Systems, methods, and catalysts for producing a crude product

• US 7,678,264 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2006
• Issued: 03/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Inventors: Bhan, Opinder Kishan
• Primary Examiner(s): Caldarola; Glenn A
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCCAIG, BRIAN A
• Application Number:
  US11/400,295
• Publication Number:
  US 20060234877A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: 208/113, 208/114, 208118-124, 208142-143, 208210-212, 208243-244, 208/249, 208/254.R, 208/295
• US Class Current: 208/210
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 11/02 characterised by the catalyst used
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/107 Atmospheric residues having a boiling point of at least about 538 °C
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 45/04 characterised by the catalyst used

Abstract

Methods and systems for contacting of a crude feed with one or more catalysts produces a total product that includes a crude product are described. At least one of the catalysts is an uncalcined catalyst. The crude product is a liquid mixture at 25° C. and 0.101 MPa. The crude product has a nitrogen content of at most 90% of the nitrogen content of the crude feed. One or more other properties of the crude product may be changed by at least 10% relative to the respective properties of the crude feed.

Claims

1. A method of producing a crude product, comprising:

contacting a crude feed with two or more catalysts to produce a total product that includes the crude product, wherein the crude product is a liquid mixture at 25°

C. and 0.101 MPa;

the crude feed has a nitrogen content of at least 0.0001 grams per gram of crude feed;

wherein at least on the catalysts is a Column(s) 5-10 metal catalyst comprising at least vanadium and one other metal selected from Column(s) 5-10 of the Period Table and/or one or more compounds of vanadium and one or more metals from Column(s) 5-10 of the Periodic Table and a support comprised of at least 0.5 grams of theta alumina per gram of support; and

wherein at least one of the catalysts is a Column 6 metal catalyst that is obtainable by heating an uncalcined Column 6 metal catalyst precursor in the presence of one or more sulfur containing compounds at a temperature below 500°

C., wherein the uncalcined Column 6 metal catalyst precursor comprises;

one or more metals from Column 6 of the Periodic Table and/or one or more compounds of one or more metals from Column 6 of the Periodic Table and a support; and

controlling contacting conditions such that the crude product has a nitrogen content of at most 90% of the nitrogen content of the crude feed as determined by ASTM Method D5762.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nitrogen content of the crude product is at most 50% of the nitrogen content of the crude feed.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nitrogen content of the crude product is in a range from 0.1% to 75% of the nitrogen content of the crude feed.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the crude feed has from 0.0001 grams to 0.1 grams of nitrogen per gram of crude feed.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the crude product has from 0.00001 grams to 0.05 grams of nitrogen per gram of crude product.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the Column 6 metal catalyst has, per gram of catalyst, from 0.0001 grams to 0.3 grams of one or more of the Column 6 metals and/or one or more of the Column 6 metal compounds, calculated as total weight of Column 6 metal.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the Column 6 metal catalyst comprises in addition one or more metals from Columns 7-10 of the Periodic Table and/or one or more compounds of one or more metals from Columns 7-10 of the Periodic Table.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the Column 6 metal catalyst has, per gram of catalyst, from 0.001 grams to 0.1 grams of one or more of the Columns 7-10 metals and/or one or more of the Columns 7-10 metal compounds, calculated as total weight of Columns 7-10 metals.

9. The method as claimed in any of claim 1, wherein the Column 6 metal catalyst comprises in addition one or more metals from Column 10 of the Periodic Table and/or one or more compounds of one or more metals from Column 10 of the Periodic Table.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the Column 6 metal catalyst comprises molybdenum and/or tungsten.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the Column 6 metal catalyst further comprises nickel.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the Column 6 metal catalyst further comprises nickel and iron.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein a molar ratio of total molybdenum to total nickel and iron is at least 1.5.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the Column 6 metal catalyst comprises in addition one or more elements from Column 15 of the Periodic Table and/or one or more compounds of one or more elements from Column 15 of the Periodic Table.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the Column 6 metal catalyst comprises in addition phosphorus.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the Column 6 metal catalyst has in addition, per gram of catalyst, from 0.001 grams to 0.05 grams of phosphorus and/or one or more compounds of phosphorus, calculated as total weight of phosphorus.

17. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the Column 6 metal catalyst has at most 0.001 grams per gram of catalyst of one or more metals from Column 5 of the Periodic Table and/or one or more compounds of one or more metals from Column 5 of the Periodic Table, calculated as total weight of Column 5 metal.

18. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the Column 6 metal catalyst has a median pore diameter of at least 120 Å

and at most 300 Å

, wherein pore size distribution is as determined by ASTM Method D4282.

19. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the Column 6 metal catalyst has a pore size distribution such that at least 60% of the total number of pores in the pore size distribution are within 45 Å

of the median pore diameter of the pore size distribution.

20. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the Column 6 metal catalyst comprises in addition a support, and the support has, per gram of support, at least 0.8 grams of gamma alumina.

21. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein the Column 6 metal catalyst support has, per gram of support, at most 0.1 grams of silica.

22. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein crude feed also has a C₅ asphaltenes content, and the crude product has a C₅ asphaltenes content of at most 90% of the C₅ asphaltenes content of the crude feed, wherein C₅ asphaltenes content is as determined by ASTM Method D2007.

23. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the crude product has a viscosity at 37.8°

C. (100°

F.) of at most 90% of the viscosity at 37.8°

C. of the crude feed, wherein viscosity is as determined by ASTM Method D445.

24. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the crude feed also has a sulfur content, and the crude product has a sulfur content of at most 90% of the sulfur content of the crude feed, wherein sulfur content is as determined by ASTM Method D4294.

25. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the crude feed also has a residue content, and the crude product has a residue content of at most 90% of the residue content of the crude feed, wherein residue content is as determined by ASTM Method D5307.

26. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contacting is performed in the presence of a hydrogen source.

27. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the contacting conditions comprise:

a temperature within the range of 50°

C. to 500°

C.;

a total pressure within a range of 0.1 MPa to 20 MPa;

a liquid hourly space velocity of at least 0.05 h<sup>−

1</sup>; and

a ratio of a gaseous hydrogen source to the crude feed in a range from 0.1 Nm³/m³ to 100,000 Nm³/m³.

28. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a crude feed/total product mixtures has a P-value of at least 1.5 during contacting.

29. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises combining the crude product with a crude that is the same as or different from the crude feed to form a blend.

30. The method of claim 1 or claim 29 further comprising the step of processing the crude product or blend to produce transportation fuel, heating fuel, lubricants, or chemicals.

31. The method of claim 1 wherein the crude feed is contacted with the Column(s) 5-10 metal catalyst and is subsequently contacted with the Column 6 metal catalyst.