Hydroconversion process to upgrade the transport properties of heavy and extra-heavy crude oils at low severity conditions using dispersed-phase catalyst

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016362615-A1
Application number	US-201615182319-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 14, 2016
Priority date	Jun 15, 2015
Publication date	Dec 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to a catalytic hydroconversion process in dispersed phase of extra-heavy and heavy crude oils for upgrading their transport properties, that operates at low severity conditions, in such a way that the obtained product can be transported by conventional pumping to the distribution and refining centers.
The main technical contributions of the hydroconversion process in dispersed phase of this invention to upgrade the transport properties of heavy and extra-heavy crudes are:
Compact size and can be localized next to the production facilities on ground or offshore
Use of operating conditions at low severity Reduction of the viscosity and increase of the API gravity at values that allow the transportation by pipeline of heavy or extra-heavy crude Upgrading of the crude oil properties in a permanent way Hydrocarbon and gases from production centers are used as supplies Operation in dispersed phase avoiding plugging problems Use of low-cost disposable catalysts at low concentrations

First claim

1 . A catalytic hydroconversion process in dispersed-phase at low severity to upgrade the transport properties of extra-heavy and heavy crude oils with API gravity between 3 to 16 and kinematic viscosity at 37.8° C. higher than 6000 cSt, said process is characterized by a hot extra heavy-heavy crude oil at temperature in the range of 50 to 200° C. is fed to a feed/product heat exchanger with the aim of recovering heat from the reactor effluent before entering the direct tire heater, the extra-heavy or heavy crude oil is mixed with a hydrogen stream in a hydrogen/hydrocarbon ratio between 400-2500 ft 3 /bbl and a catalyst stream in concentrations of 0.5 to 2 wt. % with respect to the reactor feed. The hydrogen stream is a mixture of make-up hydrogen plus the gaseous effluent from the liquid/gas products separator; the reaction mixture is added to an adiabatic reactor in which the hydroconversion reactions take place at a temperature of 320-400° C., pressure of 30-100 Kg/cm 2 , liquid space-velocity between 0.1 and 3.0 h −1 ; the hot reactor effluent product is recovered in a gas/liquid separator and it is used to preheat the fresh feed. In this equipment, the hydroconverted liquid hydrocarbon fraction is separated with appropriated properties for transportation by conventional processing lines; the gaseous fraction is recycled to the direct fire heater for its feedback to the process; the composition of this gas includes hydrogen, hydrogen sulfide and light hydrocarbons at low concentrations.

2 . The catalytic hydroconversion process at low severity in accordance with claim 1 , characterized by the catalyst addition to the feed flow by dissolving it in a hydrocarbon (when it is a powder or oil-soluble) or water (when it is a water-soluble).

3 . The catalytic hydroconversion process at low severity in accordance with claim 1 , characterized operating conditions in the following ranges: reactor pressure between 40 to 80 Kg/cm 2 , reaction temperature between 350 to 380° C., hydrogen/hydrocarbon ratio between 400 to 1500 ft 3 /bbl, and liquid space velocity between 0.1 to 05 h −1 .

4 . The catalytic hydroconversion process at low severity in accordance with claim 1 , characterized by the use of a catalyst whose composition is based on the following elements: Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Mo, Cu, Cr, which are fed to the reactor together with the extra-heavy or heavy crude oils.

5 . The catalytic hydroconversion process at low severity in accordance with claim 1 , characterized by catalysts used in reactors in powder form with particle sizes of 5 to 500 microns.

6 . The process, in accordance with claim 1 , characterized by usirm catalysts with content of metal active of up to 80 wt. % of Mo or Fe.

7 . The catalytic hydroconversion process at low severity, in accordance with claim 1 , characterized by optional processing of the gases.

8 . The catalytic hydroconversion process at low severity, in accordance with claim 1 , characterized by operating with one or two reactors in parallel.

9 . The catalytic hydroconversion process at low severity, in accordance with claim 1 , characterized by having liquid yields up to 98 vol. %.

10 . The product obtained according to claim 1 , characterized by having upgraded transport properties with respect to the feed with increases in the API gravity of 8.4 units and reduction in viscosity measured at 37.8° C. of up to 98.5%.

11 . The process of claim 4 , wherein said catalyst is selected from the group consisting of molybdenum and iron oxides and sulfides.

Assignees

• Mexicano Inst Petrol

Inventors

• Ancheyta Juarez Jorge
• Ramirez Amador Sergio
• Leyva Inzunza Zenaida Carolina
• QUITIAN ARCINIEGAS Alexander

Classifications

• C10G45/04

  characterised by the catalyst used · CPC title

• C10G45/08

  in combination with chromium, molybdenum, or tungsten metals, or compounds thereof · CPC title

• C10G47/24

  with moving solid particles · CPC title

• C10G45/14

  with moving solid particles · CPC title

• C10G49/10

  with moving solid particles · CPC title