Exxon Research and Engineering Company

James David Bell

Biddanda U Achia

Ian A Cody

William A Wachter

Lyle Edwin Moran

Theodore H West

Mary Josephine Gale

The invention relates to a method for making an asphalt product having an enhanced flash point and lower volatility, comprising vacuum distilling a blend of a high boiling petroleum fraction having an initial boiling point of at least 270&deg; C. and a crude to produce a product asphalt having a flash of from 265&deg; C. to 300&deg; C.

Method for enhancing asphalt properties

Slack waxes and synthetic wax are isomerized and processed into high viscosity index and very low pour point lube base stock oils and blending stocks by the process comprising the steps of hydrotreating the wax, if necessary, to remove heteroatom and polynuclear aromatic compounds and/or deoiling the wax, if necessary, to an oil content between about 5-20% oil, isomerizing the wax over a Group VI-Group VIII on halogenated refractory metal oxide support catalyst, said isomerization being conducted to a level of conversion such that .about.40% and less unconverted wax remains in the 330.degree. C..sup.+, preferably the 370.degree. C..sup.+ fraction sent to the dewaxer. The total isomerate from the isomerization unit is fractionated into a lube oil fraction boiling at 330.degree. C..sup.+, preferably 370.degree.p9 C..sup.+. This oil fraction is solvent dewaxed preferably using MEK/MIBK at 20/80 ratio and unconverted wax is recycled to the isomerization unit. Operating in this manner permits one to obtain isomerate oil of very high VI (in excess of 130) possessing low pours (-21.degree. C., preferably -24.degree. C., most preferably -27.degree. C.).

Method for isomerizing wax to lube base oils

Hydrocarbon oils, particularly petroleum oils, more particularly lube, transformer, white oil and other specialty oils can be extracted to remove aromatic hydrocarbon components therefrom using a combination polar extraction solvent, such as n-methyl pyrrolidone phenol or furfural, preferably NMP in combination with aliphatic-aromatics, polar naphthenes or morpholine, preferably alkylbenzene, mixed extraction solvent. The combination of polar extraction solvent and aliphatic-aromatic, polar naphthene or morpholine extraction solvent mixture contains and from 1 to up to but not including 10 LV % aliphatic-aromatic, polar naphthene or morpholine and mixtures thereof, preferably from 2.5 to less than 10% aliphatic-aromatic, polar naphthene or morpholine and from 0 to 10 LV % water, the amount of polar extraction solvent being suitably adjusted to reflect the presence of the water. Extraction using the combination solvent is conducted at a temperature above the haze point of the oil being extracted but at tower bottoms temperature at least 30.degree. C., and preferably 40.degree. C., or more below the critical solution temperature of the feed-solvent mixture.

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Toronto, Canada

James David Bell