Methods for upgrading of contaminated hydrocarbon streams

• US 9,206,359 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2014
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Auterra, Inc., Cenovus Energy Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Auterra, Inc., Cenovus Energy Incorporated
• Inventors: Litz, Kyle E., Vreeland, Jennifer L., Rankin, Jonathan P., Rossetti, Mark N., Jordan, Tracey M., McCaskill, Trent A., Shipley, Erica, Clickner, Sarah
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tam M
• Application Number:
  US14/287,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20140339136A1
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 21/00 Refining of hydrocarbon oils, in the absence of hydrogen, by extraction with selective solvents C10G17/00, C10G19/00 take precedence
• 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 29/22 containing oxygen as the only hetero atom
• 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 oxidized-heteroatom contaminants is disclosed. The method includes contacting the oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed with a caustic and a selectivity promoter, and removing the heteroatom contaminants from the heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed.

Claims

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

contacting one of sulfoxide, sulfone, sulfonate, and sulfonic acid, and combinations thereof in the oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed with a second feed comprising at least one caustic and at least one selectivity promoter to form a first intermediate stream; and

removing the oxidized heteroatom contaminants from the first intermediate stream.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed is an unrefined crude oil.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one caustic and at least one selectivity promoter are recovered for reuse.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the oxidized heteroatom contaminants comprise sulfites, sulfates or a combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the oxidized heteroatom contaminants comprise sulfates.

6. 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.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the selectivity promoter is at least one of ethylene glycol and propylene glycol.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one selectivity promoter comprises an organic alcohol.

9. A method of upgrading an oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed by removing oxidized-heteroatoms contaminants, the method comprising:

separating one of sulfoxide, sulfone, sulfonate, and sulfonic acid, and combinations thereof from an oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed to form a first intermediate stream;

contacting the first intermediate stream with a second stream comprising at least one caustic and at least one selectivity promoter to form a second intermediate stream; and

removing the oxidized heteroatom contaminants from the second intermediate stream.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first intermediate stream is obtained by solvent extraction.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed is an unrefined crude oil.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one caustic and at least one selectivity promoter are recovered for reuse.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the oxidized heteroatom contaminants comprise sulfites, sulfates or a combination thereof.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the oxidized heteroatom contaminants comprise sulfates.

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

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the selectivity promoter is at least one of ethylene glycol and propylene glycol.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one selectivity promoter comprises an organic alcohol.

18. A method of upgrading an oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed by removing oxidized-heteroatom contaminants, the method comprising:

contacting one of amine oxide, a nitrate, a nitro compound, and combinations thereof in an oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed with a second stream comprising at least one caustic and at least one selectivity promoter to form a first intermediate stream; and

removing the oxidized heteroatom contaminants from the first intermediate stream.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed is an unrefined crude oil.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one caustic and at least one selectivity promoter are recovered for reuse.