| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20090057192 | Deasphalter unit throughput increase via resid membrane feed preparation - The present invention relates to a process for improving a deasphalting unit process by producing an improved feedstream for the deasphalting process via ultrafiltration of a vacuum resid-containing feedstream. In particular, the present invention produces an improved quality feedstream to a solvent deasphalting process which results in improved deasphalted oil (DAO) production rates and/or higher quality deasphalted oils. The present invention can be particularly beneficial when used in conjunction with an existing deasphalting equipment to result in improved deasphalted oil (DAO) production rates and/or higher quality deasphalted oils from the existing deasphalting equipment without the need for significant equipment modifications to the existing deasphalting unit. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20090057196 | Production of an enhanced resid coker feed using ultrafiltration - This invention relates to a high-pressure ultrafiltration process to produce an improved coker feed for producing a substantially free-flowing coke, preferably free-flowing shot coke from an atmospheric and/or vacuum resid feedstock. The process of this invention utilizes a high-pressure ultrafiltration process to produce an intermediate product stream with improved the Conradson Carbon Residue (CCR) content which is utilized in either an improved delayed coking or a fluid coking process. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20090057198 | Upgrade of visbroken residua products by ultrafiltration - This invention relates to a process of producing an upgraded product stream from the products of a resid visbreaking process to produce an improved feedstream for refinery and petrochemical hydrocarbon conversion units. This process utilizes an ultrafiltration process for upgrading select visbreaking process product streams to produce a conversion unit feedstream with improved properties for maximizing the conversion unit's throughput, total conversion, run-time, and overall product value. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20090057200 | Production of an upgraded stream from steam cracker tar by ultrafiltration - This invention relates to a process of producing an upgraded product stream from steam cracker tar feedstream suitable for use in refinery or chemical plant processes or for utilization in fuel oil sales or blending. This process utilizes an ultrafiltration process for separating the steam cracker tar constituents resulting in a high recovery, low-energy process with improved separation and product properties. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20090057203 | Enhancement of saturates content in heavy hydrocarbons utilizing ultrafiltration - This invention relates to an ultrafiltration process for separating a heavy hydrocarbon stream to produce an enriched saturates content stream(s) utilizing an ultrafiltration separations process. The enriched saturates content streams can then be further processed in refinery and petrochemical processes that will benefit from the higher content of saturated hydrocarbons produced from this separations process. The invention may be utilized to separate heavy hydrocarbon feedstreams, such as whole crudes, topped crudes, synthetic crude blends, shale oils, oils derived from bitumen, oils derived from tar sands, atmospheric resids, vacuum resids, or other heavy hydrocarbon streams into enriched saturates content product streams. The invention provides an economical method for separating heavy hydrocarbon stream components by molecular species instead of molecular boiling points. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20090057226 | Reduction of conradson carbon residue and average boiling points utilizing high pressure ultrafiltration - This invention relates to a process for producing a product stream with improved reduction of Conradson Carbon Residue (“CCR”) and a reduced average boiling point from a heavy hydrocarbon feedstream utilizing a high-pressure, low-energy separation process. The invention may be utilized to reduce the CCR content and reduce the average boiling point in heavy hydrocarbon feedstreams, such as whole crudes, topped crudes, synthetic crude blends, shale oils, bitumen, oil from tar sands, atmospheric resids, vacuum resids, or other heavy hydrocarbon streams. This invention also results in a process with an improved CCR separation efficiency while maintaining permeate flux rates. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20090062590 | Process for separating a heavy oil feedstream into improved products - This invention relates to a process for separating a heavy hydrocarbon stream to produce at least one permeate product stream and at least one retentate product stream. The process utilizes an ultrafiltration process to designed to maximize the quality of the permeate and retenate product streams as well as process embodiments which improve permeate production quantities as well as improve the quality of the product streams obtained by the separations process. In preferred embodiments, the process includes configuration and operational parameters to maximize permeate yield and selectivity. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20100038286 | FOCUSED BEAM REFLECTANCE MEASUREMENT TO OPTIMIZED DESALTER PERFORMANCE AND REDUCE DOWNSTREAM FOULING - Performance of equipment, such as a desalter, in a refinery is monitored in real-time and on-line to minimize fouling of downstream equipment. Using an instrument to measure particles and droplets in-process allows monitoring of the various operations to optimize performance. Such measurement can also be used during crude oil blending to detect asphaltene precipitates that can cause fouling and can be used for monitoring other fouling streams. | 02-18-2010 |
| 20100059412 | Visbreaking yield enhancement by ultrafiltration - Ultrafiltration may be effectively used to produce visbreaker feeds of improved quality which enable the visbreaker to be operated at higher severity with higher yields of distillable products. A heavy oil feed stream is separated by ultrafiltration or membrane separation into a permeate fraction and a retentate fraction by contacting the heavy oil feed with the first side of a porous membrane separation element in a membrane separation zone. The permeate fraction, comprised of materials which pass selectively through the porous membrane element, is retrieved and at least a portion of it is subjected to visbreaking with the improved liquid yield, especially of lighter distillate fractions. The retentate fraction can be retrieved from the first side of the porous membrane and can also be subjected to visbreaking. | 03-11-2010 |
| 20100084316 | Desulfurization of heavy hydrocarbons and conversion of resulting hydrosulfides utilizing a transition metal oxide - The present invention is a process for desulfurizing hydrocarbon feedstreams with alkali metal compounds and regenerating the alkali metal compounds via the use of a transition metal oxide. The present invention employs the use of a transition metal oxide, preferably copper oxide, in order to convert spent alkali metal hydrosulfides in the regeneration of the alkali hydroxide compounds for reutilization in the desulfurization process for the hydrocarbon feedstreams. Additionally, in preferred embodiments of the processes disclosed herein, carbonates which may be detrimental to the overall desulfurization process and related equipment are removed from the regenerated alkali metal stream. | 04-08-2010 |
| 20100084317 | Desulfurization of heavy hydrocarbons and conversion of resulting hydrosulfides utilizing copper metal - The present invention is a process for desulfurizing hydrocarbon feedstreams with alkali metal compounds and regenerating the alkali metal compounds via the use of a copper metal reagent. The present invention employs the use of a copper metal reagent to convert spent alkali metal hydrosulfides in the regeneration of the alkali hydroxide compounds for reutilization in the desulfurization process for the hydrocarbon feedstreams. Additionally, in preferred embodiments of the processes disclosed herein, carbonates which may be detrimental to the overall desulfurization process and related equipment are removed from the regenerated alkali metal stream. | 04-08-2010 |
| 20100084318 | DESULFURIZATION OF HEAVY HYDROCARBONS AND CONVERSION OF RESULTING HYDROSULFIDES UTILIZING COPPER SULFIDE - The present invention is a process for desulfurizing hydrocarbon feedstreams with alkali metal compounds and regenerating the alkali metal compounds via the use of a copper sulfide reagent. The present invention employs the use of a copper sulfide reagent to convert alkali metal hydrosulfides in the generation or regeneration of the alkali hydroxide compounds which may be utilized in a desulfurization process for hydrocarbon feedstreams. Additionally, in preferred embodiments of the processes disclosed herein, carbonates which form as byproducts of the desulfurization process, and are non-regenerable with copper sulfide, are removed from the alkali hydroxide stream. | 04-08-2010 |
| 20100147739 | ADDITION OF HIGH MOLECULAR WEIGHT NAPHTHENIC TETRA-ACIDS TO CRUDE OILS TO REDUCE WHOLE CRUDE OIL FOULING - High molecular weight naphthenic tetra-acids are added to a base crude oil to prevent and/or reduce fouling of crude oil refinery equipment. The method includes adding an effective amount of a high molecular weight naphthenic tetra-acid to the base crude oil to form a crude oil mixture and feeding the crude oil mixture to a crude oil refinery component. Particularly, the high molecular weight naphthenic tetra-acids include ARN acids. | 06-17-2010 |
| 20100155298 | Process for producing a high stability desulfurized heavy oils stream - The present invention relates to a process for desulfurizing heavy oil feedstreams with alkali metal compounds and improving the compatibility of the to stream components in either the feed stream, an intermediate product stream, and/or the reaction product stream in the desulfurization process. The present invention utilizes a high stability aromatic-containing stream that is preferably added to the heavy oil prior to reaction with the alkali metal compounds. The resulting stream resists precipitation of reaction solids in the desulfurization reactors. Even more preferably, the desulfurization system employs at least two desulfurization reactors in series flow wherein the high stability aromatic-containing stream is contacted with the reaction product from the first reactor prior to the second reactor, wherein the first reactor can be operated at a higher severity than without the use of the high stability aromatic-containing component stream. | 06-24-2010 |
| 20110147271 | PROCESS FOR PRODUCING A HIGH STABILITY DESULFURIZED HEAVY OILS STREAM - Self-compatible heavy oil streams are produced from converted and/or desulfurized fractions. In a preferred embodiment, an incompatibility stream is added to the converted and/or desulfurized stream to reduce the solubility number of the stream. After using a water wash to remove incompatible material, a lighter fraction is removed from the stream to increase the solubility number. | 06-23-2011 |
| 20110147273 | DESULFURIZATION PROCESS USING ALKALI METAL REAGENT - Hydrocarbon feedstreams are desulfurized using an alkali metal reagent, optionally in the presence of hydrogen. Improved control over reaction conditions can be achieved in part by controlling the particle size of the alkali metal salt and by using multiple desulfurization reactors. After separation of the spent alkali metal reagent, the resulting product can have suitable characteristics for pipeline transport and/or further refinery processing. | 06-23-2011 |
| 20110147274 | REGENERATION OF ALKALI METAL REAGENT - After desulfurizing a hydrocarbon feedstream using an alkali metal reagent, the hydrocarbon feedstream can include particles of spent alkali metal salts. The spent alkali metal salts can be separated from the hydrocarbon feedstream and regenerated to form an alkali metal reagent, such as a alkali hydroxide or alkali sulfide. The regeneration process can pass through an intermediate stage of forming an alkali carbonate by successive reactions with carbon dioxide and calcium oxide. The calcium oxide can also be regenerated. | 06-23-2011 |
| 20120222553 | Pressure-Temperature Swing Adsorption Process - A pressure-temperature swing adsorption process for the removal of a target species, such as an acid gas, from a gas mixture, such as a natural gas stream. Herein, a novel multi-step temperature swing/pressure swing adsorption is utilized to operate while maintaining very high purity levels of contaminant removal from a product stream. The present process is particularly effective and beneficial in removing contaminants such as CO | 09-06-2012 |
| 20120222554 | Rapid Temperature Swing Adsorption Contactors for Gas Separation - Novel adsorbent contactors and methods are disclosed herein for use in temperature swing adsorption for gas separation applications, as well as for heat exchange applications. | 09-06-2012 |
| 20120222555 | Gas Purification Process Utilizing Engineered Small Particle Adsorbents - A gas separation process uses a structured particulate bed of adsorbent coated shapes/particles laid down in the bed in an ordered manner to simulate a monolith by providing longitudinally extensive gas passages by which the gas mixture to be separated can access the adsorbent material along the length of the particles. The particles can be laid down either directly in the bed or in locally structured packages/bundles which themselves are similarly oriented such that the bed particles behave similarly to a monolith but without at least some disadvantages. The adsorbent particles can be formed with a solid, non-porous core with the adsorbent formed as a thin, adherent coating on the exposed exterior surface. Particles may be formed as cylinders/hollow shapes to provide ready access to the adsorbent. The separation may be operated as a kinetic or equilibrium controlled process. | 09-06-2012 |
| 20120234728 | HEAVY OIL CONVERSION PROCESS WITH IN-SITU POTASSIUM SULFIDE GENERATION - The present invention relates to a process for regeneration of alkali metal salt reagent used in desulfurization of heavy oil feedstreams. In particular, the it present invention relates to a process utilizing potassium hydroxide as an external supply reagent to a heavy oil conversion process and in-situ conversion of the spent reactants utilized in such process into a potassium sulfide reagent for reintroduction into the heavy oil conversion process. | 09-20-2012 |
| 20120308456 | Selective Sulfur Removal Process - A cyclic process for selectively separating hydrogen sulfide from a gas mixture including CO | 12-06-2012 |
| 20120312163 | Temperature Swing Adsorption Process for the Separation of Target Species from a Gas Mixture - A temperature swing adsorption process for the removal of a target species, such as an acid gas, from a gas mixture, such as a natural gas stream. Herein, a novel multi-step temperature swing/pressure swing adsorption is utilized to operate while maintaining very high purity levels of contaminant removal from a product stream. The present process is particularly effective and beneficial in removing contaminants such as CO | 12-13-2012 |
| 20140161697 | SEPARATION OF CO2 AND H2S USING SUPPORTED AMINES - Methods are provided for removing CO | 06-12-2014 |
| 20140338921 | Method For Production Of Hydrocarbons Using Caverns - Embodiments described herein provide a system and methods for the production of hydrocarbons. The method includes flowing a stream directly from a hydrocarbon reservoir to a cavern and performing a phase separation of the stream within the cavern to form an aqueous phase and an organic phase. The method also includes flowing at least a portion of the aqueous phase or the organic phase, or both, directly from the cavern to a subsurface location and offloading at least a portion of the organic phase from the cavern to a surface. | 11-20-2014 |
