Exxonmobil Chemical Patents Inc.

Jeffrey C Yeh

Teng Xu

Kapil Kandel

Krystle J Emanuele

James Harding Beech, Jr

Glenn Allen Heeter

Christopher M Evans

Reyyan Koc-Karabocek

Gaurav Agrawal

Stephen Todd Cohn

Yifei Liu

Giovanni S Contello

Processes are described for producing mesophase pitch. The processes generally comprise providing a feedstock having a T5≥400° F. (204° C.) and a T95≤1,400° F. (760° C.) and heating the feedstock at a temperature ranging from about 420° C. to about 520° C. to produce a heat treated product including isotropic pitch. Generally, the heating is conducted under conditions sufficient to satisfy the relationship [X*Y]≥20,000 seconds, wherein X is the equivalent reaction time of the heating, and wherein Y is the bromine number of the feedstock as measured in accordance with ASTM D1159. The processes generally further comprise contacting the isotropic pitch with a solvent having a Solubility Blending number (S) of at least about 10 SU under conditions sufficient to produce a solvent fraction comprising the solvent and an insoluble fraction comprising mesophase pitch, and recovering the mesophase pitch.

Processes for producing mesophase pitch

Systems and methods are provided for co-processing of pyrolysis tar with pre-pyrolysis flash bottoms. In some aspects, the co-processing can correspond to solvent-assisted hydroprocessing. By combining pyrolysis tar and flash bottoms with a solvent, various difficulties associated with hydroprocessing of the fractions can be reduced or minimized, such as difficulties associated with hydroprocessing of high viscosity feeds and/or high sulfur feeds. Optionally, separate solvents and/or fluxes can be used for the pyrolysis tar and the flash bottoms. The resulting upgraded products can be suitable, for example, for inclusion in low sulfur fuel oils (LSFO).

Upgrading of pyrolysis tar and flash bottoms

This invention relates to a process for determining the suitability of pyrolysis tar, such as steam cracker tar, for upgrading using hydroprocessing without excessive fouling of the hydroprocessing reactor. The invention includes establishing a reference activity for the thermally treating the pyrolysis tar to produce a treated tar having a lesser reactivity.

Pyrolysis tar conversion

This invention relates to thermally-treating and hydroprocessing pyrolysis tar to produce a hydroprocessed pyrolysis tar, but without excessive foulant accumulation during the hydroprocessing. The invention also relates to upgrading the hydroprocessed tar by additional hydroprocessing; to products of such processing; to blends comprising one or more of such products; and to the use of such products and blends, e.g., as lubricants, fuels, and/or constituents thereof.

Pyrolysis tar pretreatment

Aspects of the invention provide a process for upgrading a hydrocarbon feed. The process includes providing a hydrocarbon feed and a utility fluid. Then selectively extracting from the feed at least a portion of particulates to produce a raffinate and an extract. Third hydroprocessing at least a portion of the raffinate.

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Houston, TX, United States of America

Jeffrey C Yeh