US 12,384,976 B2
Apparatus and process for upgrading heavy hydrocarbons
Eric B. Shen, Basking Ridge, NJ (US); Anjaneya S. Kovvali, Herndon, VA (US); Aruna Ramkrishnan, Bridgewater, NJ (US); Arun K. Sharma, Hellertown, PA (US); Samuel J. Cady, Morristown, NJ (US); Stephen H. Brown, Lebanon, NJ (US); Rustom M. Billimoria, Hellertown, PA (US); Brenda A. Raich, Annandale, NJ (US); Bryan A. Patel, Jersey City, NJ (US); Phillip K. Schoch, Bridgewater, NJ (US); and John Della Mora, North York (CA)
Assigned to EXXONMOBIL TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING COMPANY, Annandale, NJ (US)
Appl. No. 17/639,840
Filed by EXXONMOBIL TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING COMPANY, Annandale, NJ (US)
PCT Filed Aug. 14, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/046268
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 2, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/045882, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 11, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/896,153, filed on Sep. 5, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0333024 A1, Oct. 20, 2022
Int. Cl. C10G 65/00 (2006.01); B01D 3/10 (2006.01); B01D 3/14 (2006.01); B01J 8/20 (2006.01); C10G 67/04 (2006.01)
CPC C10G 67/049 (2013.01) [B01D 3/10 (2013.01); B01D 3/143 (2013.01); B01J 8/20 (2013.01); C10G 2300/202 (2013.01); C10G 2300/301 (2013.01); C10G 2300/302 (2013.01); C10G 2300/308 (2013.01); C10G 2300/42 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for upgrading a heavy hydrocarbon feed, comprising:
splitting an initial feedstock to form at least a first feedstock portion and a second feedstock portion, the first feedstock portion comprising 15 wt % to 95 wt % of the initial feedstock, the initial feedstock comprising a heavy hydrocarbon feed and 10 wt % or more of a first diluent, the first diluent comprising a 177° C.− portion;
separating the first feedstock portion to form a first fraction comprising a 566° C.+ portion, a diluent fraction comprising at least a portion of the first diluent, and one or more additional fractions comprising a 177° C.+ portion, the heavy hydrocarbon feed comprising an API gravity of 15° or less;
exposing at least a portion of the first fraction to hydroconversion conditions in a hydroconversion stage to form a hydroconverted effluent, the hydroconversion conditions comprising a net conversion of less than 90 wt % relative to 524° C.;
separating at least a pitch fraction comprising a 566° C.+ portion and an olefin-containing fraction from the hydroconverted effluent;
hydrotreating the olefin-containing fraction to form a hydrotreated product; and
blending the second feedstock portion, the one or more additional fractions, and at least a portion of the hydrotreated product to form a processed heavy hydrocarbon product having a kinematic viscosity at 7.5° C. of 350 cSt or less, an API gravity of 19° or more, the processed heavy hydrocarbon product comprising 20 wt % or less of a 177° C.− fraction relative to a weight of the processed heavy hydrocarbon product,
wherein the exposing at least a portion of the first fraction to hydroconversion conditions comprises exposing at least a portion of the first fraction and a recycle portion of the pitch fraction to the hydroconversion conditions, the hydroconversion conditions further comprising a per-pass conversion of 50 wt % or less relative to 524° C.