US 11,988,654 B2
Decreasing the adverse effects of nickel and vanadyl porphyrins in petroleum refining
Leonard Nyadong, Owasso, OK (US); and Jose Edgar Mendez Arroyo, Wexford, PA (US)
Assigned to Phillips 66 Company, Houston, TX (US)
Filed by PHILLIPS 66 COMPANY, Houston, TX (US)
Filed on Jun. 15, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/840,771.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/216,772, filed on Jun. 30, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0011703 A1, Jan. 12, 2023
Int. Cl. G01N 30/72 (2006.01); G01N 1/40 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 30/7266 (2013.01) [G01N 1/4055 (2013.01); G01N 2001/4061 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A process for producing a liquid transportation fuel in a commercial petroleum refinery, comprising:
a) preparing an asphaltene sample from a crude oil feed stock comprising unrefined petroleum by mixing an aliquot of the crude oil feeds stock with a solvent comprising a C5-C7 hydrocarbon solvent for a period of time, then separating a liquid phase comprising the C5-C7 hydrocarbon solvent plus extracted crude oil compounds from remaining solids, wherein the remaining solids comprise the asphaltene sample;
b) dissolving a portion of the asphaltene sample in a solubilizing solvent to produce solubilized asphaltenes and analyzing the dissolved asphaltenes by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry to produce mass spectra data, wherein the sample is contacted with an electrospray modifier comprising sodium prior to the analyzing;
c) examining features in the mass spectra data that collectively predict the concentration of porphyrins in the sample to determine a concentration of porphyins in the crude oil feed stock;
d) comparing the concentration of porphyrins in the sample crude oil feed stock to a predetermined threshold concentration to determine whether the concentration of porphyrins is equal to or greater than the threshold concentration; and
e) refining the crude oil feed stock in a petroleum refinery to produce at least one liquid transportation fuel when the concentration of porphyrins is less than the threshold concentration, and not refining the crude oil feed stock in a petroleum refinery to produce at least one liquid transportation fuel when the concentration of porphyrins is equal to or greater than the threshold concentration.