Methods for upgrading of contaminated hydrocarbon streams

• US 8,764,973 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2012
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Auterra, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Auterra, Inc.
• Inventors: Litz, Kyle E., Vreeland, Jennifer L., Rankin, Jonathan P., Rossetti, Mark N., Jordan, Tracey M., McCaskill, Trent A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tam M
• Application Number:
  US13/560,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20120285866A1
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 208/265
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 19/073 with solid alkaline material
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 19/08 Recovery of used refining agents
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/201 Impurities
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/308 Gravity, density, e.g. API
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/805 Water
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 27/04 with oxygen or compounds generating oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 27/12 with oxygen-generating compounds, e.g. per-compounds, chromic acid, chromates plumbites or plumbates C10G19/06
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 53/12 including at least one alkaline treatment step
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 53/14 including at least one oxidation step

Abstract

A method of upgrading a heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed by removing heteroatom contaminants is disclosed. The method includes contacting the heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed with an oxidant to oxidize the heteroatoms, contacting the oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed with caustic and a selectivity promoter, and removing the heteroatom contaminants from the heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed. The oxidant may be used in the presence of a catalyst.

Claims

1. A method of upgrading a heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed by removing heteroatom contaminants, the method comprising:

providing an oxidized heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed;

contacting the oxidized heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed with at least one caustic and at least one selectivity promoter under biphasic conditions;

forming a heteroatom-free hydrocarbon and a sulfate salt;

removing the sulfate salt from the oxidized heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one caustic and the at least one selectivity promoter are different components.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the selectivity promoter has a pKa value, as measured in DMSO, in the range of from about 9 to about 32.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one selectivity promoter further comprises a crown ether.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one selectivity promoter is selected from the group consisting of a hydroxyl-functional organic compound;

straight, branched, or cyclic amines having at least one H substituent; and

/or mixtures thereof.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one selectivity promoter is a hydroxyl-functional organic compound.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the hydroxyl-functional organic compound is selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, triethanolamine, and/or mixtures thereof.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the hydroxyl-functional organic compound is ethylene glycol.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one caustic is selected from the group consisting of inorganic oxides and sulfides from group IA and IIA elements, inorganic hydroxides from group IA and IIA elements, and/or mixtures thereof.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one caustic is selected from the group consisting of NaOH, KOH, Na₂S, and or mixtures thereof.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one caustic and the at least one selectivity promoter are the same component.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the same component is formed in situ.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one caustic is a Group IA or IIA hydroxide and the at least one selectivity promoter is ethylene glycol.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the same component is formed prior to contacting the oxidized heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed with at least one caustic and at least one selectivity promoter.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the removal of the heteroatom contaminants from the heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed is by gravity.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the removal of the heteroatom contaminants from the heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed is by solvent extraction with water.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the mole ratio of caustic:

selectivity promoter is in the range of from about 10;

1 to about 1;

10.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the mole ratio of caustic and selectivity promoter:

heteroatom in the heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed is in the range of from about 100;

1 to about 1;

1.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of forming sulfite salt and other heteroatom containing salts;

and

removing the sulfite salt and other heteroatom containing salts from the oxidized hydrocarbon feed.