Conocophillips Company

Sasol Technology (pty) Limited

Keith Henry Lawson

Rafael Luis Espinoza

Doug S Jack

Joe D Allison

Steven R McDonald

Oluwaseyi A Odueyungbo

Priya Rangarajan

Kandaswamy Jothimurugesan

Jianping Zhang

Vincent H Melquist

Tracy Carolyn Bromfield

Philip Gibson

Frederick Gideon Botes

Scott A Scholten

Rentia Visagie

Sridhar Gopalakrishnan

Anthony R Maund

Douglas L Smith

The invention relates to methods for improving the octane number of a synthetic naphtha stream and optionally for producing olefins and/or solvents. In one embodiment, the method comprises aromatizing at least a portion of a synthetic naphtha stream to produce an aromatized hydrocarbon stream; and isomerizing at least a portion of the aromatized hydrocarbon stream to produce an isomerized aromatized hydrocarbon stream having a higher octane rating than the synthetic naphtha stream. Alternatively, the method comprises providing at least three synthetic naphtha cuts comprising a C-Cstream; a C-Cstream and a C-Cstream; aromatizing some of the C-Cstream to form an aromatized hydrocarbon stream with a higher octane number; steam cracking some of the C-Cstream and optionally the C-Cstream to form olefins; and selling some portions of C-Cstream as solvents. In preferred embodiments, the synthetic naphtha is derived from Fischer-Tropsch synthesis.

Octane improvement of a hydrocarbon stream

The present invention is generally related towards enhancing the yield and/or cold-flow properties of certain hydrocarbon products, increasing the degree of isomerization in a diesel product and/or increasing the production rate of a diesel product. The embodiments generally include reducing the residence time of lighter hydrocarbon fractions during hydrocracking, thereby decreasing secondary cracking, by various configurations of introducing at least two hydrocarbon feedstreams of different boiling ranges at different entry points in a hydrocracking unit. A method further includes forming a hydrocarbons stream comprising primarily CFischer-Tropsch hydrocarbon products; fractionating hydrocarbons stream to form at least a wax fraction and an intermediate fraction which serve as separate feedstreams to a hydrocracking unit comprising at least two hydroconversion zones. One embodiment comprises the use of a bifunctional catalyst in one of the hydrocracking zones so as to favor hydroisomerization of hydrocarbons to favor the formation of branched paraffins boiling in the diesel range.

Hydroprocessing methods and apparatus for use in the preparation of liquid hydrocarbons

The present invention includes a method for adjusting a fluid density. In one embodiment, a method for upgrading a petroleum-derived hydrocarbonaceous fraction comprises providing a synthetically-derived hydrocarbonaceous fraction, wherein the synthetically-derived hydrocarbonaceous fraction is derived from synthesis gas, and further wherein the synthetically-derived hydrocarbonaceous fraction and the petroleum-derived hydrocarbonaceous fraction have a difference in density at 15&#xb0; C. of at least about 60 kg/m; and blending both fractions so as to form a blend suitable for use as a diesel or diesel blendstock, wherein the blend has a density at 15&#xb0; C. equal to or more than about 800 kg/m; alternatively or additionally, equal to or less than about 860 kg/m. The blending is also effective in reducing the sulfur content of the petroleum-derived hydrocarbonaceous fraction. In preferred embodiments, the synthetically-derived hydrocarbonaceous fraction is a Fischer-Tropsch diesel.

Blending for density specifications using Fischer-Tropsch diesel fuel

The invention includes a process for producing synthetic middle distillates and synthetic middle distillates produced therefrom. In one embodiment, the process comprises fractionating a hydrocarbon synthesis product to at least generate a light middle distillate, a heavy middle distillate, and a waxy fraction; thermally cracking the waxy fraction; and isomerizing the heavy middle distillate. A synthetic diesel or blending component is formed by the combination of at least a portion of the light middle distillate; at least a portion or fraction of the thermally cracked product; and at least a portion or fraction of the isomerized product. In some embodiments, the hydrocarbon synthesis product and/or the thermally cracked product may be hydrotreated. In other embodiments, a synthetic middle distillate comprises at least two fractions: a light fraction with not more than 10% branched hydrocarbons, and a heavy fraction with at least 30% branched hydrocarbons.

Synthetic hydrocarbon products

An amorphous support, methods for making the same and methods of using, particularly in hydrocracking. A method of making may comprise mixing a first amorphous material and a second amorphous material of different acidities to form a mixture, and treating by either separately treating the first and second amorphous materials before mixing or treating the mixture, so as to form an amorphous catalyst support. Treating preferably includes calcining. The acidity of the amorphous support may be modified by the different acidities of the precursor amorphous materials, their proportions in the mixture, and/or the order of the mixing and treating steps. A method of use may comprise reacting a hydrocarbon fraction with hydrogen over a hydrocracking catalyst comprising the amorphous catalyst support to form a hydrocracked product. Further embodiments include the first and second amorphous materials comprising silica-alumina, and/or differing in Br&#xf6;nsted acidity, Lewis acidity, or acidity index.

Combination of amorphous materials for hydrocracking catalysts

A method for optimal production of synthetic diesel and naphtha from a hydrocracker includes hydrocracking a synthetic heavy hydrocarbon feed comprising an &#x3b1; value so as to form a diesel and a naphtha; selecting a desired diesel-to-naphtha ratio; calculating, based on the feed &#x3b1; and the desired diesel-to-naphtha ratio, a target molar ratio of hydrocarbons exiting to hydrocarbons entering the hydrocracker; and adjusting at least one hydrocracking conversion promoting condition so as to achieve said target molar ratio. The present invention further relates to a method for adjusting the overall production of a syngas-to-synthetic hydrocarbons plant in response to market conditions, comprising adjusting at least one hydrocracking conversion promoting condition and/or at least one conversion promoting condition within a Fischer-Tropsch reactor so as to maintain the overall diesel-to-naphtha ratio or to maintain a diesel production rate within a predetermined range of a desired value.

Optimization of gas-to-liquids hydrocracker

The invention includes a process for making olefins. In one embodiment, the process comprises producing steam from a process water comprising organic compounds, wherein the process water comprises at least a portion of a product water from a hydrocarbon synthesis process; feeding the steam comprising some organic compounds and a light hydrocarbons feedstream into a steam cracker under cracking promoting conditions so as to crack with said steam some of the light hydrocarbons and some of the organic compounds from the steam to produce a cracker effluent comprising at least one olefin. In some embodiments, the light hydrocarbons feedstream comprises a naphtha cut. In alternate embodiments, the light hydrocarbons feedstream comprises a hydrocarbon fraction derived from a hydrocarbon synthesis reactor. In preferred embodiments, the process water and light hydrocarbons feedstream are at least in part derived from a Fisher-Tropsch synthesis, and the organic compounds comprise oxygenates.

Olefin production from steam cracking using process water as steam

According to the present invention there is provided a hydrocarbon synthesis catalyst comprising a precipitated iron product and a catalyst promotor. The catalyst has a surface area of below 60 mper gram of catalyst in the reduced form or below 100 mper gram of catalyst in the non-reduced form. According to the invention there is also provided a process for preparing the catalyst and the use thereof in the synthesis of hydrocarbons.

Growing community of inventors

Ponca City, OK, United States of America

Keith Henry Lawson