Residuum Oil Supercritical Extraction Process

Abstract

Systems and methods for processing one or more hydrocarbons are provided. A hydrocarbon can be selectively separated to provide one or more finished products and an asphaltenic hydrocarbon using a pretreatment process. The asphaltenic hydrocarbon can be selectively separated to provide a deasphalted oil and one or more asphaltenes. At least a portion of the deasphalted oil can be converted to one or more first products using a first post-treatment process. At least a portion of the one or more asphaltenes can be converted to one or more second products using a second post-treatment process.

1 ) A method for processing one or more hydrocarbons comprising,
 selectively separating a hydrocarbon to provide one or more finished products and an asphaltenic hydrocarbon using a pretreatment process,   selectively separating the asphaltenic hydrocarbons to provide a deasphalted oil and one or more asphaltenes,   converting at least a portion of the deasphalted oil to one or more first products using a first post-treatment process, and   converting at least a portion of the one or more asphaltenes to one or more second products using a second post-treatment process.   
     
     
         2 ) The method of  claim 1  wherein the pretreatment process is selected from the group consisting of petroleum residue desulfurization units, vacuum distillation units, residuum conversion units, hydrocarbon sludge removal units, atmospheric distillation units, gravimetric hydrocarbon/water separation units, thermal cracking units, tar sand treatment units, hydrocarbon/solids separation units, hydrocarbon demetallizing units, bitumen froth separation units, hydrocarbon emissions reduction treatment units, vacuum distillation units, fractional distillation units, asphaltenic dispersion units, gas plant dilution units, visbreaking units, hydrocracking units, vaporizer units, solvent dewatering units, and flash separation units. 
     
     
         3 ) The method of  claim 1  wherein the first post-treatment process is selected from the group consisting of steam generation units, gasification units, fractionation units, hydrotreatment units, thermal cracking units, visbreaking units, desulfurization units, hydrodesulfurization units, catalytic cracking units, and fluidized catalytic cracking units. 
     
     
         4 ) The method of  claim 1  wherein the second post-treatment process is selected from the group consisting of steam generation units, pelletization units, hydrocarbon-based catalyst production units, asphalt building product production units, gasification units, olefinic hydrocarbon production units, catalytic cracking units, and fluidized catalytic cracking units. 
     
     
         5 ) The method of  claim 1  wherein the first post-treatment process comprises a steam generation unit providing steam, and wherein at least a portion of the steam is used to stimulate extraction of additional hydrocarbons via steam assisted gravity drainage. 
     
     
         6 ) The method of  claim 1  wherein the second post-treatment process comprises a steam generation unit providing steam, and wherein at least a portion of the steam is used to stimulate extraction of additional hydrocarbons via steam assisted gravity drainage. 
     
     
         7 ) The method of  claim 1  wherein the pretreatment process comprises a solvent dewatering unit and wherein the addition of solvent in the solvent dewatering unit satisfies at least a portion of the solvent requirements within the solvent deasphalting process. 
     
     
         8 ) The method of  claim 1  wherein the selective separation of the asphaltenic hydrocarbons to provide the deasphalted oil and the one or more asphaltenes comprises a solvent deasphalting system operated at or above supercritical temperature or pressure conditions based upon the solvent. 
     
     
         9 ) The method of  claim 1  wherein the selective separation of the asphaltenic hydrocarbons to provide the deasphalted oil and the one or more asphaltenes comprises a solvent deasphalting system operated below supercritical temperature and pressure conditions based upon the solvent. 
     
     
         10 ) A method for processing one or more hydrocarbons comprising:
 selectively separating a hydrocarbon to provide one or more finished products and an asphaltenic hydrocarbon using a pretreatment process,   selectively separating the asphaltenic hydrocarbons to provide a light deasphalted oil, a heavy deasphalted oil and one or more asphaltenes,   converting at least a portion of the light deasphalted oil to one or more products using a first post-treatment process,   converting at least a portion of the heavy deasphalted oil to one or more products using a second post-treatment process, and   converting at least a portion of the one or more asphaltenes to one or more products using a third post-treatment process.   
     
     
         11 ) The method of  claim 10  wherein the pretreatment process is selected from the group consisting of petroleum residue desulfurization units, vacuum distillation units, residuum conversion units, hydrocarbon sludge removal units, atmospheric distillation units, gravimetric hydrocarbon/water separation units, thermal cracking units, tar sand treatment units, hydrocarbon/solids separation units, hydrocarbon demetallizing units, bitumen froth separation units, hydrocarbon emissions reduction treatment units, vacuum distillation units, fractional distillation units, asphaltenic dispersion units, gas plant dilution units, visbreaking units, hydrocracking units, vaporizer units, solvent dewatering units, and flash separation units. 
     
     
         12 ) The method of  claim 10  wherein the first post-treatment process is selected from the group consisting of steam generation units, gasification units, fractionation units, hydrotreatment units, thermal cracking units, visbreaking units, desulfurization units, hydrodesulfurization units, catalytic cracking units, and fluidized catalytic cracking units. 
     
     
         13 ) The method of  claim 10  wherein the second post-treatment process is selected from the group consisting of steam generation units, pelletization units, hydrocarbon-based catalyst production units, asphalt building product production units, gasification units, olefinic hydrocarbon production units, catalytic cracking units, and fluidized catalytic cracking units. 
     
     
         14 ) The method of  claim 10  wherein the first post-treatment process comprises a steam generation unit providing steam, and wherein at least a portion of the steam is used to stimulate extraction of additional hydrocarbons via steam assisted gravity drainage. 
     
     
         15 ) The method of  claim 10  wherein the second post-treatment process comprises a steam generation unit providing steam, and wherein at least a portion of the steam is used to stimulate extraction of additional hydrocarbons via steam assisted gravity drainage. 
     
     
         16 ) The method of  claim 10  wherein the pretreatment process comprises a solvent dewatering unit and wherein the addition of solvent in the solvent dewatering unit satisfies at least a portion of the solvent requirements within the solvent deasphalting process. 
     
     
         17 ) The method of  claim 10  wherein the pretreatment process comprises a solvent dewatering unit and wherein the addition of solvent in the solvent dewatering unit satisfies at least a portion of the solvent requirements within the solvent deasphalting process. 
     
     
         18 ) The method of  claim 10  wherein the selective separation of the asphaltenic hydrocarbons to provide the deasphalted oil and the one or more asphaltenes comprises a solvent deasphalting system operated at or above supercritical temperature or pressure conditions based upon the solvent. 
     
     
         19 ) The method of  claim 10  wherein the selective separation of the asphaltenic hydrocarbons to provide the deasphalted oil and the one or more asphaltenes comprises a solvent deasphalting system operated below supercritical temperature and pressure conditions based upon the solvent. 
     
     
         20 ) A system for processing one or more hydrocarbons comprising:
 means for selectively separating a hydrocarbon to provide one or more finished products and an asphaltenic hydrocarbon using a pretreatment process,   means for selectively separating the asphaltenic hydrocarbons to provide a deasphalted oil and one or more asphaltenes,   means for converting at least a portion of the deasphalted oil to one or more first products using a first post-treatment process, and   means for converting at least a portion of the one or more asphaltenes to one or more second products using a second post-treatment process.