Method of upgrading heavy crude oil
First Claim
1. A method of upgrading a heavy crude oil, comprising:
- (a) thermally cracking the heavy crude oil in a cracking vessel in the absence of a sweep gas, wherein the thermal cracking is conducted at a temperature less than or equal to 450°
C., to convert a portion of the heavy crude oil to volatile components while simultaneously venting the volatile components from the cracking vessel;
(b) mixing tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol (THFA) with the heavy crude oil prior to or during the thermal cracking;
(c) venting the THFA from the cracking vessel simultaneously with the thermal cracking, and separating the THFA from the condensable volatile components;
(d) separating the vented volatile components into condensable volatile components and non-condensable volatile components; and
(e) collecting the condensable volatile components, said components comprising cracked-distilled oil.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of upgrading a heavy crude oil (10) by thermally cracking (12) the heavy crude oil in a cracking vessel to convert a portion to volatile components (14) while simultaneously venting the volatile components from the cracking vessel. Tetrathydrofurfuryl alcohol is optionally added to the heavy crude oil feedstock before or during cracking. The vented volatile components are separated (16) into condensable volatile components (18) and non-condensable volatile components (20). The condensable components are collected and comprise cracked-distilled oil. The cracking residue (48) is removed from the cracking vessel and a cracking residue extract is prepared and mixed with the cracked-distilled oil to produce synthetic crude oil.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method of upgrading a heavy crude oil, comprising:
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(a) thermally cracking the heavy crude oil in a cracking vessel in the absence of a sweep gas, wherein the thermal cracking is conducted at a temperature less than or equal to 450°
C., to convert a portion of the heavy crude oil to volatile components while simultaneously venting the volatile components from the cracking vessel;(b) mixing tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol (THFA) with the heavy crude oil prior to or during the thermal cracking; (c) venting the THFA from the cracking vessel simultaneously with the thermal cracking, and separating the THFA from the condensable volatile components; (d) separating the vented volatile components into condensable volatile components and non-condensable volatile components; and (e) collecting the condensable volatile components, said components comprising cracked-distilled oil. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of upgrading a heavy crude oil, comprising:
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(a) thermally cracking the heavy crude oil in a cracking vessel in the absence of a sweep gas, wherein the thermal cracking is conducted at a temperature less than or equal to 450°
C., to convert a portion of the heavy crude oil to volatile components while simultaneously venting the volatile components from the cracking vessel;(b) removing a cracking residue from the cracking vessel, mixing a solvent with the cracking residue to produce a cracking residue extract and solvent mixture, and separating the cracking residue extract from the mixture; (c) separating the vented volatile components into condensable volatile components and non-condensable volatile components; and (d) collecting the condensable volatile components, said components comprising cracked-distilled oil. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification