METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PRODUCING REDUCED RESID AND BOTTOMLESS PRODUCTS FROM HYDROCARBON FEEDSTOCKS

• US 20130171039A1
• Filed: 02/14/2013
• Published: 07/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ivanhoe HTL Petroleum Ltd. (FluidOil Limited)
• Original Assignee: Ivanhoe Energy Inc.
• Inventors: Graham, Robert, Freel, Barry
• Granted Patent: US 8,808,632 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/187
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 3/009 in combination with chemical reactions
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/4081 Recycling aspects
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 7/00 Distillation of hydrocarbon oils
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 9/28 with preheated moving solid material

Abstract

The present invention is directed to the upgrading of heavy petroleum oils of high viscosity and low API gravity that are typically not suitable for pipelining without the use of diluents. The method comprises introducing a particulate heat carrier into an up-flow reactor, introducing the feedstock at a location above the entry of the particulate heat carrier, allowing the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock to interact with the heat carrier for a short time, separating the vapors of the product stream from the particulate heat carrier and liquid and byproduct solid matter, collecting a gaseous and liquid product mixture comprising a mixture of a light fraction and a heavy fraction from the product stream, and using a vacuum tower to separate the light fraction as a substantially bottomless product and the heavy fraction from the product mixture

Claims

1. A system comprising:

i) an upflow reactor comprising;

a) at least one injector at at least one of a plurality of locations along the upflow reactor, the at least one injector for introducing the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock into the upflow reactor,

b) a particulate heat carrier, the particulate heat carrier present at a loading ratio of about 10;

1 to about 200;

1 with respect to the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock;

c) an inlet for introducing the particulate heat carrier, the inlet located below the at least one injection means,

d) a conversion section within the upflow reactor;

ii) a vacuum tower; and

iii) a controller configured to determine the energy requirements of an oil production facility.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a pre-heater for pre-heating the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock prior to introduction to the upflow reactor.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a separator at an outlet of the upflow reactor to separate gaseous and liquid products from the particulate heat carrier.