Systems and methods for holistic low carbon intensity fuel production

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12092999-B2
Application number	US-202318131601-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 6, 2023
Priority date	Aug 4, 2020
Publication date	Sep 17, 2024
Grant date	Sep 17, 2024

Abstract

Systems and methods to provide low carbon intensity (CI) transportation fuels through one or more targeted reductions of carbon emissions based upon an analysis of carbon emissions associated with a combination of various options for feedstock procurement, feedstock refining, processing, or transformation, and fuel product distribution pathways to end users. Such options are selected to maintain the total CI (carbon emissions per unit energy) of the transportation fuel below a pre-selected threshold that defines an upper limit of CI for the transportation fuel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A process to provide a low carbon intensity (CI) transportation fuel obtained through one or more targeted reductions of carbon emissions, the process comprising:
selecting a carbon intensity (CI) threshold to define an upper limit for CI of a transportation fuel;
selecting a refinery feedstock to be procured at a source for transport that maintains the CI of the transportation fuel below the carbon intensity threshold;
selecting a transportation mode to transport the refinery feedstock from the source to a refinery that maintains the carbon intensity of the transportation fuel below the carbon intensity threshold;
selecting one or more refinery processes to reduce carbon emissions and maintain the carbon intensity of the transportation fuel below the carbon intensity threshold;
refining the refinery feedstock into one or more of a plurality of refined products together with operating the selected one or more refinery processes;
selecting a distribution mode to transport a quantity of one of the plurality of refined products as the transportation fuel from a refined products location to an end user location;
determining the CI of the transportation fuel as a function of carbon emissions per unit energy associated with procuring the selected refinery feedstock at the source, carbon emissions per unit energy associated with transporting the refinery feedstock from the source to the refinery by use of the selected transportation mode, carbon emissions per unit energy associated with refining the refinery feedstock into the one or more of the plurality of refined products together with operating the selected one or more refinery processes, and carbon emissions per unit energy associated with transporting the quantity of one of the plurality of refined products as the transportation fuel to the end user location by use of the selected distribution mode; and
outputting the transportation fuel through the selected distribution mode as low CI transportation fuel.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the refining the refinery feedstock into one or more of a plurality of refined products includes cracking at least a portion of the refinery feedstock.

3. The process according to claim 1 , further comprising blending one or more of a plant-derived ethanol, a biodiesel and a renewable diesel into the transportation fuel, and wherein the one or more refinery processes available at the refinery is selected from one or more of (a) power at least a portion of refinery equipment with electricity, (b) burn renewable natural gas, (c) generate refinery steam, or (d) generate electricity at the refinery by use of steam.

4. The process according to claim 3 , wherein the blending occurs at one or more of a refinery tank farm, the distribution mode, a terminal or the end user location.

5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of refined products includes two or more of gasoline, jet fuel, or diesel, and wherein the distribution mode transports the quantity of one of the plurality of refined products as the transportation fuel to a terminal.

6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein one or more of the transportation mode and distribution mode uses one or more of electric power generated from wind energy, electric power generated from solar energy, electric power generated by a hydroelectric generator, electric power generated by a geothermal generator, or renewable diesel, and wherein the transportation mode is selected from one or more of: rail, truck, barge, or pipeline.

7. The process according to claim 1 , further comprising determining a ratio of the plurality of refined products that yield from refining each refinery feedstock.

8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein electricity generated by a renewable source includes electricity generated by one or more of a wind turbine, a solar array, a geothermal generator, or a hydroelectric generator.

9. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the function of carbon emissions per unit energy associated with procuring the selected refinery feedstock at the source includes carbon emissions per unit energy of the selected refinery feedstock and carbon emissions per unit energy for providing the refinery feedstock at the source, and the process further comprising maintaining a record that is associated with the transportation fuel to be provided to the end user location, the record detailing the carbon intensity of the transportation fuel.

10. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the step of selecting one or more refinery processes available at the refinery further includes one or more additional processes within the selected group, the additional processes selected group further comprise: increasing heat integration across one or more refinery processing units of a refinery process through a heat exchanger network, or reducing, by at least one, a selected number of refinery processing units being utilized within a refinery process that refine the refinery feedstock.

11. A fuel integration controller to operate a refinery for distribution of a low carbon intensity (CI) transportation fuel therefrom, the fuel integration controller comprising:
one or more of each an input and an output in signal communication with a refinery controller, the refinery controller to control one or more refinery processes to be operated at the refinery, such that the fuel integration controller is configured to:
(a) determine a selection of one or more available feedstock, a selection of one or more feedstock transportation pathways, a selection of one or more refinery processes, a selection of one or more blending processes, a selection of one or more utilities, or a selection of one or more refined product distribution pathways, each selection based on:
(1) a feedstock carbon intensity (CI) of one or more available feedstock,
(2) a feedstock transportation CI of one or more feedstock transportation pathways,
(3) a determination of refinery process CI of one or more refinery processes based on a type of refinery process, a volume and type of feedstock, and a length of time of the refinery process,
(4) a determination of a blending process CI of one or more blending processes based on a type of blending process, a volume and type of refined transportation fuel, a volume and type of intermediates, and a volume and type of additives,
(5) a determination of utility CI of one or more utilities based on a type of utility to operate the one or more refinery processes, a type of utility to operate the one or more blending processes, and a distance each utility travels to reach the refinery,
(6) a determination of refined product distribution CI of one or more fuel product distribution pathways based on delivery distance, a volume of a refined transportation fuel, and fuel type of the one or more refined product distribution pathways, or
(7) a determination of one or more total CIs less than or equal to the threshold CI based on varying combinations of the determinations of CI

(b) in response to one or more of the selections, initiate the selected one or more refinery processes, thereby to transform the selected one or more available feedstock to the refined transportation fuel, the selected one or more utilities to operate the one or more refinery processes determined such that the total CI is less than or equal to the threshold CI,
(c) in response to a determination of completion of the selected one or more refinery processes, initiate the selected one or more blending processes, thereby to output a refined and blended transportation fuel, the selected one or more utilities to operate the one or more blending processes determined such

Assignees

• Marathon Petroleum Co Lp

Inventors

• Whikehart David
• Herold Gregory

Classifications

• G06Q50/40

  Business processes related to the transportation industry (shipping G06Q10/083) · CPC title

• G06Q10/083

  Shipping · CPC title

• Y02P20/151

  Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions, e.g. CO2 · CPC title

• E21B43/25

  Methods for stimulating production {(by vibrating earth formations E21B43/003)} · CPC title

• E21B43/12

  Methods or apparatus for controlling the flow of the obtained fluid to or in wells (E21B43/25 takes precedence; valve arrangements E21B34/00) · CPC title