Process for demetallizing and desulfurizing heavy crude oil
First Claim
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1. A process for producing a synthetic crude oil of improved properties by desulfurizing, denitrogenating and demetallizing a heavy crude oil feed stock, said feed stock being a crude oil having an average boiling point at least as high as 500°
- F., an °
API gravity at 60°
F. of less than 20, and containing at least about 1 weight percent sulfur, which process comprises;
separating said heavy crude oil feed stock into four fractions including an atmospheric residuum fraction having an initial boiling point at least as high as 650°
F., a distillate fraction having a boiling range of from about 400°
F. to about 650°
F., a naphtha fraction having a boiling range of from about that of C5 hydrocarbons to about 400°
F., and a light hydrocarbon gas overhead containing predominantly hydrocarbon gases;
contacting the distillate fraction with a desulfurization catalyst, and with hydrogen gas, in a first hydrodesulfurization zone under conditions of temperature, hydrogen partial pressure, hydrogen flow rate, catalytic activity and space velocity such as to remove a substantial portion of the sulfur and nitrogen from the distillate fraction;
concurrently with such contacting of the distillate fraction, contacting at least a substantial portion of said residuum fraction with hydrogen gas in the presence of a hydrodemetallation catalyst also having hydrodesulfurizing activity, in a hydrodemetallation zone under conditions of temperature, hydrogen partial pressure, hydrogen flow rate, and space velocity such that a major portion of the nickel and vanadium metal content of the residuum is removed therefrom, and a substantial potion of the sulfur content of the residuum is concurrently removed therefrom;
thenrecombining the naphtha fraction, the hydrotreated distillate, and the hydrotreated residuum fractions to yield an improved, synthetic crude oil.
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Abstract
A heavy crude oil is fractionated into at least three liquid fractions which include a distillate fraction boiling in the 400° F.-650° F. range and a 650° F.+ boiling range residuum. The distillate cut is hydrodesulfurized and the residuum is hydrodemetallized. The cuts thus hydrotreated, and at least a part of the third liquid fraction, are then combined to form an upgraded synthetic crude oil of relatively low sulfur content and relatively low vanadium and nickel content.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A process for producing a synthetic crude oil of improved properties by desulfurizing, denitrogenating and demetallizing a heavy crude oil feed stock, said feed stock being a crude oil having an average boiling point at least as high as 500°
- F., an °
API gravity at 60°
F. of less than 20, and containing at least about 1 weight percent sulfur, which process comprises;separating said heavy crude oil feed stock into four fractions including an atmospheric residuum fraction having an initial boiling point at least as high as 650°
F., a distillate fraction having a boiling range of from about 400°
F. to about 650°
F., a naphtha fraction having a boiling range of from about that of C5 hydrocarbons to about 400°
F., and a light hydrocarbon gas overhead containing predominantly hydrocarbon gases;contacting the distillate fraction with a desulfurization catalyst, and with hydrogen gas, in a first hydrodesulfurization zone under conditions of temperature, hydrogen partial pressure, hydrogen flow rate, catalytic activity and space velocity such as to remove a substantial portion of the sulfur and nitrogen from the distillate fraction; concurrently with such contacting of the distillate fraction, contacting at least a substantial portion of said residuum fraction with hydrogen gas in the presence of a hydrodemetallation catalyst also having hydrodesulfurizing activity, in a hydrodemetallation zone under conditions of temperature, hydrogen partial pressure, hydrogen flow rate, and space velocity such that a major portion of the nickel and vanadium metal content of the residuum is removed therefrom, and a substantial potion of the sulfur content of the residuum is concurrently removed therefrom;
thenrecombining the naphtha fraction, the hydrotreated distillate, and the hydrotreated residuum fractions to yield an improved, synthetic crude oil. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
- F., an °
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17. A process for upgrading a heavy crude oil having an average boiling point at least as high as 500? F., an °
- API gravity at 60? F. of less than 20, containing at least about 1.0 weight percent sulfur, and having a combined nickel and vanadium ion content of at least about 1,000 ppm, which process comprises;
fractionating the heavy crude oil at atmospheric pressure to yield at least three fractions which include; an atmospheric residuum fraction having an initial boiling point at least as high as 650°
F.;a distillate fraction having a boiling range of from about 400°
F. to about 650°
F.;a third fraction having a boiling range having its highest temperature at least as low as 400°
F.;contacting the residuum fraction with a hydroemetallation catalyst in the presence of hydrogen under conditions of temperature, hydrogen partial pressure, hydrogen flow rate and space velocity such that major portions of the nickel, vanadium and sulfur present in the heavy crude oil are removed from the residuum fraction; substantially concurrently with such contacting of at least a major portion of residuum fraction, contacting the distillate fraction with a hydrodesulfurization catalyst in the presence of hydrogen gas under conditions of temperature, hydrogen partial pressure, hydrogen flow rate and space velocity such as to remove a substantial portion of the sulfur and nitrogen from the distillate fraction;
thenrecombining the hydrotreated distillate fraction and the hydrotreated residuum and a selected portion derived from the remainder of the fractionated heavy crude oil to yield a synthetic crude oil of selected characteristics. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
- API gravity at 60? F. of less than 20, containing at least about 1.0 weight percent sulfur, and having a combined nickel and vanadium ion content of at least about 1,000 ppm, which process comprises;
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23. A process for producing a synthetic crude oil of improved properties by desulfurizing, denitrogenating and demetallizing a heavy crude oil feedstock, said feedstock being a crude oil having an average boiling point at atmospheric pressure which is at least as high as 500°
- F., and API gravity at 60°
F. of less than 20, and containing at least about 1.0 weight percent sulfur, which process comprises;separating the heavy crude oil feed stock into four fractions which include; a relatively heavy residuum fraction having an initial boiling point at atmospheric pressure of at least -650°
F;a distillate fraction having a boiling range of from about 400°
F. to about 650°
F. at atmospheric pressure; anda relatively light naptha fraction having a higher boiling range than said distillate fraction and having a maximum boiling point of about 400°
F. at atmospheric pressure; anda light hydrocarbon gas overhead containing predominantly hydrocarbon gas; contacting the distillate fraction with a desulfurizing catalyst and with hydrogen gas in a first hydrodesulfurization zone under conditions of temperature, hydrogen partial pressure, hydrogen flow rate, catalyst activity and space velocity such as to remove a substantial portion of the sulfur and nitrogen from the distillate fraction; contacting at least a substantial portion of said residuum fraction with hydrogen gas in the presence of a hydrodesulfurization catalyst also having hydrodesulfurizing activity, in a hydrodemetallation zone under conditions of temperature, hydrogen partial pressure, hydrogen flow rate and space velocity such that a major portion of the nickel and vanadium metal contact of the residuum is removed therefrom, and a substantial portion of the sulfur content of the residuum is concurrently removed therefrom;
thenrecombining the naptha fraction, the hydrotreated distillate, and the hydrotreated residuum fractions to yield an improved synthetic crude oil.
- F., and API gravity at 60°
Specification