Methods of producing transportation fuel

• US 8,083,813 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2007
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Inventors: Nair, Vijay, Roes, Augustinus Wilhelmus Maria, Cherrillo, Ralph Anthony, Bauldreay, Joanna M.
• Primary Examiner(s): McAvoy, Ellen
• Assistant Examiner(s): WEISS, PAMELA HL
• Application Number:
  US11/788,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20080035346A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,712 Days
• Field of Search: 208 14- 20, 208/404, 208408-413, 208/424, 208/425, 208/428, 208/430, 208/431, 208/434, 208/435, 208/78, 208/79, 208/82, 208/85, 208/88, 208/92, 208/93, 208/95, 208/96, 208/97, 208/98, 208/99, 208101-132, 208/142, 208/143, 208/144, 208/177, 208/308, 208/4, 166/302, 166/267, 175 11- 17, 443/00, 585 1- 14
• US Class Current: 44/300
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 1/08 Tubular products
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/013 one layer being formed of an iron alloy or steel, another layer being formed of a metal other than iron or aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/015 the said other metal being copper or nickel or an alloy thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/202 Conductive
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/208 Magnetic, paramagnetic
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 9/002 comprising natural stone or artificial stone
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 9/045 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: C21D 2211/001 Austenite
• CPC Class Codes: C21D 2211/004 Dispersions; Precipitations
• CPC Class Codes: C21D 2211/005 Ferrite
• CPC Class Codes: C21D 6/002 containing Cr C21D6/004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C21D 6/007 containing Co
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/02 containing silicon
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/04 containing manganese
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/10 containing cobalt
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/12 containing tungsten, tantalum, molybdenum, vanadium, or niobium
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/14 containing titanium or zirconium
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/24 with vanadium
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/28 with titanium or zirconium
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 38/30 with cobalt
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 36/04 : using electrical heaters
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/2401 : by means of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/10 : Regulating voltage or current G05F1/02 takes precedence; for electric railways B60M3/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 166/902 : for inhibiting corrosion or coating

Abstract

Systems, methods, and heaters for treating a subsurface formation are described herein. At least one method for producing transportation fuel is described herein. The method for producing transportation fuel may include providing formation fluid having a boiling range distribution between −5° C. and 350° C. from a subsurface in situ heat treatment process to a subsurface treatment facility. A liquid stream may be separated from the formation fluid. The separated liquid stream may be hydrotreated and then distilled to produce a distilled stream having a boiling range distribution between 150° C. and 350° C. The distilled liquid stream may be combined with one or more additives to produce transportation fuel.

Claims

1. A method of producing transportation fuel, comprising:

providing a highly paraffinic formation fluid produced from a subsurface in situ heat treatment process to a gas/liquid separator, wherein a majority of the highly paraffinic formation fluid comprises highly paraffinic hydrocarbons having a boiling point distribution between −

5°

C. and about 350°

C.;

in the gas/liquid separator, separating from the highly paraffinic formation fluid a highly paraffinic hydrocarbon stream, wherein the separated highly paraffinic hydrocarbon stream has a boiling range distribution between about 50°

C. and about 350°

C., a total paraffinic content of at least 70% by weight, and a sulfur content of at least 0.01% by weight;

hydrotreating the separated highly paraffinic hydrocarbon stream to produce a hydrotreated highly paraffinic, low sulfur, hydrocarbon stream having a boiling range distribution between about 50°

C. and about 350°

C., a total paraffinic content of at least 70% by weight, a sulfur content less than the sulfur content of the separated highly paraffinic hydrocarbon stream, and a wear scar diameter of no greater than 0.9 mm;

distilling the highly paraffinic, low sulfur, hydrocarbon stream to produce a distilled highly paraffinic, low sulfur, hydrocarbon stream having a boiling range distribution between 150°

C. and 350°

C., a total paraffinic content of at least 70% by weight and a wear scar diameter of no greater than 0.9 mm; and

providing one or more additives to the distilled highly paraffinic, low sulfur, hydrocarbon stream having a boiling range distribution between 150°

C. and 350°

C., a total paraffinic content of at least 70% by weight, and a wear scar diameter of no greater than 0.9 mm to produce transportation fuel,

wherein boiling range distribution is determined using ASTM Method D5307, total paraffinic content is determined using ASTM Method D6730, sulfur content is determined using ASTM Method D4294, and wear scar diameter is determined using ASTM Method D5001.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transportation fuel is suitable for use in aircraft.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transportation fuel is suitable for use in diesel fuel consuming vehicles and equipment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the transportation fuel is suitable for use in aircraft and in diesel fuel consuming vehicles and equipment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the transportation fuel is suitable for use in military aircraft and in military diesel fuel consuming vehicles and equipment.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein separating the highly paraffinic hydrocarbon stream comprises removing lower boiling hydrocarbons from the highly paraffinic formation fluid to obtain the separated highly paraffinic hydrocarbon stream.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the distilled highly paraffinic, low sulfur, hydrocarbon stream has a boiling range distribution between 180°

C. and 330°

C. as determined by ASTM Method D5307.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least 50 percent by weight of hydrocarbons in the separated highly paraffinic hydrocarbon stream have a carbon number from 9 to 12 as determined by ASTM Method D6730.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein from 60 to 95 percent by weight of hydrocarbons in the separated highly paraffinic hydrocarbon stream have a carbon number from 8 to 13 as determined by ASTM Method D6730.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the separated highly paraffinic hydrocarbon stream has at most 15 percent by weight naphthenes, at most 5 percent by weight olefins, and at most 20 percent by weight aromatics as determined by ASTM Method D6730.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the separated highly paraffinic hydrocarbon stream has a nitrogen content of at least 0.01% by weight as determined by ASTM Method D5762.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the separated highly paraffinic hydrocarbon stream has a total aromatic content of at most 30% by weight as determined by ASTM Method D6730.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the distilled highly paraffinic, low sulfur, hydrocarbon stream has a sulfur content of less than 10 ppm by weight as determined by ASTM Method D4294.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the distilled highly paraffinic, low sulfur, hydrocarbon stream has a total aromatics content of at most 25% by volume as determined by ASTM Method D1319.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the transportation fuel has a boiling range distribution between 140°

C. and 330°

C. as determined by ASTM D2887, an API gravity between 37 and 51 as determined by ASTM D1298, a freezing point of at most −

47°

C. as determined by ASTM D5901, a viscosity of at most 8.0 mm²/s at −

20°

C. as determined by ASTM D445, a hydrogen content of at least 23.4% by weight as determined by ASTM D3343, an aromatics content of at most 25% by volume as determined by ASTM D1319, a sulfur content of at most 0.3% by weight as determined by ASTM D4294, a net heat of combustion of at least 42.8 MJ/kg as determined by ASTM D3338, and thermal oxidation stability properties of;

a heat tube deposit of at most 3 and a change in pressure drop of at most 25 mm Hg as determined by ASTM D3241.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the additives comprises corrosion inhibitor, static dissipate additive, fuel system icing inhibitor, antioxidant, detergents, surfactants, friction modifiers, or mixtures thereof.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the produced formation fluids comprise mobilized liquids.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the separated highly paraffinic hydrocarbon stream also has at most 15 percent by weight of naphthenes;

at most 5 percent by weight olefins; and

at most 30 percent by weight aromatics.