Method for producing oil-based components

Abstract

A method of producing oil-based components is disclosed which includes providing VGO and slack wax; combining the VGO as a major component and the slack wax as a minor component to provide a feedstock; subjecting the feedstock to hydrocracking to provide a first effluent; fractionating the first effluent to provide at least a bottom fraction and a middle distillate fraction; recovering the bottom fraction and the middle distillate fraction. A method for improving a viscosity index of base oil includes subjecting the bottom fraction to a dewaxing step to provide a second effluent; fractionating the second effluent to provide at least a middle distillate and base oil; and recovering the middle distillate and the base oil.

1 . A method of producing oil-based components, comprising:
 providing VGO and slack wax;   combining the VGO as a major component and the slack wax as a minor component to provide a feedstock;   subjecting the feedstock to hydrocracking to provide a first effluent;   fractionating the first effluent to provide at least a bottom fraction and a middle distillate fraction; and   recovering the bottom fraction and the middle distillate fraction.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 subjecting the bottom fraction to dewaxing to provide a second effluent;   fractionating the second effluent to provide at least a middle distillate and base oil; and   recovering the middle distillate and the base oil.   
     
     
         3 . A method for improving a viscosity index of base oil, comprising:
 providing VGO and slack wax;   combining the VGO as a major component and the slack wax as a minor component to provide a feedstock;   subjecting the feedstock to a hydrocracking step to provide a first effluent;   fractionating the first effluent to provide at least a bottom fraction and a middle distillate fraction;   subjecting the bottom fraction to dewaxing to provide a second effluent;   fractionating the second effluent to provide at least a middle distillate and base oil; and   recovering the middle distillate and the base oil.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the feedstock comprises:
 at most about 30 wt. % slack wax, including at most about 25 wt. %, more specifically at most about 20 wt. %, even more specifically 1-25 wt. %, still even more specifically 10-20 wt. %, a balance being the VGO.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 providing the slack wax as unpurified slack wax obtained from solvent dewaxing of a waxy petroleum feed.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the feedstock comprises:
 at most about 0.18 wt. % nitrogen, at most about 2 wt. % sulphur, and about 45 wt. % aromatic compounds.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 subjecting the feedstock is subjected to hydrotreatment before the hydrocracking.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a conversion level in the hydrocracking is in a range of about 55% to about 75%, specifically including about 56%. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom fraction has a boiling temperature above 370° C. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a boiling range of the middle distillate fraction and the middle distillate is about 300° C. to about 370° C. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein a viscosity index of the base oil is increased by more than about 10 units compared to that of base oil prepared from VGO without wax. 
     
     
         12 . An arrangement for producing oil-based components, the arrangement comprising:
 a hydrocracking reactor (A) for cracking a waxy feed to provide a first effluent, said hydrocracking reactor (A) having at least one inlet for supplying a feedstock to the hydrocracking reactor (A) and an outlet for discharging the first effluent from the hydrocracking reactor (A);   a first distiller (B) in a flow connection with the hydrocracking reactor (A) for fractioning the first effluent to provide at least a bottom fraction (HCB) and a middle distillate fraction (MD), the first distiller (B) being arranged downstream of the hydrocracking reactor (A);   a dewaxing unit (C) in a flow connection with the first distiller (B) for dewaxing the bottom fraction (HCB) to provide a second effluent, the dewaxing unit (C) being arranged downstream of the first distiller (B); and   a second distiller (D) in a flow connection with the dewaxing unit (C) for fractioning the second effluent to provide at least a middle distillate (MD) and base oil, the second distiller (D) being arranged downstream of the dewaxing unit (C) and having at least one outlet for discharging the middle distillate (MD) and the base oil.   
     
     
         13 . The arrangement of  claim 12 , wherein the hydrocracker reactor is a fixed bed hydrocracker. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the feedstock comprises:
 at most about 30 wt. % slack wax, including at most about 25 wt. %, more specifically at most about 20 wt. %, even more specifically 1-25 wt. %, still even more specifically 10-20 wt. %, a balance being the VGO.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 3 , comprising:
 providing the slack wax as unpurified slack wax obtained from solvent dewaxing of a waxy petroleum feed.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the feedstock comprises:
 at most about 0.18 wt. % nitrogen, at most about 2 wt. % sulphur, and about 45 wt. % aromatic compounds.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 3 , comprising:
 subjecting the feedstock to hydrotreatment before the hydrocracking.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein a conversion level in the hydrocracking is in a range of about 55% to about 75%, including about 56%. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the bottom fraction has a boiling temperature above 370° C. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein a boiling range of the middle distillate fraction and the middle distillate is about 300° C. to about 370° C. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein a viscosity index of the base oil is increased by more than about 10 units compared to that of base oil prepared from VGO without wax.