Systems and methods of producing olefins and/or aromatics by low and medium severity aquaprocessing followed by high severity aquaprocessing and steam cracking

Abstract

Systems and methods for producing olefins and/or aromatics are disclosed. The methods include using two stages of aquaprocessing of crude and/or heavy oils prior and subsequent processing in a steam cracking unit to produce olefins and/or aromatics. A first aquaprocessing stage and a second aquaprocessing stage are operated at different severities. The systems include two aquaprocessing units capable of being operated at different severities.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of producing olefins and/or aromatics, the method comprising:
 flowing a hydrocarbon feed and hydrogen into a first aquaprocessing unit having a first catalyst disposed therein;   aquaprocessing the hydrocarbon feed in the first aquaprocessing unit to produce a first top stream having a boiling point in a range of up to 200° C. and a first bottom stream that comprises diesel and/or fuel oil and has a boiling point in a range of 305 to 650° C., wherein the aquaprocessing of the hydrocarbon feed comprises contacting the hydrocarbon feed and the hydrogen with the first catalyst at a temperature in a range of 280 to 400° C.;   flowing the first bottom stream into a second aquaprocessing unit having a second catalyst disposed therein;   aquaprocessing the first bottom stream in the second aquaprocessing unit to produce a second top stream having a boiling point in a range of up to 305° C. and a second bottom stream that comprises one or more of pitch, coke, or fuel oil and has a boiling point in a range of 305 to 650° C., wherein the aquaprocessing of the first bottom stream comprises contacting the first bottom stream with the second catalyst at a temperature in a range of 400 to 500° C.; and   processing the second top stream in a steam cracking unit to produce olefins and/or aromatics.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, within the first aquaprocessing unit, the contacting of the hydrocarbon feed and hydrogen with the first catalyst is carried out in a first reactor unit to produce a first reactor unit effluent; and the method further comprises:
 separating the first reactor unit effluent in a first separation unit within the first aquaprocessing unit.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, within the second aquaprocessing unit, the contacting of the first bottom stream with the second catalyst is carried out in a second reactor unit to produce a second reactor unit effluent; and the method further comprises:
 separating the second reactor unit effluent in a second separation unit within the second aquaprocessing unit.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the olefins comprise ethylene, propylene, and/or butenes and butadienes, and the aromatics comprise benzene, toluene, xylene, and ethyl benzene. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first aquaprocessing unit comprises a fixed bed reactor. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second aquaprocessing unit comprises an ebullated reactor and/or a slurry reactor. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon feed comprises one or more of the following: crude oil, plastics, hydrocarbons from plastics pyrolysis, bio oil, hydrogenated bio oils, oligomers from plastics, synthetic crude oil and pyrolysis oils derived from plastics, bottom cut of crude oil cut, pyrolysis oils and residues from steam crackers. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the hydrocarbon feed comprises a bottom crude oil cut stream and the method further comprises:
 separating crude oil in a separation unit to produce the bottom crude oil cut stream and a top crude oil cut stream having a boiling point in a range of up to 200° C.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 processing the top crude oil cut stream in the steam cracking unit to produce olefins.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 processing the first top stream in the steam cracking unit to produce olefins and/or further comprising:   withdrawing an intermediate stream from the first aquaprocessing unit, the intermediate stream having a boiling point in a range of 200 to 305° C.; and   processing the intermediate stream in the steam cracking unit to produce olefins.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first catalyst comprises one or more of the following: an organometallic compound having one or more of Ni, Mo, Co, W, Zr; NiMo; NiCoMo; NiMoW; alumina; and zeolite and/or
 wherein the second catalyst comprises one or more of the following: an organometallic compound having one or more of Ni, Mo, Co, W, Zr; NiMo; NiCoMo; NiMoW; alumina; and zeolite.   
     
     
         12 . A system for producing olefins and/or aromatics, the system comprising:
 a first aquaprocessing unit having a first catalyst disposed therein and adapted to contact a hydrocarbon feed and hydrogen with the first catalyst at a temperature in a range of 280 to 400° C. and to produce a first top stream having a boiling point in a range of up to 200° C. or less and a first bottom stream that comprises diesel and/or fuel oil and has a boiling point in a range of 305 to 650° C.;   a second aquaprocessing unit having a second catalyst disposed therein and in fluid communication with the first aquaprocessing unit, the second aquaprocessing unit adapted to contact the first bottom stream with the second catalyst at a temperature in a range of 400 to 500° C. and to produce a second top stream having a boiling point in a range of up to 305° C. and a second bottom stream that comprises one or more of pitch, coke, or fuel oil and has a boiling point in a range of 305 to 650° C.; and   a steam cracking unit in fluid communication with the first aquaprocessing unit and the second aquaprocessing unit, the steam cracking unit adapted to produce olefins and/or aromatics from the first top stream and the second top stream.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first aquaprocessing unit comprises a fixed bed reactor and/or
 wherein the second aquaprocessing unit comprises an ebullated reactor and/or a slurry reactor.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12  further comprising:
 a separation unit adapted to separate crude oil to produce a bottom crude oil cut stream that is included in the hydrocarbon feed to the first aquaprocessing unit, preferably 
 wherein the separation unit is in fluid communication with the steam cracking unit and the system is adapted to flow a top crude oil cut stream having a boiling point in a range of up to 200° C. from the separation to the steam cracking unit. 
 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the first aquaprocessing unit comprises one or more distillation columns and/or wherein the second aquaprocessing unit comprises one or more distillation columns.