Innovative heavy crude conversion/upgrading process configuration

Abstract

The described invention discloses an innovative solvent deasphalter and hydroconversion-processing configuration for converting bitumen or heavy oils to produce a transportable synthetic crude oil (SCO). The innovative processing scheme disclosed herein maximizes the synthetic crude oil yield at a minimal investment compared to currently known methods.

1 . A process for converting high percentages of heavy oil or bitumen feedstocks and producing a high yield of SCO comprising:
 a) feeding a bitumen or heavy oil feedstock to a crude still passing to provide a light diluent, a straight run atmospheric residue stream and a straight run atmospheric gas oil stream; and   b) feeding said straight run atmospheric residue stream to a vacuum still to create a straight run vacuum residue stream and a straight run vacuum gas oil stream; and   c) feeding a portion of the straight run vacuum residue stream and a hydrogen stream to a first ebullated-bed reactor system to hydrocrack the vacuum residue and create an unconverted residue stream and a distillate and vacuum gas oil stream; and   d) feeding said unconverted vacuum residue stream and the straight run vacuum residue that was not processed in said first ebullated-bed reactor system to a C 3  or heavier solvent deasphalting unit to create a deasphalted oil stream and an asphaltene stream; and   e) feeding said deasphalted oil stream and a hydrogen stream to a second ebullated-bed reactor system to hydrocrack the deasphalted oil and create a distillate stream, a vacuum gas oil stream, and an unconverted deasphalted oil stream; and   f) feeding said distillate and vacuum gas oil stream from said first ebullated-bed reactor system from step d), along with said straight run vacuum gas oil stream and said straight run atmospheric gas oil stream and a hydrogen stream to a series of hydrotreatment and hydrocracking reactors to create a hydrotreated C 5   +  product; and   g) blending said hydrotreated C 5   +  product from step f), said distillate stream and said vacuum gas oil stream from step e) to create a synthetic crude oil: and   h) feeding said asphaltene stream from step d) plus said unconverted DAO stream from step e) to a gasification complex to produce the required hydrogen for steps c), e) and f).   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the overall volumetric synthetic crude oil yield rate as a fraction of heavy oil or bitumen but not including diluent feedrate is greater than 90%. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the overall volumetric synthetic crude oil yield rate as a fraction of heavy oil or bitumen but not including diluent feedrate is greater than 95%. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the residue conversion percentage in step c) is greater than 50% wt. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the residue conversion percentage in step c) is greater than 60% wt. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the deasphalted oil conversion on a vacuum residue basis in step e) is greater than 70% wt. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the deasphalted oil conversion on a vacuum residue basis in step e) is greater than 80% wt 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the deasphalted oil conversion on a vacuum residue basis in step e) is greater than 90% wt 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the heavy oil or bitumen feedstock has API gravity less than 15°. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 1  wherein a portion of the atmospheric residue stream from step a) bypasses step b) and is thereafter fed into the solvent deasphalter of step d) along with the said straight run vacuum residue streams. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 1  wherein between 0 and 80 percent of said straight run vacuum residue stream from step b) bypasses said first ebullated-bed reactor system in step c) and is sent directly to the solvent deasphalting unit in step d). 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 1  wherein a portion of said distillate stream from step e) is not included in the synthetic crude oil product. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 1  wherein a portion of the vacuum gas oil stream from step e) is not included in the synthetic crude oil product. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the unconverted deasphalted oil stream from step e) is included in the synthetic crude oil of step g). 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the gasification complex in step h) also provides power for internal usage or is exported. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the gasification complex in step h) produces a synthetic gas which can thereafter be utilized to generate steam for upstream oil production. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the straight run distillates and vacuum gas from step a and b) and the conversion distillates and VGO from step c) are blended directly into the SCO product and are not processed in step f). 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 1  wherein butanes which are created by the first ebullated-bed reactor system, the second ebullated-bed reactor system, or the series of hydrotreatment and hydrocracking reactors are blended in step h) at greater than one volume percent with said hydrotreated C 5   +  product from step f), said distillate stream and said vacuum gas oil stream from step e) to create a synthetic crude oil.