Process for treating heavy oil

Abstract

This invention relates to a process for hydroprocessing heavy oil under process intensification conditions to form an upgraded hydrocarbon product.

1 . A process, comprising:
 flowing heavy oil and hydrogen in a reactor in contact with a hydroprocessing catalyst under process intensification conditions, the heavy oil comprising one or more heteroatoms;   reacting at least some of the heteroatoms with the hydrogen to form one or more heteroatom containing compounds; and   hydrocracking the heavy oil to form an upgraded hydrocarbon product.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the reactor comprises a process microchannel, the heavy oil and hydrogen flowing in the process microchannel in contact with the hydroprocessing catalyst. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the hydroprocessing catalyst comprises a hydrotreating catalyst. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the hydroprocessing catalyst comprises a hydrocracking catalyst. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the heteroatom containing compounds are separated from the upgraded hydrocarbon product. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the heavy oil comprises water, the process further comprising removing water from the upgraded hydrocarbon product. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the heavy oil is reacted in the presence of a hydrotreating catalyst to form an intermediate hydrocarbon product, and the intermediate hydrocarbon product is reacted in the presence of a hydrocracking catalyst to form the upgraded hydrocarbon product. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 7  wherein the reaction with the hydrotreating catalyst is conducted in a process microchannel and the reaction with the hydrocracking catalyst is conducted in a process microchannel, the hydrotreating catalyst and the hydrocracking catalyst being in the same process microchannel. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 7  wherein the reaction with the hydrotreating catalyst is conducted in a first process microchannel and the reaction with the hydrocracking catalyst is conducted in a second process microchannel. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 7  wherein the reaction with the hydrotreating catalyst is conducted in a first microchannel reactor and the reaction with the hydrocracking catalyst is conducted in a second microchannel reactor. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the heteroatoms comprise nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen, metal, ora combination of two or more thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the pressure in the reactor is in the range from about 0.5 to about 25 MPa. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the temperature in the reactor is in the range from about 100° C. to about 500° C. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the ratio of hydrogen to heavy oil in the reactor is in the range from about 10 to about 6000 standard cubic centimeters of hydrogen per cubic centimeter of heavy oil. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the heavy oil entering the reactor is in the form of a liquid, a vapor, or a combination of liquid and vapor. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the reactor comprises one or more process microchannels, the heavy oil and hydrogen being mixed with each other in the one or more process microchannels. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the reactor comprises a process microchannel and the process microchannel is in a microchannel reactor, the microchannel reactor comprising a reactant stream channel adjacent to the process microchannel, the process microchannel and the reactant stream channel having a common wall, and a plurality of openings in the common wall, the process further comprising flowing the pyrolysis oil in the process microchannel and flowing the hydrogen from the reactant stream channel through the openings in the common wall into the process microchannel in contact with the pyrolysis oil. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the heavy oil and hydrogen are mixed prior to entering the reactor. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the reactor comprises a microchannel reactor comprising a plurality of process microchannels, the microchannel reactor comprising a manifold providing a flow passageway for the heavy oil and hydrogen to flow into the process microchannels. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the reactor comprises a microchannel reactor comprising a plurality of the process microchannels, the microchannel reactor comprising a first manifold providing a flow passageway for the heavy oil to flow into the process microchannels, and a second manifold providing a flow passageway for the hydrogen to flow into the process microchannels. 
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 1  wherein heat is transferred from the reactor to a heat exchanger. 
     
     
         22 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the reactor comprises a microchannel reactor comprising a plurality of process microchannels, the microchannel reactor further comprising at least one heat exchange channel in thermal contact with the process microchannels, a heat exchange fluid being in the heat exchange channel, and heat is transferred from the process microchannels to the heat exchange fluid in the heat exchange channel. 
     
     
         23 . The process of  claim 22  wherein the heat exchange fluid undergoes a phase change in the heat exchange channel. 
     
     
         24 . The process of  claim 22  wherein reactants flow in the process microchannel in a first direction, and the heat exchange fluid flows in the heat exchange channel in a second direction, the second direction being cross current relative to the first direction. 
     
     
         25 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the reactor comprises a process microchannel and a tailored heat exchange is provided along the length of the process microchannel to maintain a substantially isothermal temperature profile along the length of the process microchannel. 
     
     
         26 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the heavy oil entering the reactor comprises heavy oil vapor, the heavy oil vapor being at least partially condensed in the reactor. 
     
     
         27 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the reactor comprises a first stage reactor, the hydroprocessing catalyst comprising a first hydrocracking catalyst, the process also employing a second stage reactor containing a second hydrocracking catalyst, the heavy oil comprising heavy oil vapor, the process comprising:
 flowing the heavy oil vapor and hydrogen in the first stage reactor in contact with the first hydrocracking catalyst, condensing and hydrocracking the heavy oil vapor to form a first hydrocracked hydrocarbon product comprising a first hydrocarbon liquid product and a first hydrocarbon vapor; 
 separating the first hydrocarbon liquid product from the first hydrocarbon vapor; 
 flowing the first hydrocarbon vapor and hydrogen in the second stage reactor in contact with the second hydrocracking catalyst, condensing and hydrocracking the first hydrocarbon vapor to form a second hydrocracked hydrocarbon product comprising a second hydrocarbon liquid product and a second hydrocarbon vapor; and 
 separating the second hydrocarbon liquid product from the second hydrocarbon vapor. 
 
     
     
         28 . The process of  claim 27  wherein the first hydrocarbon liquid comprises water and the second hydrocarbon liquid comprises water, the process further comprising separating water from the first hydrocarbon liquid, and separating water from the second hydrocarbon liquid. 
     
     
         29 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the reactor comprises a first stage reactor, the hydroprocessing catalyst comprising a first hydrocracking catalyst, the process also employing a second stage reactor containing a second hydrocracking catalyst, the first stage reactor and the second stage reactor being positioned in a distillation column, the second stage reactor being positioned above and/or downstream of the first stage reactor, the distillation column having a distillate end and a bottoms end and being equipped with a distillate condenser; the heavy oil comprising heavy oil vapor, the process comprising:
 flowing the heavy oil vapor and hydrogen in the first stage reactor toward the distillate end in contact with the first hydrocracking catalyst, condensing and hydrocracking the heavy oil vapor to form a first hydrocracked hydrocarbon product comprising a first liquid hydrocarbon oil product and a first hydrocarbon vapor; 
 separating the first liquid hydrocarbon oil product from the first hydrocarbon vapor, and flowing the first liquid hydrocarbon oil product out of the distillation column; 
 flowing the first hydrocarbon vapor and hydrogen in the second stage reactor toward the distillate end in contact with the second hydrocracking catalyst, condensing and hydrocracking the first hydrocarbon vapor to form a second hydrocracked hydrocarbon product comprising a second liquid hydrocarbon oil product and a second hydrocarbon vapor; 
 separating the second liquid hydrocarbon oil product from the second hydrocarbon vapor, and flowing the second liquid hydrocarbon oil product out of the distillation column; and 
 condensing at least part of the second hydrocarbon vapor in the distillate condenser to provide a liquid reflux back to the distillation column. 
 
     
     
         30 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the hydroprocessing catalyst is in the form of particulate solids. 
     
     
         31 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the hydroprocessing catalyst is supported on a structure which comprises a foam, felt, wad, honeycomb, monolith, fin, structured packing, or a combination of two or more thereof. 
     
     
         32 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the hydroprocessing catalyst is in the form of a bed of particulate solids positioned in a process microchannel, and additional catalyst is washcoated and/or grown on one or more interior walls of the process microchannel. 
     
     
         33 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the hydroprocessing catalyst is a hydrotreating catalyst which comprises Ni, Mo, Co, W, or a combination of two or more thereof. 
     
     
         34 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the hydroprocessing catalyst is a hydrocracking catalyst which comprises Pt, Pd, Ni, Co, Mo, W, or a combination of two or more thereof. 
     
     
         35 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the upgraded hydrocarbon product comprises a middle distillate oil, a light oil, or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         36 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the reactor comprises a process microchannel, the channel Bond number for the process microchannel being less than about 1. 
     
     
         37 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the hydroprocessing catalyst is in a process microchannel, the hydroprocessing catalyst being regenerated in-situ in the process microchannel. 
     
     
         38 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the process is conducted in a plant facility, the plant facility comprising a plurality of process microchannels, or one or more microchannel reactors containing a plurality of process microchannels, or one or more reactor housing vessels containing one or more microchannel reactors, the hydroprocessing catalyst in one or more process microchannels, microchannel reactors or reactor housing vessels being regenerated while the process is carried out in other process microchannels, microchannel reactors or reactor housing vessels in the plant facility. 
     
     
         39 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the heavy oil is derived from the gasification, pyrolysis or liquefaction of coal, shale, tar sands, bitumen, biomass, or a combination of two or more thereof. 
     
     
         40 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the heavy oil comprises pyrolysis oil, pyrolysis oil vapor, or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         41 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the heavy oil is formed in a plant, and the reactor is in the plant, the process comprising forming the heavy oil and transporting the heavy oil to the reactor. 
     
     
         42 . The process of  claim 26  wherein the catalyst is positioned in a distillation column, the distillation column comprising a single stage catalytic distillation hydrocracker.