PROCESS TO UPGRADE AND DESULFURIZE CRUDE OIL BY SUPERCRITICAL WATER

• US 20140251871A1
• Filed: 03/05/2013
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Inventors: Choi, Ki-Hyouk, Lee, Joo-Hyeong, Garhoush, Mohammad S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,914,885 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 208/208.R
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 11/0403 with a supercritical fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 11/0423 Applying ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/1033 Oil well production fluids
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/202 Heteroatoms content, i.e. S, N, O, P
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/208 Sediments, e.g. bottom sediment and water or BSW
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/4006 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/4012 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/42 Hydrogen of special source or of special composition
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 31/08 by treating with water
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 31/09 by filtration
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 45/26 Steam or water
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 53/02 plural serial stages only

Abstract

This present invention generally relates to a process for upgrading and desulfurizing crude oil using supercritical water. In general, the invention provides a process for removal of contaminants from a crude oil stream by mixing the crude oil stream with supercritical water and then filtering out the precipitated solid compounds that result from mixing the crude oil stream with supercritical water.

Claims

1. A process for removal of contaminants from a crude oil stream, the process comprising the steps of:

feeding a crude oil stream to a mixing apparatus;

feeding a supercritical water stream to the mixing apparatus;

mixing the crude oil stream and the supercritical water stream in the mixing apparatus to produce a mixed crude oil and supercritical water stream;

feeding the mixed crude oil and supercritical water stream to a physical filter to remove solid compounds from the mixed crude oil and supercritical water stream and to produce a filtered mixed crude oil and supercritical water stream;

feeding the filtered mixed crude oil and supercritical water stream to a unit for further processing.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the unit is a desulfurization unit.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the solid compounds are precipitated as a result of the crude oil stream and supercritical water stream mixing in the mixing apparatus.

4. The process of claim 3 wherein the solid compounds are alkaline compounds.

5. The process of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

feeding the supercritical water stream to a water filter to produce a filtered supercritical water stream before feeding the supercritical water stream to the mixing apparatus.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein the physical filter comprises two or more filters arranged in series.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein the physical filter comprises two or more physical filters arranged in parallel.

8. The process of claim 1 wherein the temperature of the mixed crude oil and supercritical water stream as it is fed to the physical filter is maintained at a temperature of over 400°

C.

9. The process of claim 1 wherein the physical filter is a cup-type filter, a membrane-type filter, or a depth-type filter.

10. The process of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

feeding the mixed crude oil and supercritical water stream to an apparatus for creating turbulent flow of the mixed crude oil and supercritical water stream to produce a turbulent flow mixed crude oil and supercritical water stream before feeding the mixed crude oil and supercritical water stream to the filter.

11. The process of claim 9 wherein the apparatus for creating turbulent flow is a continuous stirred tank reactor.

12. A process for removal of contaminants from a crude oil stream, the process comprising the steps of:

feeding a water stream below supercritical conditions to a water filter to remove solid compounds to produce a filtered water stream;

heating the filtered water stream to supercritical conditions using a heating apparatus to produce a filtered supercritical water stream;

feeding the filtered supercritical water stream to a mixing apparatus;

feeding a crude oil stream to the mixing apparatus;

mixing the crude oil stream and the filtered supercritical water stream in the mixing apparatus to produce a mixed crude oil and supercritical water stream;

feeding the mixed crude oil and supercritical water stream to a physical filter to remove second solid compounds from the mixed crude oil and supercritical water stream and to produce a filtered mixed crude oil and supercritical water stream;

feeding the filtered mixed crude oil and supercritical water stream to a unit for further processing.

13. The process of claim 12 wherein the physical filter comprises two or more filters arranged in series.

14. The process of claim 12 wherein the physical filter comprises two or more filters arranged in parallel.

15. The process of claim 12 wherein the temperature of the mixed crude oil and supercritical water stream as it is fed to the physical filter is maintained at a temperature of over 400°

C.

16. The process of claim 12 wherein the physical filter is a cup-type filter, a membrane-type filter, or a depth-type filter.

17. The process of claim 12 wherein the solid compounds are alkaline compounds in the water stream.

18. The process of claim 12 wherein the second solid compounds are alkaline compounds that precipitate as a result of the crude oil stream mixing with the supercritical water stream in the mixing apparatus.

19. The process of claim 12 further comprising the step of:

feeding the mixed crude oil and supercritical water stream to an apparatus for creating turbulent flow of the mixed crude oil and supercritical water stream to produce a turbulent flow mixed crude oil and supercritical water stream before feeding the mixed crude oil and supercritical water stream to the filter.

20. The process of claim 19 wherein the apparatus for creating turbulent flow is a continuous stirred tank reactor.

21. A process for removal of contaminants from a crude oil stream, the process comprising the steps of:

feeding a water stream to a water filter to remove solid alkaline compounds to produce a filtered water stream;

heating the filtered water stream to supercritical conditions using a heating apparatus to produce a filtered supercritical water stream, the filtered supercritical water stream being maintained at a temperature of over 400°

C.;

feeding the filtered supercritical water stream to a mixing apparatus, the filtered supercritical water stream being maintained at a temperature of over 400°

C.;

feeding a crude oil stream to the mixing apparatus;

mixing the crude oil stream and the filtered supercritical water stream in the mixing apparatus to produce a mixed crude oil and supercritical water stream;

feeding the mixed crude oil and supercritical water stream to a continuous stirred tank reactor to produce a turbulent flow mixed crude oil and supercritical water stream;

feeding the turbulent flow mixed crude oil and supercritical water stream, the turbulent flow mixed crude oil and supercritical water stream being maintained at a temperature of over 400°

C., to a physical filter to remove second solid compounds from the mixed crude oil and supercritical water stream to produce a filtered mixed crude oil and supercritical water stream;

feeding the filtered mixed crude oil and supercritical water stream to a unit for further processing.