Exxon Research and Engineering Company

Exxonmobil Research and Engineering Company

Lyle Edwin Moran

Mary Josephine Gale

John Brownie

Ramesh Varadaraj

William J Murphy

A Gordon Alexander

Biddanda U Achia

Lawrence G Kaufman

Terrance O Brown

David A Slack

Pavel Kriz

Katherine Lynn Sokol

James David Bell

Shaunalea Savard

Laura Frances McKibben

Helen R Gorter

Warren D Robertson

Lauren Frances Mckibben

Methods are provided for predicting the properties of an asphalt fraction that contains two or more asphalt components based on measurements of the viscosity for the asphalt fraction. Based on the measured viscosity, a virtual cut point is determined for a virtual asphalt blend that has the same viscosity (to within a tolerance value) as the measured viscosity for the asphalt fraction. The virtual cut point is then used to determine a variety of predicted property values for the asphalt fraction. Optionally, the predicted property values can be used to adjust the actual cut point for the distillation or separation process used for forming the asphalt fraction.

Property prediction for asphalts from blended sources

Methods are provided for making asphalt from crude oils derived from mined oil sands that have been subjected to a solvent froth treatment as part of the process for making a crude oil that is suitable for pipeline transport. A froth treatment is used that preserves a greater percentage of the asphaltene content of the crude oil derived from the mined oil sands.

Asphalt production from oil sand bitumen

A novel composition is provided that incorporates the residual solids from solvent deasphalting to make a high value asphalt product. A process for making the asphalt composition is also provided. A first portion of heavy oil or another feedstock can be deasphalted using propane deasphalting or another suitable deasphalting process. This generates a solvated fraction and an insoluble deasphalting residue. The deasphalting residue is then added to a second portion of heavy oil, such as a second portion of the same type of heavy oil that was used as feedstock in the solvent deasphalting. The mixture of deasphalting residue and heavy oil results in a novel dispersion that is suitable for use as an asphalt. Optionally, an additive such as an alkyl substituted aromatic sulfonic acid can be added to the composition to further improve the asphalt properties.

Upgrading deasphalting residue to high performance asphalt

Methods are provided for forming an asphalt fraction corresponding to a blend of asphalts, the asphalt fraction having at least one property that is unexpectedly better than the expected property value based on the individual asphalts used in the blend. The unexpectedly beneficial blends of asphalts are formed in part by including an effective amount of a Napo crude oil or crude fraction in the feed used to form the asphalt fraction. For some asphalt blends, including an effective amount of a Napo crude in the feed can allow for production of an asphalt with a low temperature performance grade that is lower than the predicted value by at least 0.5&#xb0; C., such as at least 0.75&#xb0; C. or at least 1.0&#xb0; C.

Synergistic asphalt crude compositions

Methods are provided for upgrading asphaltene-depleted crude fractions. The asphaltene-depleted crude fractions are upgraded by oxidizing the crude fractions by air blowing. Upgrading an asphaltene-depleted crude fraction can allow more valuable grades of asphalt to be formed from the crude fraction. Alternatively, upgrading an asphaltene-depleted crude fraction can allow for incorporation of a greater percentage of such a crude fraction in a blend of crudes that are used for making a desired grade of asphalt.

Upgrading of asphaltene-depleted crudes

Methods are provided for upgrading the quality of an asphalt. The methods include mixing an asphalt feed with a cracking resistance additive that improves the low temperature properties of the asphalt while leaving the high temperature properties unchanged or minimally changed. The cracking resistance additive corresponds to a compound that is a liquid at both the low temperature performance grade for the asphalt and at mixing and/or storage temperature for the asphalt. Examples of compounds that, in an appropriate molecular weight range, are liquids across this broad temperature range include polyalphaolefins, alkylated naphthalenes, and organic esters.

Asphalt compositions with cracking resistance additives

Disclosed is a high performance asphalt comprising a mixture of low to moderate performance asphalt with linear or branch chain alkyl substituted aromatic sulfonic acid. The high performance asphalt is made by mixing the low to moderate performance asphalt with 1 to 10 wt % linear or branched chain C&#x2013;Calkyl substituted aromatic sulfonic acid at a temperature of 175&#xb0; C. and less.

High performance asphalt using alkyl aromatic sulfonic acid asphaltene dispersants

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

This invention relates to a composition and method for improving the storage stability of an asphalt that contains a higher molecular weight polymer having a number average molecular weight of at least about 10,000 which comprises adding a storage stable improving amount of a polymerized alpha-olefin prepared from an alpha-olefin of the formula ##STR1## where R is C.sub.6 to C.sub.50 alkyl, R.sup.1 is hydrogen or C.sub.6 to C.sub.50 alkyl, wherein the polymerized alpha-olefin has a number average molecular weight of from about 500 to 5,000 and is characterized in that it has a congealing and melting point which is essentially no higher than the congealing and melting point of the alpha-olefin from which it is prepared.

Composition and method for improving the storage stability of polymer

This invention relates to a method of producing a softer asphalt product with improved low temperature properties and reduced solids buildup from an asphalt feed which comprises measuring the penetration and Penetration Index of the asphalt feed and heat soaking the asphalt feed in the presence of at least one C.sub.1 to C.sub.5 halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbon as dehydrogenation agent wherein from about 0.05 to about 10 wt. % of the dehydrogenation agent, based on weight of the asphalt, is present during heat soaking, at a temperature ranging between about 300.degree. C. and about 400.degree. C., said temperature being sufficient to increase the penetration and Penetration Index over that of the asphalt feed provided that the temperature should not exceed the temperature at which onset of coking occurs and further provided that the asphalt product has a trichloroethylene solubles content of at least about 99.5 wt. %, based on asphalt.

Method of producing asphalt having an increased penetration and

This invention relates to a method for producing asphalt that has improved low temperature properties. More specifically, the penetration and Penetration Index of an asphalt can be increased if the asphalt is heat soaked in the presence of a dehydrogenation agent at a temperature above the temperature at which oxidation of the asphalt occurs and below the temperature at which coking is initiated. Polyvinyl chloride and a chlorinated wax are preferred dehydrogenation agents.

A lubricating composition having improved high and low temperature properties is disclosed. More specifically, the addition of a certain ethylene copolymers having a Melt Index of at least about 40 g/10 mins. to a mixture comprising (1) a lubricating oil, (2) a thickener, and (3) a VI improver results in a lubricating composition which has both excellent high temperature adhesiveness and low temperature slumpability.

Grease composition containing an ethylene copolymer having a melt index

This invention relates to a composition and method for improving the storage stability of acid treated polymer modified asphalts. More specifically, the storage stability of an asphalt which contains greater than 1.0 wt. % polymer can be improved by adding a branched, rather than a non-branched, polymer to an asphalt which has previously been reacted with an inorganic acid. The storage stable acid treated branched polymer modified asphalt thus produced is particularly well suited for use as a binder in paving materials and as a coating or saturant for roofing shingles.

Using branched polymers to improve the storage stability of acid treated

This invention relates to a composition and method for improving the storage stability of polymer modified asphalts. More specifically, the storage stability of an asphalt which contains greater than 1.0 wt. % polymer can be improved by adding the polymer to an asphalt which has previously been reacted with an inorganic acid. The storage stable acid treated polymer modified asphalt thus produced is particularly well suited for use as a binder in paving materials and as a coating or saturant for roofing shingles.

Method for improving the storage stability of polymer modified asphalt

An asphaltic composition having improved tensile properties is disclosed. Also disclosed is a method for producing said composition which comprises:

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Sarnia, Canada

Lyle Edwin Moran