlite to form a friable and flowable solids mixture which is conveyed to a combustion unit, such as rotary kiln, calciner or lift pipe type combustor, wherein combustion of the hydrocarbons is carried out to provide gaseous combustion products and a substantially hydrocarbon free solids mixture. The solids discharged from the combustion unit may be recycled for use in the mixing process to reduce the sludge to a friable material for introduction to the combustion unit and excess solids may be discharged for disposal.

Apparatus for treating crude oil sludges and the like

Oily sludges containing volatile hydrocarbons are mixed with diatomaceous earth or perlite in a system which includes an indirect dryer for vaporizing liquids have a boiling point of less than about 700.degree. F. Dried solids are discharged from the dryer and conveyed to an oxidation unit comprising a rotary kiln or lift pipe combustor. Dried hydrocarbon free solids are recirculated for mixing with the oily sludge and condensable vapors are condensed and separated for further use or disposal. A system including the indirect dryer, condenser, oxidation unit, separators for the condensate and separators for gaseous products can be modified to receive hydrocarbon contaminated soils and other earth-like materials having particle sizes ranging from as low as 10 microns up to about 1.0 inches.

Treating sludges and soil materials contaminated with hydrocarbons

Method for treating crude oil sludges and the like

Drill cuttings, and similar slurries or mixtures oily solid particles, are treated by a dryer apparatus which vaporizes the liquid and discharges relatively large solid particles for disposal. Vapor and entrained solid fines are conveyed from the dryer to a condenser and then to a rotary drum vacuum filter having a precoated filter media disposed thereon. The solid fines are filtered by the filter media comprising diatomaceous earth or perlite and the clarified condensed liquid is conveyed to separator means for separating oil, water and any other liquids present. The filter media stripped from the filter and contaminated with entrapped solid fines is conveyed through the dryer means and disposed with the solids particles being discharged from the dryer. The system is particularly adapted for offshore drilling operations wherein the dried solids comprising drill cuttings and diatomaceous earth may be discharged to the sea after separation from all contaminants such as oil and other liquids in the drilling fluid.

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Plano, TX, United States of America

Gary L Beer