Integrated process solution for maximizing crude to light olefins and chemicals

Abstract

Systems and processes herein integrate a crude separation unit, a steam cracker unit, a hydrocracker unit, an aromatics processing unit, and a pyrolysis gasoline hydrogenation unit for separating a whole crude oil or other wide boiling hydrocarbon mixtures for producing olefins and aromatics.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is: 
     
         1 . A process for converting whole crudes and other wide boiling hydrocarbon mixtures into light olefins, the process comprising:
 separating a wide boiling hydrocarbon mixture to recover a vaporized low boiling portion and a remaining liquid portion, wherein the low boiling portion has an end boiling point in the range from about 150° C. to 550° C. and the liquid portion has an end boiling point greater than the end boiling point of the light portion;   thermally cracking the low boiling portion to recover a first cracked effluent;   separating the first cracked effluent to recover one or more light olefin fractions, a fuel oil fraction, a pyrolysis gasoline fraction, and a pyrolysis oil fraction;   hydrogenating the pyrolysis gasoline fraction to form a hydrogenated pyrolysis gasoline;   separating the hydrogenated pyrolysis gasoline to recover a C5− fraction, a C6 to C8 fraction, and a C9+ fraction;   hydrocracking the C9+ fraction, and the pyrolysis oil fraction to recover one or more hydrocracked effluents;   separating the one or more hydrocracked effluents to recover a light boiling fraction, a medium boiling fraction, and a high boiling fraction;   thermally cracking the C5− fraction, the light boiling fraction, the medium boiling fraction, and the high boiling fraction, and collectively separating the cracked effluents with the first cracked effluent to recover the one or more light olefin fractions, the fuel oil fraction, the pyrolysis gasoline fraction, and the pyrolysis oil fraction.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein separating the wide boiling hydrocarbon mixture comprises separating the wide boiling mixtures to recover three or more fractions including the low boiling portion, one or more medium boiling portions, and the remaining liquid portion. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 2 , further comprising thermally cracking the one or more medium boiling portions. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising saturating aromatics in the C6 to C8 fraction to recover a saturated hydrocarbon mixture comprising cycloalkanes and C6 to C8 paraffins. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 4 , further comprising thermally cracking the saturated hydrocarbon mixture. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 4 , further comprising separating the saturated hydrocarbon mixture to recover a cycloalkane fraction and a paraffin fraction. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 6 , further comprising (i) thermally cracking the paraffin fraction and the cycloalkane fraction or (ii) thermally cracking the paraffin fraction and hydrocracking the cycloalkane fraction. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising feeding the C6 to C8 fraction to an aromatics extraction unit and therein extracting aromatics from the C6 to C8 fraction to produce an aromatics containing fraction and a C6 to C8 non-aromatics fraction. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 8 , further comprising thermally cracking the C6 to C8 non-aromatics fraction. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 9 , further comprising saturating aromatics in the aromatics containing fraction to recover a saturated hydrocarbon mixture. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 10 , further comprising thermally cracking the saturated hydrocarbon mixture. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 10 , further comprising separating the saturated hydrocarbon mixture to recover a cycloalkane fraction and a paraffin fraction. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 12 , further comprising (i) thermally cracking the paraffin fraction and the cycloalkane fraction or (ii) thermally cracking the paraffin fraction and hydrocracking the cycloalkane fraction. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising feeding the C6 to C8 fraction to an aromatics dealkylation unit and therein dealkylating the C6 to C8 fraction to recover a benzene containing fraction and a paraffin containing fraction. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 14 , further comprising thermally cracking the paraffin containing fraction. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 14 , further comprising saturating aromatics in the benzene containing fraction to recover a saturated hydrocarbon mixture. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 16 , further comprising thermally cracking the saturated hydrocarbon mixture. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 16 , further comprising separating the saturated hydrocarbon mixture to recover a cycloalkane fraction and a paraffin fraction. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 18 , further comprising i) thermally cracking the paraffin fraction and the cycloalkane fraction or (ii) thermally cracking the paraffin fraction and hydrocracking the cycloalkane fraction. 
     
     
         20 . A process for producing olefins, comprising:
 separating a whole crude oil to recover a light cut and a heavy cut;   hydrogenating a pyrolysis gasoline to produce a hydrogenated effluent and separating the hydrogenated effluent to recover a C5− fraction, a C6 to C8 fraction, and a C9+ fraction;   processing the C6 to C8 fraction in one or more of an aromatics dealkylation unit, an aromatics extraction unit, and an aromatics saturation unit to recover a non-aromatic hydrocarbon stream;   hydrocracking a pyrolysis oil, the heavy cut, and the C9+ fraction to recover a hydrocracked effluent;   steam cracking the hydrocracked effluent, the non-aromatic hydrocarbon stream, the C5− fraction, and the light cut to recover one or more steam cracked effluents; and   collectively separating the one or more steam cracked effluents to recover one or more olefin fractions, the pyrolysis gasoline, and the pyrolysis oil.   
     
     
         21 . A system for producing olefins, the system comprising:
 a crude separation unit for separating a whole crude oil to recover a light cut and a heavy cut;   a pyrolysis gasoline hydrogenation unit for hydrogenating a pyrolysis gasoline to produce a hydrogenated effluent and separating the hydrogenated effluent to recover a C5− fraction, a C6 to C8 fraction, and a C9+ fraction;   an aromatics processing unit for processing the C6 to C8 fraction in one or more of an aromatics dealkylation unit, an aromatics extraction unit, and an aromatics saturation unit to recover a non-aromatic hydrocarbon stream;   a hydrocracker unit for hydrocracking a pyrolysis oil, the heavy cut, and the C9+ fraction to recover a hydrocracked effluent;   a steam cracker for steam cracking the hydrocracked effluent, the non-aromatic hydrocarbon stream, the C5− fraction, and the light cut to recover one or more steam cracked effluents; and   a separation system for collectively separating the one or more steam cracked effluents to recover one or more olefin fractions, the pyrolysis gasoline, and the pyrolysis oil;   a flow line for providing the pyrolysis gasoline from the separation system to the pyrolysis gasoline hydrogenation unit; and   a flow line for providing the pyrolysis oil from the separation system to the hydrocracker unit.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the separation unit is configured to produce a C4 containing fraction, the system further comprising an olefin conversion unit configured to convert the C4 containing fraction to produce one or more products selected from propylene and ethylene.