Upgrading fischer-tropsch and petroleum-derived naphthas and distillates

Abstract

A process for upgrading at least one of a Fischer-Tropsch naphtha and a Fischer-Tropsch distillate to produce at least one of a gasoline component, a distillate fuel or a lube base feedstock component. The process includes reforming a Fischer-Tropsch naphtha to produce hydrogen by-product and a gasoline component with a research octane rating of at least about 80. The process further includes upgrading a Fischer-Tropsch distillate using the hydrogen by-product to produce a distillate fuel and/or a lube base feedstock component.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A process for upgrading at least one of a Fischer-Tropsch naphtha and a Fischer-Tropsch distillate to produce at least one of a gasoline component, a distillate fuel component or a lube base stock component, the process comprising: 
 a) reforming a Fischer-Tropsch naphtha producing hydrogen byproduct and a gasoline component having a research octane rating of at least about 80; and    b) using said hydrogen by-product to upgrade a hydrotreated Fischer-Tropsch distillate to produce distillate fuel components and/or lube base stock blending components.    
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising initially providing hydrogen and then hydrotreating at least one of said Fischer-Tropsch naphtha, to remove oxygenates before reforming said Fischer-Tropsch naphtha, and said Fischer-Tropsch distillate, to remove oxygenates before upgrading said Fischer-Tropsch distillate.  
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 2 , further comprising hydrotreating said Fischer-Tropsch naphtha using a catalyst comprising at least one of a noble metal and a non-noble metal.  
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 3 , wherein said catalyst comprises a noble metal selected from the group consisting essentially of Pd, Pt, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 3 , wherein said non-noble metal is sulfided.  
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 3 , wherein said non-noble metal is sulfided with dimethyldisulfide.  
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 3 , wherein said non-noble metal is selected from the group consisting essentially of Ni, Co, W, Mo and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said gasoline component has a research octane rating of at least about 90.  
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said gasoline component comprises at least about 10% aromatics.  
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 2 , wherein immediately prior to hydrotreatment said Fischer-Tropsch naphtha and/or said Fischer-Tropsch distillate comprise at least about 1 ppm sulfur.  
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 10 , wherein said Fischer-Tropsch naphtha and/or said Fischer Tropsch distillate comprise at least about 10 ppm sulfur.  
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 2 , wherein prior to hydrotreatment said Fischer-Tropsch naphtha is mixed with a petroleum-derived naphtha to produce a blended naphtha having a sulfur level of at least about 1 ppm.  
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein said blended naphtha has a sulfur level of at least about 10 ppm.  
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 2 , wherein prior to hydrotreatment said Fischer-Tropsch distillate is mixed with a petroleum-derived distillate to produce a blended distillate having a sulfur level of at least about 1 ppm.  
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein said blended distillate has a sulfur level of at least about 10 ppm.  
     
     
         16 . A gasoline component having a research octane rating of at least about 80 produced by the process of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         17 . A distillate fuel component produced by the process of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         18 . A lube base stock component produced by the process of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said Fischer-Tropsch distillate is upgraded using at least one of a hydrocracking and a hydrodewaxing process.  
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising recirculating at least a portion of said hydrogen by-product to be used to hydrotreat said Fischer-Tropsch naphtha and/or said Fischer-Tropsch distillate before reformation of said naphtha or upgrading of said distillate.  
     
     
         21 . A process for upgrading at least one of a Fischer-Tropsch naphtha and a Fischer-Tropsch distillate to produce at least one of a gasoline component, a distillate fuel component or a lube base stock component, the process comprising: 
 a) hydrotreating a Fischer-Tropsch naphtha to remove oxygenates producing hydrotreated Fischer-Tropsch naphtha;    b) reforming said hydrotreated Fischer-Tropsch naphtha producing hydrogen by-product and a gasoline component having a research octane rating of at least about 80;    c) hydrotreating a Fischer-Tropsch distillate to remove oxygenates producing hydrotreated Fischer-Tropsch distillate; and    d) using said hydrogen by-product to upgrade said hydrotreated Fischer-Tropsch distillate to produce distillate fuel components and/or lube base stock blending components.    
     
     
         22 . The process of  claim 21 , further comprising hydrotreating said Fischer-Tropsch naphtha and said Fischer-Tropsch distillate using a catalyst comprising at least one of a noble metal and a non-noble metal.  
     
     
         23 . The process of  claim 22 , wherein said catalyst comprises a noble metal selected from the group consisting essentially of Pd, Pt, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         24 . The process of  claim 22 , wherein said catalyst comprises a non-noble metal that is sulfided in form.  
     
     
         25 . The process of  claim 24 , wherein said non-noble metal is sulfided with dimethyldisulfide.  
     
     
         26 . The process of  claim 22 , wherein said non-noble metal is selected from the group consisting essentially of Ni, Co, W, Mo and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         27 . The process of  claim 22 , wherein said noble metal is non-sulfided.  
     
     
         28 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein said gasoline component has a research octane rating of at least about 90.  
     
     
         29 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein said gasoline component comprises at least about 10% aromatics.  
     
     
         30 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein immediately prior to hydrotreatment, said Fischer-Tropsch naphtha comprises at least about 1 ppm sulfur.  
     
     
         31 . The process of  claim 30 , wherein said Fischer-Tropsch naphtha comprises at least about 30 ppm sulfur.  
     
     
         32 . The process of  claim 21 , further comprising, prior to hydrotreatment, mixing a petroleum-derived naphtha with said Fischer-Tropsch naphtha to obtain a blended naphtha having a sulfur level of at least about 1 ppm.  
     
     
         33 . The process of  claim 32 , wherein said blended naphtha has a sulfur level of at least about 10 ppm.  
     
     
         34 . The process of  claim 21 , further comprising, prior to hydrotreatment, mixing said Fischer-Tropsch distillate with petroleum-derived distillate to obtain a blended distillate having a sulfur level of at least about 1 ppm.  
     
     
         35 . The process of  claim 34 , wherein said blended distillate has a sulfur level of at least about 10 ppm.  
     
     
         36 . A gasoline component having a research octane rating of at least about 80 produced by the process of  claim 21 .  
     
     
         37 . A distillate fuel produced by the process of  claim 21 .  
     
     
         38 . A lube base stock component produced by the process of  claim 21 .  
     
     
         39 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein said hydrotreated Fischer-Tropsch distillate is upgrading using at least one of a hydrocracking and a hydrodewaxing process.  
     
     
         40 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein at least a portion of said hydrogen by-product is recirculated and used to hydrotreat said Fischer-Tropsch naphtha and/or said Fischer-Tropsch distillate before reformation of said naphtha or upgrading of said distillate.  
     
     
         41 . A process for upgrading at least one of a Fischer-Tropsch naphtha and a Fischer-Tropsch distillate to produce at least one of a gasoline component, a distillate fuel component or a lube base stock component, the process comprising: 
 a) reforming a Fischer-Tropsch naphtha producing hydrogen byproduct and a gasoline component having a research octane rating of at least about 80; and    b) using said hydrogen by-product to upgrade a Fischer-Tropsch distillate to produce distillate fuel components and/or lube base stock blending components; and    c) wherein said Fischer-Tropsch naphtha is mixed with a petroleum derived naphtha and/or said Fischer-Tropsch distillate is mixed with a petroleum-derived distillate, to obtain a blended naphtha and/or a blended distillate, respectively.    
     
     
         42 . A process for upgrading at least one of a Fischer-Tropsch naphtha and a Fischer-Tropsch distillate to produce at least one of a gasoline component, a distillate fuel component or a lube base stock component, the process comprising: 
 a) hydrotreating a Fischer-Tropsch naphtha to remove oxygenates producing hydrotreated Fischer-Tropsch naphtha;    b) reforming said hydrotreated Fischer-Tropsch naphtha producing hydrogen by-product and a gasoline component having a research octane rating of at least about 80;    c) hydrotreating a Fischer-Tropsch distillate to remove oxygenates producing hydrotreated Fischer-Tropsch distillate; and    d) using said hydrogen by-product to upgrade said hydrotreated Fischer-Tropsch distillate to produce distillate fuel components and/or lube base stock blending components;    e) wherein said Fischer-Tropsch naphtha is mixed with a petroleum derived naphtha and/or said Fischer-Tropsch distillate is mixed with a petroleum-derived distillate, to obtain a blended naphtha and/or a blended distillate, respectively.