Mobil Oil Corporation

Exxonmobil Research and Engineering Company

Roland Bernard Saeger

Jinping Long

Robert Frederick Heinemann

David Da-Teh Huang

Charles Lambert Baker, Jr

Robert A Ware

Kuangnan Qian

Stephen B Jaffe

Kaiyuan He

James M Brown

Arthur A Chin

William Neergaard Olmstead

Eric Bart Sirota

Clinton R Kennedy

Frank C Wang

Larry Arthur Green

James H Beech, Jr

Tracie L Owens

Beatrice Marie Gooding

Eugenio Sanchez

James A Stoos

Anthony S Mennito

Yogi V Shukla

Kathleen E Edwards

Jason B English

Anantha Sundaram

Helen S Wellons

Janet Lee Lane

Atul Gurunath Kanvinde

John T Rizzo

Anthony A Urbanelli

Fred P Endrizzi

A method of screening a hydrocarbon stream for potential toxicological hazards. The method involves providing a hydrocarbon stream; conducting 2-dimensional gas chromatography (2D-GC) analysis to quantify saturates and aromatic distribution in the hydrocarbon stream; identifying 2-8 ring aromatic distribution and weight percentage of 2-8 ring aromatic molecules in the hydrocarbon stream from the 2D-GC analysis; relating the weight percentage of 2-8 ring aromatic molecules in the hydrocarbon stream from the 2D-GC analysis to a mutagenicity index (MI), in which the MI is determined in accordance with ASTM Standard Method E 1687; and assessing a potential toxicological hazard of the hydrocarbon stream based on the weight percentage of 2-8 ring aromatic molecules in the hydrocarbon stream from the 2D-GC analysis and a MI threshold value. The 2-8 ring aromatic distribution preferably includes 3-6 ring aromatics, more preferably 3.5-5.5 ring aromatics. The 2-8 ring aromatic distribution includes mono alkylated and multi alkylated aromatic molecules.

Composition and method of screening hydrocarbons to limit potential toxicological hazards

Methods for generating molecular formula distributions beyond a predetermined threshold for a petroleum stream are disclosed. An initial molecular formula distribution within a predetermined threshold is obtained for a petroleum stream. A correlation between two or more molecular properties of the initial molecular formula distribution is identified, and the initial molecular formula distribution is extrapolated beyond the predetermined threshold along the correlation. The extrapolated molecular formula is renormalized based on renormalization data obtained from the sample. The renormalized molecular formula distribution can then be blended with the initial molecular formula distribution, reconciled to secondary analytical measurements, and/or used to create a model of composition and/or a molecular composition-based model of a resid upgrading process. Systems for implementing the methods are also disclosed.

System and method to generate molecular formula distributions beyond a predetermined threshold for a petroleum stream

Method for determining the composition of a material, including obtaining a reference model of composition (MoC) of the material based on a molecular formula distribution of the material, and reconciling, using at least one computer processor, the reference MoC to match at least one target property of the material, is provided. The reference MoC can be expressed as a combination of molecular lumps with associated reference percent. The reconciliation can be carried out using by constrained optimization of information entropy, and the optimization can be performed on a more coarse-grained basis relative to the reference MoC.

Method for reconciling a model of composition

A method to determine the model-of-composition of a vacuum resid in which the resid is separated into fractions including the DAO fraction which is then separated into chemical classes including saturates, aromatics, sulfides and polars by a combination of soft ionization methods. The results of the ionization analysis are reconciled with other analysis such as bulk analysis, then consolidated to generate the modeol-of composition.

Generation of model of composition of petroleum by high resolution mass spectrometry and associated analytics

The invention is a technique for predicting future haze formation in dewaxed, petroleum-derived, lubricant base stocks and, by extension, products made from such base stocks. In general, the technique measures the changes in light scattering caused by the formation and disappearance of wax crystals in a dilute test sample of neat base stock, over the course of a temperature profile. The data obtained is then compared to a previously formulated historical correlation of measurements taken using light scattering data to haze potential. The technique focuses on haze disappearance temperature as a reference point, as opposed to total wax formation. The technique also uses a solvent to accelerate the formation of wax crystals in the test sample. The technique provides a robust early warning system that allows refineries to rapidly and accurately determine the long term haze potential of a base stock production prior to release. The technique can be performed in real time, typically in less than an hour.

Method for predicting haze in lubricant base stocks

A method for determining the composition of a material including the steps of fitting multivariate analytical data of the material to a combination of multivariate analytical data in a database to determine coefficients of the combination so as to determine a reference model of composition based on the coefficients and the compositions in the database, wherein the database includes multivariate analytical data of database materials whose compositions are known, and reconciling the reference model of composition to match properties of the material.

Estimating detailed compositional information from limited analytical data

The present invention is directed to a heavy hydrocarbon composition useful as a heavy lubricant oil base stock and to a heavy lubricant composition derived from the heavy lubricant oil base stock that remains clear and bright even after being cooled to room temperature and stored for an extended period of time.

Lubricating base oil

The present invention is a method to determine the composition of a hydrocarbon feedstream from a small sample of hydrocarbons including the steps analyzing the sample with a combination of chromatograph and mass spectrometer, and reconciling output from step a) with other analytical measurements to determine to determine the composition of the hydrocarbon feedstream.

Micro-hydrocarbon analysis

Method for recovering gas from hydrates

An apparatus for producing gas hydrates includes a reactor vessel having a fluidized or expanded bed reaction zone. The reactor vessel has an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein a cross-sectional area of the upper portion is larger than a cross-sectional area of the lower portion. Water is introduced into the reactor vessel, and hydrate-forming gas is introduced, under an elevated pressure, into the lower portion of the reactor vessel. Preferably, the water and gas flow in a countercurrent manner through the reactor and into the fluidized or expanded bed reaction zone. The apparatus can include a mechanism for withdrawing unreacted hydrate-forming gas from the upper portion of the reactor vessel and recycling it back into the fluidized or expanded reaction bed. A defrosting device can be included with the reactor so that at least a portion of at least one wall of the reactor vessel can be defrosted. The invention further relates to methods for using a fluidized or expanded bed reactor to produce gas hydrates.

Method for producing gas hydrates utilizing a fluidized bed

A suitable slurry composition allows gas hydrates to be stored or transported under metastable conditions. The slurry includes gas hydrate particles and a carrier liquid for the gas hydrate particles. Suitable carrier liquids have a specific gravity in the range from about 0.6 to about 2, a pour point below about -20.degree. C. a viscosity of about 10 centipoise or less, and a thermal conductivity lower than that of the gas hydrate particles. The slurry can be stored or transported in a system that includes a container for holding the slurry; a device for agitating the slurry while in the container (e.g., a mixing blade, a rotating screw, a reciprocating box beam, or an ultrasound generator); a device for removing excess carrier liquid from the container while it is loaded or being loaded with gas hydrates and/or carrier liquid (e.g., a skimming device or a drain); and a device for reslurrifying the gas hydrates with carrier liquid before or during unloading of the gas hydrates from the container (e.g., a carrier liquid injection nozzle).

Storage and transport of gas hydrates as a slurry suspenion under

A method and apparatus for safely, conveniently, and inexpensively liberating gas from gas hydrates includes the use of a device, provided adjacent to or in the bulk gas hydrates, for exposing the gas hydrates to heat from a gas or liquid (preferably steam). The gas hydrates can be directly exposed to the gas or liquid or indirectly exposed through a thermally conductive coil or channel. The heat from the gas or liquid dissociates the gas hydrates into the corresponding gas component and water component. After liberation, the gas component can be collected for further storage, transport, or use. The apparatus further includes a mechanism for moving at least a portion of the gas or liquid through the device for exposing the gas hydrates to heat. The device for exposing the gas hydrates to heat also can be movable, so it can be maintained in close proximity to or in contact with the gas hydrates for continued efficient gasification of the hydrates.

Gas hydrate regassification method and apparatus using steam or other

The present invention provides a process for continuously producing clathrate hydrate. This process includes comprising the steps of:

Process for making gas hydrates

A gas hydrate storage reservoir includes at least one insulated wall defining an opening and a sunlight permeable top covering the opening. A gas-tight, gas hydrate storage cavity is defined within the top and the wall(s). A cover element is provided to cover at least a portion of the top to prevent sunlight from passing through that portion of the top. The gas storage reservoir also includes devices for removing gas and water from the storage cavity. In use, when gas is desired by the user, the cover element is removed from at least a portion of the sunlight permeable top so that sunlight will pass through the top and into the storage reservoir. Heat energy from the sun warms the exposed gas hydrates, thereby forcing the hydrates to dissociate into gas and water. The gas is removed from the tank and transported to an appropriate location for use. When sunlight is unavailable or when additional gas is needed than that produced by dissociation via the sun, an external, auxiliary heater (e.g., one or more heating coils, one or more coils or channels through which steam flows, one or more coils or channels through which a relatively warm gas or liquid flows, one or more electrical heating elements, a steam lance device, or a microwave generator) is provided to heat the hydrates. Through the use of the method and apparatus according to the invention, gas hydrates can be stored and regassified conveniently, inexpensively, and controllably, without loss of valuable gas products.

Gas hydrate storage reservoir

A process is disclosed for producing alkyl tertiary alkyl ether such as TAME from alkanol and hydrocarbon feedstock containing linear olefins, iso-olefins, linear alkanes and iso-alkanes such as C5 streams from FCC. The process selectively etherifies iso-olefins in a plural stage etherification zone whose linear olefin-containing effluent is treated by distillation to remove iso-alkanes, and alkanol before passing to a skeletal isomerization zone using constrained intermediate pore size zeolite catalyst such as ZSM-22, ZSM-23, or ZSM-35, which converts linear olefins to iso-olefins which are cycled for etherification. The use of distillation to remove iso-alkanes and alkanol reduces mass flow to the etherification process and minimizes skeletal isomerization catalyst poisoning by alkanol, without resort to water extraction processes which require subsequent treatment of the isomerization zone feed to remove water.

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Runnemede, NJ, United States of America

Roland Bernard Saeger