Ormat Industries Ltd.

Randall S Goldstein

Philip B Rettger

J Robert Friday

Lucien Y Bronicki

Richard L Hood

Jim Arnold

Phillip B Rettger

Benjamin Doron

Joseph Sinai

Yoram Bronicki

Philip Rettger

A novel apparatus for producing sweet synthetic crude from a heavy hydrocarbon feed includes: an upgrader for receiving the heavy hydrocarbon feed and producing a distillate fraction including sour products, and high-carbon content by-products; a gasifier for receiving the high-carbon content by-products and producing synthetic fuel gas and sour by-products; a hydroprocessing unit for receiving the sour by-products and hydrogen gas, thereby producing gas and sweet crude; and a hydrogen recovery unit for receiving the synthetic fuel gas and producing further hydrogen gas and hydrogen-depleted synthetic fuel gas, the further hydrogen gas being supplied to the hydroprocessing unit.

Method of and apparatus for upgrading and gasifying heavy hydrocarbon feeds

A novel apparatus for producing sweet synthetic crude from a heavy hydrocarbon feed comprising: an upgrader for receiving said heavy hydrocarbon feed and producing a distillate fraction including sour products, and high-carbon content by-products; a gasifier for receiving the high-carbon content by-products and producing synthetic fuel gas and sour by-products; a hydroprocessing unit for receiving the sour by-products and hydrogen gas, thereby producing gas and sweet crude; and a hydrogen recovery unit for receiving said synthetic fuel gas and producing further hydrogen gas and hydrogen-depleted synthetic fuel gas, said further hydrogen gas being supplied to said hydroprocessing unit.

Apparatus for upgrading hydrocarbon feeds containing sulfur, metals, and asphaltenes

A hydrocarbon source feed is upgraded using a solvent deasphalting (SDA) unit employing a solvent having a critical temperature T,by initially separating from a first hydrocarbon input stream fractions with an atmospheric equivalent boiling temperature less than about T,&deg; F. for producing a stream of T,fractions and a residue stream (T,stream), where T,is greater than about T,&minus;50&deg; F. In the SDA unit, a second hydrocarbon input stream which includes the residue stream is deasphalted for producing a first product stream of substantially solvent-free asphaltenes, and a second product stream containing substantially solvent-free deasphalted oil (DAO). The source feed may be included in either the first or second input streams. The DAO in the second product stream is thermally cracked for producing an output stream that includes thermally cracked fractions and by-product asphaltenes produced by thermally cracking the DAO. Finally, at least some the said thermally cracked fractions are included in the first input stream.

Method of and means for upgrading hydrocarbons containing metals and asphaltenes

Upgrading of a hydrocarbon feed containing sulfur, metals, and asphaltenes involves applying the feed to a distillation column for producing a substantially asphaltene-free, and metal-free distillate fraction and a non-distilled fraction containing sulfur, asphaltenes, and metals. At least some of the substantially asphaltene-free, and metal-free distillate fraction is converted to a hydrogen donor diluent. The non-distilled fraction is processed in a solvent deasphalting unit for producing a deasphalted oil stream and an asphaltene stream. After a combined stream is formed from the hydrogen donor diluent and the deasphalted oil stream, the combined stream is thermally cracked forming a thermally cracked stream that is applied to the distillation column.

Process and apparatus for upgrading hydrocarbon feeds containing sulfur, metals, and asphaltenes

A hydrocarbon source feed is upgraded using a solvent deasphalting (SDA) unit employing a solvent having a critical temperature T.sub.c by initially separating from a first hydrocarbon input stream fractions with an atmospheric equivalent boiling temperature less than about T.sub.f .degree. F. for producing a stream of T.sub.f.sup.- fractions and a residue stream (T.sub.f.sup.+ stream), where T.sub.f is greater than about T.sub.c -50.degree. F. In the SDA unit, a second hydrocarbon input stream which includes the residue stream is deasphalted for producing a first product stream of substantially solvent-free asphaltenes, and a second product stream containing substantially solvent-free deasphalted oil (DAO). The source feed may be included in either the first or second input streams. The DAO in the second product stream is thermally cracked for producing an output stream that includes thermally cracked fractions and by-product asphaltenes produced by thermally cracking the DAO. Finally, at least some the said thermally cracked fractions are included in the first input stream.

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Moraga, CA, United States of America

Randall S Goldstein