Oil upgrading within combustion exhaust

Abstract

Methods and systems relate to upgrading hydrocarbons, such as bitumen, by contacting the bitumen with flue gas of oxy-combustion. Quenching a mixture formed of the bitumen and the flue gas controls conversion of the bitumen. Limited size and amount of equipment needed enables employing such upgrading at production fields to facilitate making the bitumen transportable by pipeline without relying on diluents.

1 . A method of upgrading hydrocarbons, comprising:
 combusting oxygen and fuel inside a vessel to generate flue gas;   introducing the hydrocarbons into the vessel and in contact with the flue gas to cause thermal cracking of the hydrocarbons;   quenching a mixture of the hydrocarbons and the flue gas to control conversion of the hydrocarbons; and   separating the mixture into an aqueous stream, a gaseous stream and a products stream containing the hydrocarbons that have been upgraded.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the quenching includes introducing water into the mixture for vaporization. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the flue gas contains hydrogen and steam to limit coking and olefin formation. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising separating the oxygen from air prior to supplying the oxygen to the vessel. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising cooling the flue gas prior to introducing the hydrocarbons into the vessel. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising cooling the flue gas with water prior to introducing the hydrocarbons into the vessel. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising cooling the flue gas by passing a portion of the flue gas through a heat exchanger before being recycled and combined with a remainder of the flue gas prior to introducing the hydrocarbons into the vessel. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the vessel is located in a production field to provide the upgrading remote from a refinery. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising transporting the products stream by pipeline to a refinery for additional processing. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbons include bitumen and the products stream meets pipeline specifications without relying on diluents. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbons when introduced into the vessel have an American Petroleum Institute (API) gravity less than 15° and the products stream has an API gravity greater than 19°. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising withdrawing solid coke material with the aqueous stream from the products stream. 
     
     
         13 . A system for upgrading hydrocarbons, comprising:
 a vessel coupled to receive oxygen and fuel for combustion inside the vessel to generate flue gas, wherein the vessel includes a first inlet to introduce the hydrocarbons into the vessel and in contact with the flue gas for thermal cracking of the hydrocarbons and a second inlet to introduce a coolant for controlling conversion of the hydrocarbons by quenching a mixture of the hydrocarbons and the flue gas; and   a separator coupled to receive the mixture for splitting into an aqueous output, a gaseous output and a product output containing the hydrocarbons that have been upgraded.   
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the coolant is water introduced into the mixture for vaporization. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the flue gas contains hydrogen and steam to limit coking and olefin formation. 
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 13 , further comprising a third inlet into the vessel disposed to introduce a fluid for cooling the flue gas ahead of the first inlet for introducing the hydrocarbons into the vessel. 
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 13 , further comprising a third inlet into the vessel disposed to introduce water for cooling the flue gas ahead of the first inlet for introducing the hydrocarbons into the vessel. 
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 13 , further comprising a recycle loop off of the vessel and including a heat exchanger for cooling at least some of the flue gas ahead of the first inlet for introducing the hydrocarbons into the vessel. 
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 13 , further comprising an air separation unit coupled to supply the oxygen to the vessel. 
     
     
         20 . The system according to  claim 13 , wherein the vessel is located in a production field to provide the upgrading remote from a refinery.