Method, apparatus and chemical products for treating petroleum equipment
First Claim
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1. A method for treating a petroleum plant or equipment of the petroleum plant during a running of the petroleum plant, comprising:
- maintaining, during a treatment period, the petroleum plant under a production operating condition, typical of the petroleum plant itself, which includes providing fresh feed to the petroleum plant;
while maintaining the petroleum plant under the production operating condition, there is carried out one or both of a) and b);
a) introducing in the petroleum plant, during the treatment period, a hydrocarbon-based treatment fluid;
b) varying an established feed rate, present at initiation of the treatment of the petroleum plant or equipment of the petroleum plant, which established feed rate ranges from a maximum operation rate for the petroleum plant, which is at or above a design feed rate for the petroleum plant, to a minimum operation rate which is set at a level for satisfying a minimum production operating state in the petroleum plant;
wherein said introduction of a hydrocarbon-based treatment fluid and/or said variation to the established feed rate generates an additional source or sources for distillation with respect to the amount provided by the established feed rate;
distilling said additional source or sources for distillation for the purpose of plant treatment; and
introducing a distillate into at least one of the fresh feed and a residue, the introduced distillate being an output of the petroleum plant that is pre-established as resulting during a non-treatment, normal operation state of the petroleum plant.
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Abstract
The present invention provides a method, an apparatus and chemical products for treating petroleum equipment wherein a fluid is flowing, preferably of the hydrocarbon type, and wherein treating is performed by establishing a closed or semi-closed flow circulation loop, during the normal production operations of the equipment. The treatment can refer to the cleaning of equipment, to yield improvement as compared to normal run conditions and/or to a reduction of coke formation and/or to coke removal on catalysts.
19 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for treating a petroleum plant or equipment of the petroleum plant during a running of the petroleum plant, comprising:
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maintaining, during a treatment period, the petroleum plant under a production operating condition, typical of the petroleum plant itself, which includes providing fresh feed to the petroleum plant; while maintaining the petroleum plant under the production operating condition, there is carried out one or both of a) and b); a) introducing in the petroleum plant, during the treatment period, a hydrocarbon-based treatment fluid; b) varying an established feed rate, present at initiation of the treatment of the petroleum plant or equipment of the petroleum plant, which established feed rate ranges from a maximum operation rate for the petroleum plant, which is at or above a design feed rate for the petroleum plant, to a minimum operation rate which is set at a level for satisfying a minimum production operating state in the petroleum plant; wherein said introduction of a hydrocarbon-based treatment fluid and/or said variation to the established feed rate generates an additional source or sources for distillation with respect to the amount provided by the established feed rate; distilling said additional source or sources for distillation for the purpose of plant treatment; and introducing a distillate into at least one of the fresh feed and a residue, the introduced distillate being an output of the petroleum plant that is pre-established as resulting during a non-treatment, normal operation state of the petroleum plant. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for treating a petroleum plant or equipment of the petroleum plant during a running of the petroleum plant, comprising:
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maintaining, during a treatment period, the petroleum plant under a production operating condition, typical of the petroleum plant itself, which includes providing fresh feed to the petroleum plant; while maintaining the petroleum plant under the production operating condition, there is carried out one or both of a) and b); a) introducing in the petroleum plant, during the treatment period, a hydrocarbon-based treatment fluid; b) varying an established feed rate, present at initiation of the treatment of the petroleum plant or equipment of the petroleum plant, which established feed rate ranges from a maximum operation rate for the petroleum plant, which is at or above a design feed rate for the petroleum plant, to a minimum operation rate which is set at a level for satisfying a minimum production operating state in the petroleum plant; wherein said introduction of a hydrocarbon-based treatment fluid and/or said variation to the established feed rate generates an additional source or sources for distillation with respect to the amount provided by the established feed rate distilling said additional source or sources for distillation for the purpose of plant treatment; and running the petroleum plant so as to increase an amount of distillates produce, circulating the increased amount of distillates in parts of the petroleum plant or equipment of the petroleum plant to be treated, and progressively reducing a pre-existing fresh feed rate.
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14. A method for treating a petroleum plant or equipment of the petroleum plant during a running of the petroleum plant, comprising:
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maintaining, during a treatment period, the petroleum plant under a production operating condition, typical of petroleum plant itself, which includes providing fresh feed to the petroleum plant; implementing a closed or semi-closed circulation loop inside said petroleum plant or equipment of the petroleum plant, wherein one or more distillates and/or products exiting the petroleum plant are withdrawn and re-introduced inside the petroleum plant or equipment of the petroleum plant to be treated upstream of the withdrawal point; while maintaining the petroleum plant under the production operating condition, there is carried out one or both of a) and b); a) introducing in the petroleum plant, during the treatment period, a hydrocarbon-based treatment fluid; b) varying an established feed rate, present at initiation of the treatment of the petroleum plant or equipment of the petroleum plant, which established feed rate ranges from a maximum operation rate for the petroleum plant, which is at or above a design feed rate for the petroleum plant, to a minimum operation rate which is set at a level for satisfying a minimum production operating state in the petroleum plant; wherein said introduction of a hydrocarbon-based treatment fluid and/or said variation to the established feed rate generates an additional source or sources for distillation with respect to the amount provided by the established feed rate; distilling said additional source or sources for distillation and re-introducing in said closed or semi-closed loop a portion of the distillates for treating the petroleum plant or equipment of the petroleum plant; and introducing a distillate into a least one of the fresh feed and a residue, the introduced distillate being an output of the petroleum plant that is pre-established as resulting during a non-treatment, normal operation state of the petroleum plant. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A method for treating a petroleum plant or equipment of the petroleum plant during a running of the petroleum plant, comprising:
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maintaining, during a treatment period, the petroleum plant under a production operating condition, typical of the petroleum plant itself, which includes providing fresh feed to the petroleum plant; while maintaining the petroleum plant under the production operating condition, there is carried out one or both of a) and b); a) introducing in the petroleum plant, during the treatment period, a hydrocarbon-based treatment fluid; b) varying an established feed rate, present at initiation of the treatment of the petroleum plant or equipment of the petroleum plant, which established feed rate ranges from a maximum operation rate for the petroleum plant, which is at or above a design feed rate for the petroleum plant, to a minimum operation rate which is set at a level for satisfying a minimum production operating state in the petroleum plant; wherein said introduction of a hydrocarbon-based treatment fluid and/or said variation to the established feed rate generates an additional source or sources for distillation with respect to the amount provided by the established feed rate; distilling said additional sources or sources for distillation for the purpose of plant treatment; and returning distillate, represented by the distillated additional source or sources for distillation, to a plant treatment area together with residue flowing together with the distillate, and with the combined residue and distillate coming into initial contact with fresh feed used in the production operating condition of the petroleum plant.
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Specification