Reactive deasphalting process

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11866447-B2
Application number	US-202217591670-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 3, 2022
Priority date	Feb 3, 2022
Publication date	Jan 9, 2024
Grant date	Jan 9, 2024

Abstract

A method to convert asphaltenes to partially oxidized asphaltenes comprising the steps of treating the reactor feed in a tubular reactor to produce a reactor effluent, introducing the reactor effluent to a disengagement zone of a vessel reactor, introducing an oxidizing agent stream to the asphaltene collection zone of the vessel reactor, reacting the asphaltenes in the asphaltene-rich fraction with oxygen from the oxidizing agent, withdrawing a bottom reactor effluent from the asphaltene collection zone, reducing a temperature of the bottom reactor effluent to produce a cooled bottom effluent, reducing a pressure of the cooled bottom effluent in a pressure regulator unit to produce a centrifuge feed, separating the centrifuge feed in a centrifuge to produce a centrate, mixing the centrate and the upper upgraded stream in a product mixer to produce a mixed upgraded stream, and separating the mixed upgraded stream in a three-phase separator.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A method to convert asphaltenes to partially oxidized asphaltenes, the method comprising the steps of:
increasing a pressure of a feedstock in a feedstock pump to produce a pressurized feedstock, wherein the feedstock comprises greater than 0.1 weight percent of carbon 7-asphaltene (C7-asphaltene) content;
increasing a temperature of the pressurized feedstock in a feedstock heater to produce a heated feedstock;
increasing a pressure of a water stream in a water pump to produce a pressurized water stream;
increasing a temperature of the pressurized water stream in a water heater to produce a supercritical water;
mixing the heated feedstock and the supercritical water in a feed mixer to produce a mixed feed, wherein a temperature of the mixed feed is between 100° C. and 400° C.;
increasing a temperature of the mixed feed in a pre-heater to produce a reactor feed;
treating the reactor feed in a tubular reactor to produce a reactor effluent, wherein the tubular reactor comprises one or more pipes in series, wherein the temperature in the tubular reactor is between 374° C. and 500° C., wherein the pressure is between 220 barg and 330 barg, wherein the residence time is between 0.5 minutes and 30 minutes;
introducing the reactor effluent to a disengagement zone of a vessel reactor, wherein an asphaltene-rich fraction disengages from a non-asphaltene fraction and flows to an asphaltene collection zone of the vessel reactor, wherein the disengagement zone is positioned at a greater elevation than the asphaltene collection zone, wherein the asphaltene-rich fraction comprises asphaltenes;
introducing an oxidizing agent stream to the asphaltene collection zone of the vessel reactor, wherein the oxidizing agent stream comprises an oxidizing agent and water;
reacting the asphaltenes in the asphaltene-rich fraction with oxygen from the oxidizing agent to produce partially oxidized asphaltenes, wherein a temperature in the vessel reactor is in the range between 374° C. and 500° C., wherein a pressure in the vessel reactor is between 220 barg and 330 barg;
withdrawing an upper reactor effluent from the disengagement zone;
withdrawing a bottom reactor effluent from the asphaltene collection zone;
reducing a temperature of the upper reactor effluent in an upper cooler to produce a cooled upper effluent, wherein the temperature of the cooled upper effluent is between 50° C. and 150° C.;
reducing a pressure of the cooled upper effluent in a pressure control unit to produce an upper upgraded stream, wherein the pressure of the upper upgraded stream is between 1 barg and 5 barg;
reducing a temperature of the bottom reactor effluent in a bottom cooler to produce a cooled bottom effluent, wherein the temperature of the cooled bottom effluent is between 70° C. and 150° C.;
reducing a pressure of the cooled bottom effluent in a pressure regulator unit to produce a centrifuge feed, wherein the pressure of the centrifuge feed is between 1 barg and 5 barg;
separating the centrifuge feed in a centrifuge to produce a centrate and a rejected phase, wherein the temperature in the centrifuge is between 20° C. and 90° C., wherein the rejected phase comprises flocculated asphaltenes, wherein the flocculated asphaltenes comprise partially oxidized asphaltenes;
mixing the centrate and the upper upgraded stream in a product mixer to produce a mixed upgraded stream; and
separating the mixed upgraded stream in a three-phase separator to a produce gas product, an upgraded oil product, and a water product.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a temperature of the heated feedstock is between between 100° C. and 250° C. and a pressure is between 220 barg and 330 barg.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a temperature of the supercritical water is between 374° C. and 600° C. and a pressure is between 220 barg and 330 barg.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the oxidizing agent is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide, organic peroxide, oxygen gas, air, or combinations of the same.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tubular reactor comprises 4 pipes in series.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a flow rate of oxidizing agent stream is such that an amount oxygen is in the range of 10% to 300% of the mass amount of C7-asphaltene content.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the total volume of the vessel reactor is equal to 0.1 to 1 times the volumetric flow rate of the reactor effluent.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the volume of the disengagement zone to the volume of the asphaltene collection zone is between 1:1 and 10:1.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the diameter of the disengagement zone to the volume of the asphaltene collection zone is between 2:1 and 5:1.

10. A system to convert asphaltenes to partially oxidized asphaltenes, the system comprising:
a feedstock pump configured to increase a pressure of a feedstock to produce a pressurized feedstock, wherein the feedstock comprises greater than 0.1 weight percent of carbon 7-asphaltene (C7-asphaltene) content;
a feedstock heater fluidly connected to the feedstock pump, the feedstock heater configured to increase a temperature of the pressurized feedstock to produce a heated feedstock;
a water pump configured to increase a pressure of a water stream to produce a pressurized water stream;
a water heater fluidly connected to the water pump, the water heater configured to produce a supercritical water;
a feed mixer fluidly connected to the feedstock heater and the water heater, the feed mixer configured to mix the heated feedstock and the supercritical water to produce a mixed feed, wherein the feed mixer is selected from the group consisting of an ultrasonic device, agitator-equipped vessel, and a tee fitting;
a pre-heater fluidly connected to the feed mixer, the pre-heater configured to produce a reactor feed;
a tubular reactor fluidly connected to the pre-heater, the tubular reactor configured to produce a reactor effluent, wherein the tubular reactor comprises one or more pipes in series, wherein the tubular reactor has a residence time between 0.5 minutes and 30 minutes;
a vessel reactor fluidly connected to the tubular reactor, the vessel reactor configured to produce an upper reactor effluent and a bottom reactor effluent, wherein the vessel reactor comprises a disengagement zone and an asphaltene collection zone, wherein the disengagement zone is positioned at a greater elevation than the asphaltene collection zone, wherein a distributer in the asphaltene collection zone is configured to distribute oxidizing agent stream into the asphaltene collection zone, wherein the oxidizing agent stream comprises oxidizing agent and water;
an upper cooler fluidly connected to the disengagement zone, the upper cooler configured to produce a cooled upper effluent;
a pressure control unit fluidly connected to the upper cooler, the pressure control unit configured to produce an upper upgraded stream;
a bottom cooler fluidly connected to the asphaltene collection zone, the bottom cooler configured to produce a cooled bottom effluent;
a pressure regulator unit fluidly connected to the bottom cooler, the pressure regulator unit configured to produce a centrifuge feed;
a centrifuge fluidly connected to the pressure regulator unit, the centrifuge configured to produce a centrate and a rejected phase;
a product mixer fluidly connected to the pressure control unit and the centrifuge, the product mixer configured to mix the upper upgraded stream and the centrate to produce a mixed upgraded stream; and
a three-phase separator fluidly connected to the product mixer, the three-phase separator configured to produce a ga

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Choi Ki-Hyouk
• Garhoush Mohammad Saeed
• Khathami Tariq Abdullah
• Alotaibi Obied Abdulrahman
• Aldossary Mohammed Saad

Classifications

• C07D495/22 Primary

  in which the condensed system contains four or more hetero rings · CPC title

• B01D17/02

  Separation of non-miscible liquids · CPC title

• B01D19/0068

  General arrangements, e.g. flowsheets (B01D19/0063 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B01J19/0006

  Controlling or regulating processes (controlling or regulating in general G05) · CPC title

• B01J19/0013

  Controlling the temperature of the process · CPC title