EP4277968A1 - Production d'huile de base à l'aide d'huile non convertie - Google Patents

Production d'huile de base à l'aide d'huile non convertie

Info

Publication number
EP4277968A1
EP4277968A1 EP22700682.2A EP22700682A EP4277968A1 EP 4277968 A1 EP4277968 A1 EP 4277968A1 EP 22700682 A EP22700682 A EP 22700682A EP 4277968 A1 EP4277968 A1 EP 4277968A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
oil
hydroprocessing
unconverted oil
unconverted
hydrocracking
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
EP22700682.2A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Viorel Duma
Subhasis Bhattacharya
Guan-Dao Lei
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Chevron USA Inc
Original Assignee
Chevron USA Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Chevron USA Inc filed Critical Chevron USA Inc
Publication of EP4277968A1 publication Critical patent/EP4277968A1/fr
Pending legal-status Critical Current

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    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
    • C10G65/00—Treatment of hydrocarbon oils by two or more hydrotreatment processes only
    • C10G65/02—Treatment of hydrocarbon oils by two or more hydrotreatment processes only plural serial stages only
    • C10G65/04—Treatment of hydrocarbon oils by two or more hydrotreatment processes only plural serial stages only including only refining steps
    • C10G65/043—Treatment of hydrocarbon oils by two or more hydrotreatment processes only plural serial stages only including only refining steps at least one step being a change in the structural skeleton
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
    • C10G47/00—Cracking of hydrocarbon oils, in the presence of hydrogen or hydrogen- generating compounds, to obtain lower boiling fractions
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
    • C10G21/00—Refining of hydrocarbon oils, in the absence of hydrogen, by extraction with selective solvents
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
    • C10G45/00—Refining of hydrocarbon oils using hydrogen or hydrogen-generating compounds
    • C10G45/44—Hydrogenation of the aromatic hydrocarbons
    • C10G45/46—Hydrogenation of the aromatic hydrocarbons characterised by the catalyst used
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
    • C10G45/00—Refining of hydrocarbon oils using hydrogen or hydrogen-generating compounds
    • C10G45/58—Refining of hydrocarbon oils using hydrogen or hydrogen-generating compounds to change the structural skeleton of some of the hydrocarbon content without cracking the other hydrocarbons present, e.g. lowering pour point; Selective hydrocracking of normal paraffins
    • C10G45/60—Refining of hydrocarbon oils using hydrogen or hydrogen-generating compounds to change the structural skeleton of some of the hydrocarbon content without cracking the other hydrocarbons present, e.g. lowering pour point; Selective hydrocracking of normal paraffins characterised by the catalyst used
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
    • C10G65/00—Treatment of hydrocarbon oils by two or more hydrotreatment processes only
    • C10G65/02—Treatment of hydrocarbon oils by two or more hydrotreatment processes only plural serial stages only
    • C10G65/04—Treatment of hydrocarbon oils by two or more hydrotreatment processes only plural serial stages only including only refining steps
    • C10G65/06—Treatment of hydrocarbon oils by two or more hydrotreatment processes only plural serial stages only including only refining steps at least one step being a selective hydrogenation of the diolefins
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
    • C10G65/00—Treatment of hydrocarbon oils by two or more hydrotreatment processes only
    • C10G65/02—Treatment of hydrocarbon oils by two or more hydrotreatment processes only plural serial stages only
    • C10G65/04—Treatment of hydrocarbon oils by two or more hydrotreatment processes only plural serial stages only including only refining steps
    • C10G65/08—Treatment of hydrocarbon oils by two or more hydrotreatment processes only plural serial stages only including only refining steps at least one step being a hydrogenation of the aromatic hydrocarbons
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
    • C10G65/00—Treatment of hydrocarbon oils by two or more hydrotreatment processes only
    • C10G65/02—Treatment of hydrocarbon oils by two or more hydrotreatment processes only plural serial stages only
    • C10G65/12—Treatment of hydrocarbon oils by two or more hydrotreatment processes only plural serial stages only including cracking steps and other hydrotreatment steps
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
    • C10G67/00—Treatment of hydrocarbon oils by at least one hydrotreatment process and at least one process for refining in the absence of hydrogen only
    • C10G67/02—Treatment of hydrocarbon oils by at least one hydrotreatment process and at least one process for refining in the absence of hydrogen only plural serial stages only
    • C10G67/04—Treatment of hydrocarbon oils by at least one hydrotreatment process and at least one process for refining in the absence of hydrogen only plural serial stages only including solvent extraction as the refining step in the absence of hydrogen
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10M—LUBRICATING COMPOSITIONS; USE OF CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES EITHER ALONE OR AS LUBRICATING INGREDIENTS IN A LUBRICATING COMPOSITION
    • C10M101/00—Lubricating compositions characterised by the base-material being a mineral or fatty oil
    • C10M101/02—Petroleum fractions
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
    • C10G2300/00—Aspects relating to hydrocarbon processing covered by groups C10G1/00 - C10G99/00
    • C10G2300/20—Characteristics of the feedstock or the products
    • C10G2300/201—Impurities
    • C10G2300/202—Heteroatoms content, i.e. S, N, O, P
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
    • C10G2300/00—Aspects relating to hydrocarbon processing covered by groups C10G1/00 - C10G99/00
    • C10G2300/20—Characteristics of the feedstock or the products
    • C10G2300/30—Physical properties of feedstocks or products
    • C10G2300/301—Boiling range
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
    • C10G2300/00—Aspects relating to hydrocarbon processing covered by groups C10G1/00 - C10G99/00
    • C10G2300/20—Characteristics of the feedstock or the products
    • C10G2300/30—Physical properties of feedstocks or products
    • C10G2300/302—Viscosity
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
    • C10G2300/00—Aspects relating to hydrocarbon processing covered by groups C10G1/00 - C10G99/00
    • C10G2300/20—Characteristics of the feedstock or the products
    • C10G2300/30—Physical properties of feedstocks or products
    • C10G2300/308—Gravity, density, e.g. API
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10G—CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
    • C10G2300/00—Aspects relating to hydrocarbon processing covered by groups C10G1/00 - C10G99/00
    • C10G2300/40—Characteristics of the process deviating from typical ways of processing
    • C10G2300/4056—Retrofitting operations
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10M—LUBRICATING COMPOSITIONS; USE OF CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES EITHER ALONE OR AS LUBRICATING INGREDIENTS IN A LUBRICATING COMPOSITION
    • C10M2203/00—Organic non-macromolecular hydrocarbon compounds and hydrocarbon fractions as ingredients in lubricant compositions
    • C10M2203/10—Petroleum or coal fractions, e.g. tars, solvents, bitumen
    • C10M2203/102—Aliphatic fractions
    • C10M2203/1025—Aliphatic fractions used as base material
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10N—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS C10M RELATING TO LUBRICATING COMPOSITIONS
    • C10N2020/00—Specified physical or chemical properties or characteristics, i.e. function, of component of lubricating compositions
    • C10N2020/01—Physico-chemical properties
    • C10N2020/011—Cloud point
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10N—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS C10M RELATING TO LUBRICATING COMPOSITIONS
    • C10N2030/00—Specified physical or chemical properties which is improved by the additive characterising the lubricating composition, e.g. multifunctional additives
    • C10N2030/02—Pour-point; Viscosity index

Definitions

  • the present disclosure concerns methods and systems for producing base oil products, methods of modifying base oil product manufacturing processes and systems, base oil products, lubricants, and associated uses.
  • Base oils find application as base stocks for the manufacture of lubricants.
  • the American Petroleum Institute categorises base oils into five Grades l-V.
  • API Grades l-lll concern base oils refined from crude petroleum and are distinguished by sulfur content, saturate level and viscosity index (VI), while Grades IV and V relate to synthetic base oils or base oils obtained from other sources (e.g. silicone).
  • Grade I and Grade II base oils require a VI between 80 and 120
  • a base oil refined from petroleum must achieve a VI greater than 120 to qualify as a Grade III base oil.
  • Grade I to III base oils are produced by refining crude petroleum.
  • Grade I base oils are the least refined type and can be produced by solvent-refining or hydrotreating crude oil distillates.
  • Grade II base oils are typically produced by hydrocracking distillates and are therefore more refined than Grade I base oils.
  • Grade III base oils which are the most refined, have typically undergone substantial hydrocracking, hydroisomerization and/or hydrotreating processes. Dewaxing, either by physical or chemical processes, is typically necessary to reduce the wax content for all of Grades l-lll.
  • feedstocks such as straight-run vacuum gas oils obtained from light or medium crudes
  • Group III base oils are typically used in the production of Group III base oils.
  • the production of Group III base oils from lower-quality, heavier feedstocks including, for example, upgraded bottoms fractions (such as heavy coker gas oils) or obtained from heavier crudes) is desirable.
  • improved methods and systems for increasing the VI of base oils produced from any type of feedstock would be desirable.
  • a method of producing a base oil product comprises: hydroprocessing unconverted oil from a hydrocracker to produce upgraded unconverted oil; and dewaxing the upgraded unconverted oil to produce the base oil product.
  • hydrocracking generally involves contacting a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock with a hydrocracking catalyst in the presence of hydrogen, resulting in cracking and hydrogenation of longer hydrocarbon molecules and the production of smaller hydrocarbon molecules. Hydrocracking of hydrocarbonaceous feedstocks such as gas oils (e.g.
  • VGOs vacuum gas oils
  • H 2 S hydrogen sulfide
  • NH 3 ammonia
  • light ends such as refinery gas, propane, butane and naphtha
  • middle distillate products e.g. jet, kerosene and diesel
  • UO unconverted oil
  • Unconverted oil is therefore the portion of the hydrocracker effluent remaining when impurity products, light ends and middle distillates have been removed. Unconverted oil typically has a boiling point range from about 662 °F to about 1112 °F (i.e., from about 350 °C to about 600 °C). Unconverted oil can be separated from other components of hydrocracker effluent by fractional distillation.
  • the method comprises hydroprocessing unconverted oil from a hydrocracker to produce upgraded unconverted oil.
  • An input to the method may therefore be unconverted oil from a hydrocracker.
  • the method of the first aspect may comprise: providing or obtaining unconverted oil from a hydrocracker; and hydroprocessing the unconverted oil from the hydrocracker to produce upgraded unconverted oil.
  • the method may therefore be carried out independently of the hydrocracking, for example, in a location which is different (e.g. in a different plant) from where the hydrocracker is situated.
  • the method of the first aspect may include a hydrocracking step.
  • the method may comprise, prior to hydroprocessing the unconverted oil from the hydrocracker: hydrocracking a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock in the hydrocracker to produce a hydrocracked effluent comprising the unconverted oil; and separating the unconverted oil from the hydrocracked effluent (for example, by fractional distillation). Hydrocracking and hydroprocessing may therefore take place in the same location (e.g. in the same plant).
  • the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock may have a boiling point in the range from about 572 °F to about 1112 °F (i.e., about 300 °C to about 600 °C).
  • the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock may comprise gas oils (e.g. vacuum gas oils (VGOs), atmospheric gas oils, coker gas oils such as heavy coker gas oils (HCGOs), visbreaker gas oils), demetallized oils, vacuum residua, atmospheric residua, deasphalted oils, Fischer-Tropsch streams and/or FCC streams.
  • gas oils e.g. vacuum gas oils (VGOs), atmospheric gas oils, coker gas oils such as heavy coker gas oils (HCGOs), visbreaker gas oils), demetallized oils, vacuum residua, atmospheric residua, deasphalted oils, Fischer-Tropsch streams and/or FCC streams.
  • VGO vacuum gas oils
  • HCGO heavy coker gas oil
  • HCGO heavy coker gas oil
  • Hydroprocessing the unconverted oil from the hydrocracker to produce upgraded unconverted oil may comprise increasing the viscosity index (VI) of the unconverted oil.
  • VI viscosity index
  • the viscosity index of a fluid is a measure of the tendency of the fluid's viscosity to change as a function of temperature.
  • the viscosity index of a fluid can be measured by the method set out in standard ASTM D-2270, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. According to ASTM D-2270, the viscosity index is calculated based on the kinematic viscosity of the fluid as measured at 40 °C (i.e., 104 °F) and at 100 °C (i.e., 212 °F).
  • the viscosity index obtained by this method is a unitless value.
  • a higher viscosity index indicates a smaller decrease in kinematic viscosity with increasing temperature.
  • hydroprocessing the unconverted oil from the hydrocracker to produce upgraded unconverted oil typically reduces the tendency for the kinematic viscosity of the upgraded oil to decrease as a function of increasing temperature.
  • the inventors have found that, by increasing the VI of the unconverted oil prior to dewaxing, the method enables base oil products meeting the requirements for classification as Grade II or Grade III base oils to be produced from lower-quality, heavier feedstocks such as upgraded bottoms fractions (e.g. HCGOs) or obtained from heavier crudes.
  • Hydroprocessing the unconverted oil from the hydrocracker to produce upgraded unconverted oil may comprise contacting the unconverted oil with a hydroprocessing catalyst in the presence of hydrogen under hydroprocessing conditions.
  • the hydroprocessing catalyst and/or the hydroprocessing conditions may be selected such that Vl-increasing molecular transformations predominate in the hydroprocessing. It will be appreciated that Vl-increasing molecular transformations are molecular transformations which tend to increase the viscosity index of the unconverted oil. Examples of Vl-increasing molecular transformations include hydroisomerization and hydrogenation.
  • Hydroisomerization transformations may increase hydrocarbon branching, for example converting normal paraffins (i.e., normal alkanes) into iso-paraffins (i.e., branched alkanes). Additionally, or alternatively, hydroisomerization transformations may include ring-opening molecular transformations, for example converting naphthenes (i.e., cycloalkanes) into paraffins (i.e., linear alkanes).
  • Hydrogenation transformations may include saturating aromatic and/or olefinic (i.e., alkene) hydrocarbons.
  • the hydroprocessing catalyst typically comprises: (a) one or more metals selected from Groups VI and VIII to X of the Periodic Table of Elements and/or one or more compounds (for example, one or more oxides or sulfides) thereof; and (b) a catalyst support (for example, a porous refractory support, such as an alumina, a silica, an amorphous silica-alumina material, or a combination thereof).
  • the hydroprocessing catalyst may optionally further comprise: (c) one or more molecular sieves (for example, one or more zeolites).
  • Group VI of the Periodic Table of Elements comprises chromium (Cr), molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W) and seaborgium (Sg).
  • Group VII of the Periodic Table of Elements comprises manganese (Mn), technetium (Tc), rhenium (Re) and bohrium (Bh).
  • Group VIII of the Periodic Table of Elements comprises iron (Fe), ruthenium (Ru), osmium (Os) and hassium (Hs).
  • Group IX of the Periodic Table of Elements comprises cobalt (Co), rhodium (Rh), iridium (Ir) and meitnerium (Mt).
  • Group X of the Periodic Table of Elements comprises nickel ( Ni), palladium ( Pd), platinum (Pt) and darmstadtium (Ds).
  • the hydroprocessing catalyst may be provided in the form of catalyst extrudates and/or formed particles.
  • the catalyst extrudates and/or formed particles may have diameters from about 0.5 mm to about 5 mm, for example, from about 1 mm to about 3 mm, or from about 1 mm to about 2 mm.
  • the catalyst extrudates and/or formed particles may have length/diameter ratios of from about 1 to about 5, for example, from about 1 to about 4, or from about 2 to about 5, or from about 2 to about 4, or from about to 2 to about 3.
  • the catalyst extrudates and/or formed particles may be combined with interstitial packing material, for example, glass beads.
  • the hydroprocessing catalyst may be a hydrotreating catalyst, a hydrocracking catalyst and/or a hydroisomerizing catalyst.
  • the hydroprocessing catalyst may be a hydrotreating catalyst comprising: (a) one or more metals selected from Groups VI and VIII to X and/or one or more compounds (for example, one or more oxides or sulfides) thereof; and (b) a catalyst support (for example, a porous refractory support, such as an alumina, a silica, an amorphous silica-alumina material, or a combination thereof).
  • a catalyst support for example, a porous refractory support, such as an alumina, a silica, an amorphous silica-alumina material, or a combination thereof.
  • hydrotreating catalysts include alumina supported cobalt-molybdenum, nickel sulphide, nickel-tungsten, cobalt-tungsten and nickel-molybdenum.
  • the hydrotreating catalyst may be presulfided.
  • the hydroprocessing catalyst may be a hydrocracking catalyst comprising: (a) one or more metals selected from Groups VI and VIII to X and/or one or more compounds (for example, one or more oxides or sulfides) thereof; (b) a catalyst support (for example, a porous refractory support, such as an alumina, a silica, an amorphous silica-alumina material, or a combination thereof); and (c) one or more molecular sieves (for example, one or more zeolites).
  • the hydrocracking catalyst is typically a bifunctional catalyst.
  • the one or more metals selected from Groups VI and VIII to X and/or one or more compounds thereof may be selected from the group consisting of iron, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, cobalt, nickel, platinum and palladium, and sulphides or oxides thereof.
  • the one or more molecular sieves may be one or more zeolites selected from Y-type (e.g. SY, USY and VUSY), REX, REY, beta and/or ZSM-5 zeolites.
  • the hydrocracking catalyst may comprise one or more promoters, for example, selected from phosphorous, boron, fluorine, silicon, aluminium, zinc, manganese, and mixtures thereof. A balance between the hydrocracking catalyst's cracking function and hydrogenation function can be adjusted to optimize activity and selectivity.
  • the hydroprocessing catalyst may be a hydroisomerization catalyst comprising: (a) one or more metals selected from Groups VI and VIII to X and/or one or more compounds (for example, one or more oxides or sulfides) thereof; (b) a catalyst support (for example, a porous refractory support, such as an alumina, a silica, an amorphous silica-alumina material, or a combination thereof); and (c) one or more molecular sieves (for example, one or more zeolites).
  • the hydroisomerization catalyst is typically a bifunctional catalyst.
  • the one or more metals selected from Groups VI and VIII to X and/or one or more compounds thereof may be selected from the group consisting of iron, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, cobalt, nickel, platinum and palladium, and sulphides or oxides thereof.
  • the one or more molecular sieves may be one or more zeolites selected from MFI, MEL, TON, MTT, *MRE, FER, AEL, EUO-type, SSZ-32, small crystal SSZ-32, ZSM-23, ZSM-48, MCM-22, ZSM-5, ZSM-12, ZSM-22, ZSM-35 and MCM-68-type zeolites, and/or zeolites having *MRE and/or MTT framework topologies.
  • the hydroisomerization catalyst may comprise one or more promoters, for example, selected from magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, potassium, lanthanum, praseodymium, neodymium, chromium, and mixtures thereof.
  • Hydroprocessing the unconverted oil from the hydrocracker to produce upgraded unconverted oil may comprise contacting the unconverted oil with two or more (i.e., different) hydroprocessing catalysts in the presence of hydrogen under hydroprocessing conditions.
  • the two or more hydroprocessing catalysts may be of the same general type (for example, two or more hydrotreating catalysts, two or more hydrocracking catalysts, or two or more hydroisomerization catalysts).
  • the two or more hydroprocessing catalysts may be of different general types (for example, combining (i) one or more hydrotreating catalysts and one or more hydrocracking catalysts, (ii) one or more hydrocracking catalysts and one or more hydroisomerization catalysts, (ill) one or more hydroisomerization catalysts and one or more hydrotreating catalysts, or (iv) one or more hydrotreating catalysts, one or more hydrocracking catalysts and one or more hydroisomerization catalysts).
  • the hydroprocessing catalyst(s) may be selected such that VI- increasing molecular transformations (such as hydroisomerization and hydrogenation) predominate in the hydroprocessing.
  • the method may comprise selecting one or more hydrotreating and/or hydroisomerization catalysts such that hydrogenation and/or hydroisomerization molecular transformations predominate over hydrocracking.
  • the method may comprise selecting one or more mild hydrocracking catalysts. It will be appreciated that a mild hydrocracking catalyst is a hydrocracking catalyst which contains less active molecular sieves (e.g. zeolites) and/or lower amounts (e.g. zero amount) of molecular sieves (e.g.
  • zeolites in comparison to hydrocracking catalysts traditionally used in a hydrocracker. Accordingly, a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock exposed to a mild hydrocracking catalyst typically undergoes less hydrocracking (and typically more hydroisomerization) than when exposed to a stronger hydrocracking catalyst under the same reaction conditions.
  • the hydroprocessing catalyst comprises: (a) sulphides of one or more metals selected from Groups VI and VIII to X; (b) a catalyst support comprising alumina and/or amorphous silica-alumina material; and (c) one or more zeolites.
  • the hydroprocessing catalyst may comprise: (a) sulphides of one or more metals selected from Groups VI and VIII to X; (b) a catalyst support comprising alumina and/or amorphous silica-alumina material; and (c) one or more Y- type zeolites.
  • the hydroprocessing catalyst is a mild hydrocracking catalyst which comprises: (a) sulphides of one or more metals selected from Groups VI and VIII to X; (b) a catalyst support comprising alumina and/or amorphous silica-alumina material; and (c) one or more low-activity Y-type zeolites.
  • the hydroprocessing conditions may comprise a reaction temperature no less than about 400 °F, for example, no less than about 450 °F, no less than about 500 °F, no less than about 550 °F, no less than about 600 °F, no less than about 650 °F, no less than about 700 °F, or no less than about 750 °F, or no less than about 800 °F.
  • the hydroprocessing conditions may comprise a reaction temperature no greater than about 950 °F, for example, no greater than about 900 °F, or no greater than about 850 °F, or no greater than about 800 °F, or no greater than about 750 °F, or no greater than about 700 °F.
  • the hydroprocessing conditions may comprise a reaction temperature from about 400 °F to about 950 °F, for example, from about 400 °F to about 900 °F, or from about 400 °F to about 850 °F, or from about 400 °F to about 800 °F, or from about 400 °F to about 750 °F, or from about 400 °F to about 700 °F, or from about 450 °F to about 950 °F, or from about 450 °F to about 900 °F, or from about 450 °F to about 850 °F, or from about 450 °F to about 800 °F, or from about 450 °F to about 750 °F, or from about 450 °F to about 700 °F, or from about 500 °F to about 950 °F, or from about 500 °F to about 900 °F, or from about 500 °F to about 850 °F, or from about 500 °F to about 800 °F, or
  • the hydroprocessing conditions may comprise a reaction gauge pressure no less than about
  • 500 psi for example, no less than about 750 psi, or no less than about 1000 psi, or no less than about
  • the hydroprocessing conditions may comprise a reaction gauge pressure no greater than about 5000 psi, for example, no greater than about 4000 psi, or no greater than about 3000 psi, or no greater than about 2500 psi, or no greater than about 2000 psi.
  • the hydroprocessing conditions may comprise a reaction gauge pressure from about 500 psi to about 5000 psi, for example, from about 500 psi to about 4000 psi, or from about 500 psi to about 3000 psi, or from about 500 psi to about 2500 psi, or from about 500 psi to about 2000 psi, or from about 750 psi to about 5000 psi, or from about 750 psi to about 4000 psi, or from about 750 psi to about 3000 psi, or from about 750 psi to about 2500 psi, or from about 750 psi to about 2000 psi, or from about 1000 psi to about 5000 psi, or from about 1000 psi to about 4000 psi, or from about 1000 psi to about 3000 psi, or from about 1000 psi to about 2500 psi,
  • the hydroprocessing conditions may comprise a liquid hourly space velocity (LHSV) no less than about 0.1 hr -1 , for example, no less than about 0.2 hr -1 , or no less about 0.5 hr -1 , or no less than about 1 hr 1 .
  • the hydroprocessing conditions may comprise an LHSV no greater than about 15 hr -1 , for example, no greater than about 10 hr -1 , or no greater than about 5 hr -1 , or no greater than about
  • the hydroprocessing conditions may comprise an LHSV from about 0.1 hr 1 to about 15 hr -1 , for example from about 0.1 hr 1 to about 10 hr -1 , or from about 0.1 hr 1 to about 5 hr -1 , or from about 0.1 hr 1 to about 2.5 hr -1 , or from about 0.2 hr 1 to about 15 hr -1 , or from about 0.2 hr 1 to about 10 hr -1 , or from about 0.2 hr 1 to about 5 hr -1 , or from about 0.2 hr 1 to about 2.5 hr -1 , or from about 0.5 hr 1 to about 15 hr -1 , or from about 0.5 hr 1 to about 10 hr -1 , or from about 0.5 hr 1 to about 5 hr -1 , or from about 0.5 hr 1 to about 2.5 hr -1 , or from about 1 hr 1 to about 1 to about 15
  • the hydroprocessing conditions may comprise a hydrogen consumption no less than about 100 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed, for example, no less than about 200 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed, or no less than about 300 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed, or no less than about 400 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed, or no less than about 500 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed.
  • the hydroprocessing conditions may comprise a hydrogen consumption no greater than about 2500 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed, for example, no greater than about 2000 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed, or no greater than about 1500 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed, or no greater than about 1000 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed.
  • the hydroprocessing conditions may comprise a hydrogen consumption from about 100 scf to about 2500 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed, for example, from about 100 scf to about 2000 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed, or from about 100 scf to about 1500 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed, or from about 100 scf to about 1000 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed, or from about 200 scf to about 2500 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed, or from about 200 scf to about 2000 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed, or from about 200 scf to about 1500 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed, or from about 200 scf to about 1000 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed, or from about 300 scf to about 2500 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed, or from about 300 scf to about 2000 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed, or from about 300 scf to
  • the hydroprocessing conditions may comprise: (a) a reaction temperature from about 400 °F to about 950 °F, for example, from about 400 °F to about 900 °F, or from about 400 °F to about 850 °F, or from about 400 °F to about 800 °F, or from about 400 °F to about 750 °F, or from about 400 °F to about 700 °F, or from about 450 °F to about 950 °F, or from about 450 °F to about 900 °F, or from about 450 °F to about 850 °F, or from about 450 °F to about 800 °F, or from about 450 °F to about 750 °F, or from about 450 °F to about 700 °F, or from about 500 °F to about 950 °F, or from about 500 °F to about 900 °F, or from about 500 °F to about 850 °F, or from about 500 °F to about 900
  • the hydroprocessing conditions comprise: (a) a reaction temperature from about 400 °F to about 950 °F, for example, from about 650 °F to about 850 °F; (b) a reaction gauge pressure from about 500 psi to about 5000 psi, for example, from about 1500 psi to about 2500 psi, or from about 1200 psi to about 2500 psi; (c) an LHSV from about 0.1 hr 1 to about 15 hr -1 , for example, from about 0.2 hr 1 to about 10 hr -1 , or from about 0.2 hr 1 to about 2.5 hr -1 , or from about 0.1 hr 1 to about 10 hr -1 ; and/or (d) a hydrogen consumption from about 100 scf to about 2500 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed, for example, from about 200 scf to about 2500 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed, for example, from
  • the hydroprocessing conditions may be selected such that VI- increasing molecular transformations (such as hydroisomerization and hydrogenation) predominate in the hydroprocessing.
  • the hydroprocessing conditions may therefore be selected dependent on the selected hydroprocessing catalyst(s).
  • the method comprises contacting the unconverted oil with one or more hydrotreating catalysts in the presence of hydrogen under hydrotreating conditions comprising: (a) a reaction temperature from about 400 °F to about 950 °F, for example, from about 650 °F to about 850 °F; (b) a reaction gauge pressure from about 500 psi to about 5000 psi, for example, from about 1200 psi to about 2500 psi; (c) an LHSV from about 0.1 hr 1 to about 15 hr ' 1 , for example, from about 0.2 hr 1 to about 2.5 hr -1 ; and/or (d) a hydrogen consumption from about 200 scf to about 2500 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed.
  • a reaction temperature from about 400 °F to about 950 °F, for example, from about 650 °F to about 850 °F
  • a reaction gauge pressure from about 500 psi to about 5000 psi
  • the method comprises contacting the unconverted oil with one or more hydrocracking catalysts in the presence of hydrogen under hydrocracking conditions comprising: (a) a reaction temperature from about 400 °F to about 950 °F, for example, from about 650 °F to about 850 °F; (b) a reaction gauge pressure from about 500 psi to about 5000 psi, for example, from about 1500 psi to about 2500 psi; (c) an LHSV from about 0.5 hr 1 to about 15 hr -1 , for example, from about 1 hr 1 to about 10 hr -1 ; and/or (d) a hydrogen consumption from about 100 scf to about 1500 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed.
  • hydrocracking conditions comprising: (a) a reaction temperature from about 400 °F to about 950 °F, for example, from about 650 °F to about 850 °F; (b) a reaction gauge pressure from about 500 psi
  • the method comprises contacting the unconverted oil with one or more hydroisomerization catalysts in the presence of hydrogen under hydroisomerization conditions comprising: (a) a reaction temperature from about 400 °F to about 950 °F, for example, from about 650 °F to about 850 °F; (b) a reaction gauge pressure from about 500 psi to about 5000 psi, for example, from about 1500 psi to about 2500 psi; (c) an LHSV from about 0.5 hr 1 to about 15 hr -1 , for example, from about 1 hr 1 to about 10 hr -1 ; and/or (d) a hydrogen consumption from about 100 scf to about 1500 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed.
  • a reaction temperature from about 400 °F to about 950 °F, for example, from about 650 °F to about 850 °F
  • a reaction gauge pressure from about 500 psi to about 5000 psi
  • the catalytic activity of the hydroprocessing catalyst may be affected by the hydroprocessing conditions.
  • the selectivity of the hydroprocessing catalyst may depend on the hydroprocessing conditions.
  • the method comprises contacting the unconverted oil with a hydrocracking catalyst in the presence of hydrogen under hydroprocessing conditions which cause Vl-increasing molecular transformations (e.g. hydrogenation and/or hydroisomerization transformations) to predominate (e.g. over hydrocracking transformations).
  • the method may comprise contacting the unconverted oil with a hydrocracking catalyst in the presence of hydrogen under mild hydrocracking conditions (for example, at relatively low temperatures) such that hydroisomerization reactions predominate over hydrocracking reactions.
  • hydroprocessing the unconverted oil from the hydrocracker to produce upgraded unconverted oil may comprise hydrotreating, hydroisomerizing and/or hydrocracking the unconverted oil from the hydrocracker.
  • hydrotreating and/or hydroisomerization reactions typically outweigh hydrocracking reactions in the hydroprocessing.
  • hydroprocessing the unconverted oil from the hydrocracker comprises hydrocracking the unconverted oil from the hydrocracker, but the level of hydrocracking conversion (for example, the apparent conversion, which is the mass of resultant hydrocracking products (i.e. light ends and middle distillates) expressed as a proportion (e.g.
  • hydrocracking the unconverted oil from the hydrocracker takes place at a hydrocracking conversion (i.e. apparent conversion) of from about 5 % to about 30 % (for example, from about 5 % to about 20 %, or from about 10 % to about 30 %, or from about 10 % to about 20 %), while hydrocracking the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock in the hydrocracker takes place at a hydrocracking conversion (i.e.
  • the method may comprise hydroprocessing the unconverted oil under clean conditions. For example, prior to hydroprocessing the unconverted oil, it may be that the sulfur, nitrogen and/or metal content of the unconverted oil is low. In some examples, the unconverted oil, prior to hydroprocessing, is substantially sulfur-, nitrogen- and/or metal-free.
  • the unconverted oil prior to hydroprocessing the unconverted oil from the hydrocracker, may comprise: (a) no greater than about 100 ppm, for example, no greater than about 75 ppm, or no greater than about 50 ppm, of sulfur; (b) no greater than about 20 ppm, for example, no greater than about 15 ppm, or no greater than about 10 ppm, of nitrogen; and/or (c) no greater than about 1 ppm, for example, no greater than about 0.5 ppm, of nickel, vanadium and/or copper.
  • the unconverted oil prior to hydroprocessing the unconverted oil from the hydrocracker, may have: (a) an API gravity of from about 25 to about 45, for example, from about 30 to about 45, or from about 25 to about 40, or from about 30 to about 40, or from about 25 to about 35, or from about 30 to about 35; (b) a true boiling point (TBP) 95% point (i.e.
  • a viscosity index measured according to ASTM D-2270, of from about 100 to about 150, for example, from about 110 to about 150, or from about 120 to about 150, or from about 100 to about 140, or from about 110 to about 140, or from about 120 to about 140, or from about 100 to about 130, or from about 110 to about 130, or from about 120 to about 130, or from about 100 to about 120, or from about 110 to about 120, at a kinematic viscosity of 4 cSt (4 mm 2 s 1 ) at 100 °C (i.e. 212 °F).
  • VI viscosity index
  • Hydroprocessing the unconverted oil to produce the base oil product may comprise increasing the VI of the unconverted oil by about 5 to by about 30, for example, by about 10 to by about 30, or by about 15 to by about 30, or by about 5 to by about 25, or by about 10 to by about 25, or by about 15 to by about 25, or by about 5 to by about 20, or by about 10 to by about 20, or by about 15 to by about 20.
  • dewaxing the upgraded unconverted oil reduces the wax content of the upgraded unconverted oil.
  • Dewaxing the upgraded unconverted oil may comprise removing wax from the upgraded unconverted oil by one or more physical processes, for example, by cooling the upgraded unconverted oil to solidify wax components and filtering to remove the solidified wax components.
  • dewaxing the upgraded unconverted oil may comprise solvent dewaxing the upgraded unconverted oil, wherein solvent dewaxing comprises: diluting the upgraded unconverted oil with solvent; cooling the diluted upgraded unconverted oil to solidify wax components; filtering to separate the solidified wax components and the filtrate; and recovering the solvent from the solidified wax components and/or the filtrate.
  • dewaxing the upgraded unconverted oil may comprise reducing the wax content of the upgraded unconverted oil by one or more chemical processes, for example, by catalytically cracking and/or isomerizing wax molecules.
  • dewaxing the upgraded unconverted oil may comprise catalytically dewaxing the upgraded unconverted oil by hydrocracking wax components and/or iso-dewaxing the upgraded unconverted oil by hydroisomerizing wax components.
  • Hydrocracking and/or hydroisomerizing wax components may make use of hydrocracking and/or hydroisomerizing catalysts such as iso-dewaxing catalysts.
  • the base oil product produced by the method may have a VI, measured according to ASTM D-2270, of no less than about 120, for example, no less than about 130, or no less than about 140, at a kinematic viscosity of 4 cSt (4 mm 2 s _1 ) at 100 °C (i.e., 212 °F).
  • the base oil product produced by the method may have a VI, measured according to ASTM D-2270, of no greater than about 200, for example, no greater than about 175, or no greater than about 150, at a kinematic viscosity of 4 cSt (4 mm 2 s _1 ) at 100 °C (i.e., 212 °F).
  • the base oil product produced by the method may have a VI, measured according to ASTM D-2270, of from about 120 to about 200, for example, from about 120 to about 175, or from about 120 to about 150, or from about 130 to about 200, or from about 130 to about 175, or from about 130 to about 150, or from about 140 to about 200, or from about 140 to about 175, or from about 140 to about 150, measured according to ASTM D-2270.
  • VI measured according to ASTM D-2270
  • the base oil product produced by the method may be a Group III base oil product as defined by the American Petroleum Institute (API).
  • API American Petroleum Institute
  • the base oil product may be a base oil for use in the manufacture of lubricating oils, motor oils and/or metal processing fluids (e.g. cutting fluids).
  • the base oil product may be a blend of two or more (i.e. different) base oils.
  • the method may be carried out in a base oil production plant. Hydroprocessing the unconverted oil from the hydrocracker to produce upgraded unconverted oil make take place in an unconverted oil upgrade reactor, for example according to the third aspect described hereinbelow.
  • the method may include, as necessary, any other steps known in the art for producing base oil products, including filtering, distillation, stripping and/or hydrofinishing steps.
  • a method of modifying an existing base oil product manufacturing process to increase a viscosity index (VI) of the base oil produced comprises: hydrocracking a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock in a hydrocracker to produce a hydrocracked effluent comprising unconverted oil; separating the unconverted oil from the hydrocracked effluent; and dewaxing the unconverted oil separated from the hydrocracked effluent to produce the base oil product.
  • the method of modifying the existing base oil product manufacturing process comprises: hydroprocessing the unconverted oil separated from the hydrocracked effluent prior to dewaxing the unconverted oil to produce the base oil product.
  • the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock may be any hydrocarbonaceous feedstock as described hereinabove in relation to the first aspect.
  • the steps of the method may have, mutatis mutandis, any of the features (including input feeds, outputs, molecular transformations, catalysts and reaction conditions) of the corresponding steps of the method according to the first aspect.
  • a system for producing a base oil product comprises: a hydrocracker for hydrocracking a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock to produce a hydrocracked effluent comprising unconverted oil; and an unconverted oil upgrade reactor for hydroprocessing unconverted oil, separated from the hydrocracked effluent, to produce upgraded unconverted oil.
  • the unconverted oil upgrade reactor may be configured to hydroprocess the unconverted oil, separated from the hydrocracked effluent, by the method according to the first aspect described hereinabove. Accordingly, the input feeds to, the outputs from, and the catalysts and reaction conditions within, the unconverted oil upgrade reactor may be as described hereinabove in relation to the first aspect.
  • the unconverted oil upgrade reactor may have a hydroprocessing zone comprising one or more beds containing one or more hydroprocessing catalysts as described hereinabove in relation to the first aspect.
  • the one or more beds may be fixed beds, slurry bed and/or fluidized (e.g. ebullated) beds.
  • the said more than one hydroprocessing catalysts may be layered.
  • the one or more beds may further contain interstitial packing material, for example, glass beads.
  • the hydroprocessing zone may be maintained at hydroprocessing conditions as described hereinabove in relation to the first aspect.
  • the system may further comprise: a dewaxing unit for dewaxing unconverted oil, produced by the unconverted oil upgrade reactor, to produce the base oil product.
  • the dewaxing unit may be configured to dewax the unconverted oil by any of the dewaxing methods (e.g. solvent dewaxing, catalytic dewaxing and/or iso-dewaxing) described in relation to the first aspect.
  • the system may be a base oil production plant.
  • a method of modifying an existing system for producing a base oil product to increase a viscosity index (VI) of the base oil product comprises: a hydrocracker for hydrocracking a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock to produce a hydrocracked effluent comprising unconverted oil; and a dewaxing unit for dewaxing unconverted oil, separated from the hydrocracked effluent, to produce the base oil product.
  • the method of modifying the existing system comprises installing in the existing system an unconverted oil upgrade reactor for hydroprocessing the unconverted oil, separated from the hydrocracked effluent, prior to dewaxing the unconverted oil to produce the base oil product.
  • the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock may be any hydrocarbonaceous feedstock as described hereinabove in relation to the first aspect.
  • the unconverted oil upgrade reactor may have, mutatis mutandis, any of the features (including input feeds, outputs, structure, function, molecular transformations, catalysts and reaction conditions) of the unconverted oil upgrade reactor as described hereinabove in relation to the third aspect. Moreover, modifying the existing system by installing in the existing system the unconverted oil upgrade reactor may result in a system having any of the features of the system as described in relation to the third aspect. [0052] In a fifth aspect, there is provided an unconverted oil upgrade reactor for hydroprocessing unconverted oil, separated from the hydrocracked effluent of a hydrocracker, prior to dewaxing the unconverted oil to produce a base oil product.
  • the unconverted oil upgrade reactor may have, mutatis mutandis, any of the features (including input feeds, outputs, structure, function, molecular transformations, catalysts and reaction conditions) of the unconverted oil upgrade reactor as described hereinabove in relation to the third aspect.
  • a base oil product produced (a) by the method according to the first aspect, (b) by the method as modified by the method of the second aspect, (c) using the system according to the third aspect, or (d) using the system as modified by the method according to the fourth aspect.
  • the base oil product may be a Group II base oil product or a Group III base oil product, preferably a Group III base oil product.
  • the base oil product may be a base oil for use in the manufacture of lubricating oils, motor oils and/or metal processing fluids (e.g., cutting fluids).
  • the base oil product may be a blend of two or more (i.e., different) base oils.
  • a lubricant comprising the base oil product according to the sixth aspect.
  • the lubricant may comprise two or more (i.e. different) base oil products (e.g. base oils).
  • the lubricant may further comprise one or more additives, such as anti-wear additives, corrosion inhibitors, detergents, dispersants, friction modifiers, pour-point depressants and/or viscosity index improvers.
  • the lubricant may be a lubricating oil (such as a motor oil), a metal processing fluid (such as a cutting fluid) or a lubricating grease (such as a soap emulsified with the base oil product).
  • the upgraded unconverted oil may be produced by upgrading (e.g. hydroprocessing) unconverted oil obtained from a hydrocracker by the method according to the first aspect or using the system according to the third aspect.
  • the upgraded unconverted oil may be obtained by hydroprocessing unconverted oil obtained from hydrocracking a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock having a boiling point in the range from about 572 °F to about 1112 °F (i.e., about 300 °C to about 600 °C) and/or comprising a gas oil such as vacuum gas oil (VGO) or heavy coker gas oil (HCGO).
  • VGO vacuum gas oil
  • HCGO heavy coker gas oil
  • the manufacture of the base oil product may comprise dewaxing the upgraded unconverted oil in a dewaxing unit.
  • a dewaxed, upgraded unconverted oil as a base oil product in a lubricant to increase the viscosity index (VI) of the lubricant.
  • the dewaxed, upgraded unconverted oil may be obtained by: upgrading (e.g. hydroprocessing) unconverted oil obtained from a hydrocracker by the method according to the first aspect or using the system according to the third aspect or the unconverted oil upgrade reactor of the fifth aspect; and dewaxing the upgraded unconverted oil.
  • upgrading e.g. hydroprocessing
  • the dewaxed, upgraded unconverted oil may be obtained by: (a) hydroprocessing unconverted oil obtained from hydrocracking a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock having a boiling point in the range from about 572 °F to about 1112 °F (i.e., about 300 °C to about 600 °C) and/or comprising a gas oil such as vacuum gas oil (VGO) or heavy coker gas oil (HCGO); and (b) dewaxing the hydroprocessed unconverted oil.
  • VGO vacuum gas oil
  • HCGO heavy coker gas oil
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic process flow diagram illustrating a process for manufacturing a base oil
  • FIG. 2 is a plot of viscosity index (VI) as a function of percentage hydrocracking conversion (X) for unconverted oil obtained directly from hydrocracking (a) a straight-run vacuum gas oil and (b) a blend of a straight-run vacuum gas oil and heavy coker gas oil;
  • FIG. 3 is a plot of VI as a function of viscosity at 100 °C for unconverted oil obtained directly from hydrocracking (a) a straight-run vacuum gas oil and (b) a blend of a straight-run vacuum gas oil and heavy coker gas oil;
  • FIG. 4 is a plot of VI as a function of X for dewaxed oil obtained by dewaxing unconverted oil obtained directly from hydrocracking (a) a straight-run vacuum gas oil and (b) a blend of a straight-run vacuum gas oil and heavy coker gas oil;
  • FIG. 5 is a plot of VI as a function of viscosity at 100 °C for dewaxed oil obtained by dewaxing unconverted oil obtained directly from hydrocracking (a) a straight-run vacuum gas oil and (b) a blend of a straight-run vacuum gas oil and heavy coker gas oil;
  • FIG. 6 is a plot of VI as a function of viscosity at 100 °C for unconverted oil obtained directly from hydrocracking (a) a straight-run vacuum gas oil and (b) a blend of a straight-run vacuum gas oil and heavy coker gas oil, each at three different percentage hydrocracking conversions (X);
  • FIG. 7 is a plot of VI as a function of viscosity at 100 °C for dewaxed oil obtained by dewaxing unconverted oil obtained directly from hydrocracking (a) a straight-run vacuum gas oil and (b) a blend of a straight-run vacuum gas oil and heavy coker gas oil, each at three different values of X;
  • FIG. 8 is a plot of VI as a function of viscosity at 100 °C for dewaxed oil obtained by dewaxing (a) unconverted oil obtained directly from hydrocracking a blend of a straight-run vacuum gas oil and heavy coker gas oil at 63.5 % hydrocracking conversion, (b) unconverted oil obtained directly from hydrocracking a blend of a straight-run vacuum gas oil and heavy coker gas oil at 74 % hydrocracking conversion, and (c) upgraded unconverted oil obtained by upgrading unconverted oil, obtained directly from hydrocracking a blend of a straight-run vacuum gas oil and heavy coker gas oil at 63.5 % hydrocracking conversion, to a total percentage hydrocracking conversion of 74%; and
  • FIG. 9 is a plot of VI as a function of viscosity at 100 °C for dewaxed oil obtained by dewaxing (a) unconverted oil obtained directly from hydrocracking straight-run vacuum gas oil at 77 % hydrocracking conversion and (b) upgraded unconverted oil obtained by upgrading unconverted oil, obtained directly from hydrocracking a blend of a straight-run vacuum gas oil and heavy coker gas oil at 63.5 % hydrocracking conversion, to a total percentage hydrocracking conversion of 74%.
  • the term “include” and its grammatical variants are intended to be non-limiting, such that recitation of items in a list is not to the exclusion of other like items that can be substituted or added to the listed items.
  • the term “comprising” means including elements or steps that are identified following that term, but any such elements or steps are not exhaustive, and an embodiment can include other elements or steps.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates an example process flow for manufacturing a base oil for use in the manufacture of lubricants.
  • An initial hydrocarbonaceous feedstock 1 is fed into a hydrocracker 2 in which the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock 1 undergoes hydrocracking, thereby producing unconverted oil 3 and other products (not shown in FIG. 1).
  • Unconverted oil 3 is fed from the hydrocracker 2 into a dewaxing block 10, which includes an upgrade reactor 4, a dewaxing reactor 6 and a hydrofinishing reactor 8.
  • the unconverted oil is fed inside the dewaxing block 10 first into the upgrade reactor 4 in which the unconverted oil 3 is upgraded to increase the viscosity index (VI) of the unconverted oil 3, thereby producing an upgraded unconverted oil 5.
  • V viscosity index
  • Upgraded unconverted oil 5 is fed from the upgrade reactor 4 into the dewaxing reactor 6 in which the upgraded unconverted oil 5 is dewaxed to produce a dewaxed oil (DWO) 7.
  • Dewaxed oil 7 is fed from the upgrade reactor 6 into the hydrofinishing reactor 8 in which the dewaxed oil 7 is hydrofinished to produce a base oil 9 suitable for use as a base stock in the manufacture of lubricants.
  • the example process flow illustrated in FIG. 1 is suitable for processing many different types of hydrocarbonaceous feedstocks (including, for example, gas oils (e.g., vacuum gas oils (VGOs), atmospheric gas oils, coker gas oils such as heavy coker gas oils (HCGOs), visbreaker gas oils), demetallized oils, vacuum residua, atmospheric residua, deasphalted oils, Fischer-Tropsch streams and/or FCC streams) as known in the art.
  • gas oils e.g., vacuum gas oils (VGOs), atmospheric gas oils, coker gas oils such as heavy coker gas oils (HCGOs), visbreaker gas oils
  • demetallized oils e.g., vacuum residua, atmospheric residua, deasphalted oils, Fischer-Tropsch streams and/or FCC streams
  • typical input feeds include hydrocarbons having boiling points in the range from about 572 °F to about 1112 °F (i.e., about 300 °C to about 600 °C) and therefore can include gas oils (e.g., VGOs) obtained directly (i.e., "straight-run") from the fractional distillation of crude petroleum, as well as gas oils (e.g., coker gas oil) obtained from bottoms fractions upgrading processes (e.g. coking of vacuum resid).
  • gas oils e.g., VGOs
  • gas oils e.g., coker gas oil obtained from bottoms fractions upgrading processes
  • base oils from hydrocarbonaceous feeds typically considered lower quality or generally more difficult to process, such as heavy coker gas oils (e.g., HCGOs) or gas oils (e.g., VGOs) obtained from medium or heavy crudes (i.e. crude oil products having relatively low API gravity, e.g., less than about 31.1°, or less than about 22.3°).
  • heavy coker gas oils e.g., HCGOs
  • gas oils e.g., VGOs
  • medium or heavy crudes i.e. crude oil products having relatively low API gravity, e.g., less than about 31.1°, or less than about 22.3°.
  • the VI of the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock 1 depends on its composition and origin. Typical gas oil feeds may have VI values from about 60 to about 100. The VI values of straight-run gas oils are generally higher than those of gas oils obtained by upgrading bottoms fractions. For example, straight-run VGOs typically have VI values from about 70 to about 100, whereas coker gas oils typically have VI values below about 60.
  • the hydrocracker 2 may take any form known in the art for hydrocracking hydrocarbonaceous feeds such as VGOs and/or coker gas oils (e.g., HCGOs).
  • the hydrocracker 2 typically includes one or more beds (e.g., fixed beds, slurry beds, fluidized (e.g., ebullated) beds) containing one or more hydrocracking catalysts.
  • Hydrocracking catalysts are well-known in the art and may contain one or more metals selected from Groups VI and VIII to X and/or one or more compounds thereof, a hydrocracking catalyst support (e.g., an amorphous silica-alumina material), and, optionally, one or more molecular sieves (e.g., zeolites). Hydrocracking catalysts are typically bi-functional: hydrogenation/dehydrogenation reactions are facilitated by the metals present, whereas cracking reactions are facilitated by solid acids (e.g. the zeolites and/or amorphous silica-alumina material).
  • a hydrocracking catalyst support e.g., an amorphous silica-alumina material
  • molecular sieves e.g., zeolites
  • Typical metals used include iron, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, cobalt or nickel, or sulphides or oxides thereof, and/or platinum or palladium.
  • Typical zeolites used include Y-type (e.g., SY, USY and VUSY), REX, REY, beta and ZSM-5.
  • Hydrocracking catalysts may also include one or more promoters, such as phosphorous, boron, fluorine, silicon, aluminium, zinc, manganese, or mixtures thereof.
  • the hydrocarbonaceous feed is passed through the one or more beds of the hydrocracker 2, bringing the hydrocarbonaceous feed into contact with the hydrocracking catalyst and hydrogen.
  • the hydrocracking process is typically carried out at temperatures from about 400 °F to about 950 °F (i.e., about 204 °C to about 510 °C) and at gauge pressures from about 500 psi to about 5000 psi (i.e.
  • liquid hourly space velocity from about 0.1 hr 1 to about 15 hr 1 and a hydrogen consumption from about 500 scf to about 2500 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed (i.e., from about 89 to about 445 m 3 H 2 /m 3 feed).
  • Hydrocracking results in cleaving of carbon-carbon bonds in longer hydrocarbon chains, thereby forming carbocations which undergo isomerization and dehydrogenation to form olefinic intermediate products. Olefins are then hydrogenated to form lower boiling point middle distillate products such as light and heavy naphthas, jet, kerosene and diesel. In this way, heavier hydrocarbons are converted into lighter hydrocarbons, while aromatics and naphthenes are converted into non-cyclic paraffins.
  • Hydrotreating may also take place in the hydrocracker 2.
  • Hydrotreating is a process by which impurities such as nitrogen, sulphur, oxygen and metals are removed from the hydrocarbonaceous feed.
  • the hydrocracker 2 may therefore also include one or more beds (e.g., fixed beds, slurry beds or fluidized (e.g., ebullated) beds) containing one or more hydrotreating catalysts.
  • Hydrotreating catalysts are well-known in the art and may contain one or more metals selected from Groups VI and VIII to X and/or one or more compounds thereof, and a hydrotreating catalyst support such as a porous refractory support (e.g. alumina). Examples of hydrotreating catalysts are alumina supported cobalt-molybdenum, nickel sulphide, nickel-tungsten, cobalt-tungsten and nickelmolybdenum. Hydrotreating catalysts are typically presulfided.
  • the hydrocracker 2 includes two or more different catalysts.
  • the hydrocracker 2 may include both hydrocracking catalysts and hydrotreating catalysts.
  • the output from the hydrocracker 2 typically includes impurity products (e.g., H 2 S and NH 3 ), light ends (such as refinery gas, propane, butane and naphtha), middle distillate products (e.g., jet, kerosene and diesel) and unconverted oil (UCO).
  • impurity products e.g., H 2 S and NH 3
  • light ends such as refinery gas, propane, butane and naphtha
  • middle distillate products e.g., jet, kerosene and diesel
  • UCO unconverted oil
  • the UCO is therefore the portion of the effluent from the hydrocracker 2 remaining when the impurities, light ends and middle distillates have been removed, and typically has a boiling point range between about 662 °F and about 1112 °F (i.e., between about 350 °C and about 600 °C).
  • UCO can be separated from the other components of the effluent by fractional distillation.
  • the VI of UCO exiting the hydrocracker 2 depends on the nature of the input hydrocarbonaceous feed 1, the catalyst(s) used in the hydrocracker 2, the reaction conditions inside the hydrocracker 2 and, therefore, the level of hydrocracking conversion. However, UCO exiting the hydrocracker 2 typically has a VI from about 110 to about 160.
  • the VI of UCO produced by hydrocracking straight-run gas oils is generally higher than that of UCO produced by hydrocracking gas oils obtained by upgrading bottoms fractions. For example, hydrocracking straight-run VGOs at apparent conversion levels (i.e.
  • the mass of light ends and middle distillates produced by the hydrocracker expressed as a proportion of the total mass of input hydrocarbonaceous feedstock to the hydrocracker
  • hydrocracking a blend of straight-run VGO with HCGO e.g. containing about 85 vol.% straight-run VGO and about 15 vol.% HCGO
  • UCOs having Vis from about 100 to about 140 typically produces UCOs having Vis from about 100 to about 140.
  • the upgrade reactor 4 receives UCO 3 from the hydrocracker 2.
  • the upgrade reactor 4 includes one or more beds (e.g., fixed beds, slurry beds, fluidized (e.g. ebullated) beds) containing one or more hydroprocessing catalysts for hydroprocessing the UCO.
  • the upgrade reactor 4 is generally configured such that hydroprocessing the UCO results in an increase in the VI of UCO. That is to say, the one or more hydroprocessing catalysts and/or the reaction conditions within the upgrade reactor 4 are selected such that Vl-increasing molecular transformations predominate.
  • Vl-increasing molecular transformations typically include hydrotreating, hydrogenation and/or isomerization (e.g. hydroisomerization) transformations.
  • hydrotreating, hydrogenation and/or isomerization e.g. hydroisomerization
  • aromatic and olefinic hydrocarbons may be saturated and cyclic hydrocarbons (such as naphthenes) may undergo ringopening transformations, thereby increasing the paraffin content of the UCO.
  • the one or more hydroprocessing catalysts and/or the reaction conditions can therefore be selected such that hydrotreating, hydrogenation and/or isomerization (e.g., hydroisomerization) transformations predominate (for example, over hydrocracking transformations).
  • the one or more hydroprocessing catalysts may be hydrotreating catalysts, hydroisomerization catalysts and/or hydrocracking catalysts. Hydrotreating and hydrocracking catalysts are described hereinabove. Hydroisomerization catalysts are well-known in the art and may contain one or more metals selected from Groups VI and VIII to X and/or one or more compounds thereof, a hydroisomerization catalyst support (e.g., an amorphous silica-alumina material), and, optionally, one or more molecular sieves (e.g., zeolites).
  • a hydroisomerization catalyst support e.g., an amorphous silica-alumina material
  • molecular sieves e.g., zeolites
  • Hydroisomerization catalysts are typically bi-functional: hydrogenation/dehydrogenation reactions are facilitated by the metals present, whereas isomerization reactions are facilitated by solid acids (e.g., the zeolites and/or amorphous silica-alumina material).
  • Typical metals used include iron, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, cobalt or nickel, or sulphides or oxides thereof, and/or platinum or palladium.
  • Typical molecular sieves used include MFI, MEL, TON, MTT, *MRE, FER, AEL and EUO-type, SSZ-32, small crystal SSZ-32, ZSM-23, ZSM-48, MCM-22, ZSM-5, ZSM-12, ZSM-22, ZSM-35 and MCM-68-type, as well as molecular sieves having *MRE and/or MTT framework topologies.
  • Hydroisomerization catalysts may also include one or more promoters, such as magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, potassium, lanthanum, praseodymium, neodymium, chromium, or mixtures thereof.
  • the upgrade reactor 4 includes a hydrotreating catalyst as described hereinabove.
  • the upgrade reactor 4 includes a hydrocracking catalyst as described hereinabove.
  • the upgrade reactor 4 includes a hydroisomerization catalyst as described hereinabove.
  • the upgrade reactor 4 contains both hydrotreating and hydrocracking catalysts, both hydrocracking and hydroisomerization catalysts, or both hydrotreating and hydroisomerization catalysts.
  • the upgrade reactors includes a hydrotreating catalyst, a hydrocracking catalyst and a hydroisomerization catalyst.
  • the one or more hydroprocessing catalysts and/or the reaction conditions within the upgrade reactor 4 are selected such that Vl-increasing molecular transformations (such as hydroisomerization transformations) predominate.
  • the one or more hydroprocessing catalysts are selected such that Vl-increasing molecular transformations (such as hydroisomerization transformations) predominate.
  • one or more hydrotreating and/or hydroisomerization catalysts may be selected such that Vl-increasing molecular transformations (such as hydroisomerization transformations) predominate over hydrocracking transformations.
  • one or more mild hydrocracking catalysts may be selected, wherein mild hydrocracking catalysts are understood as being hydrocracking catalysts containing less active molecular sieves (e.g., zeolites) and/or lower amounts of molecular sieves (e.g. zeolites) in comparison to hydrocracking catalysts traditionally used in a hydrocracker.
  • mild hydrocracking catalysts contain substantially no molecular sieve material (e.g., zeolite).
  • the reaction conditions within the upgrade reactor 4 are selected such that Vl-increasing molecular transformations (such as hydroisomerization transformations) predominate.
  • one or more hydrocracking catalysts may be selected, while reaction conditions are selected such that only low levels of hydrocracking take place.
  • the one or more hydrocracking catalysts may be operated at low temperatures (relative to the temperatures traditionally used in a hydrocracker) such that hydroisomerization predominates over hydrocracking.
  • both the one or more hydroprocessing catalysts and the reaction conditions are selected such that Vl-increasing molecular transformations (such as hydroisomerization transformations) predominate.
  • the UCO 3 is passed through the one or more beds in the upgrade reactor, bringing the oil into contact with the one or more hydroprocessing catalysts and hydrogen.
  • the upgrade process is typically carried out at temperatures from about 400 °F to about 800 ° F (i.e., about 204 °C to about 427 °C) and at gauge pressures from about 500 psi to about 5000 psi, with a liquid hourly space velocity from about 1 hr 1 to about 15 hr 1 and a hydrogen consumption from about 100 scf to about 1500 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed.
  • the upgrade process may be carried out at higher liquid hourly space velocities and with reduced hydrogen consumption (in comparison the operation of the hydrocracker 2).
  • the upgrade reactor 4 also generally operates under clean conditions. This means that the UCO 3 received by the upgrade reactor 4 typically contains only low levels of nitrogen or sulfur. In particular, the majority of the nitrogen and sulfur originally present in the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock is removed in the form of ammonia and hydrogen sulphide when the effluent from the hydrocracker 2 is fractionated before the UCO 3 reaches the upgrade reactor 4. For example, the UCO 3 received by the upgrade reactor 4 may contain less than about 20 ppm nitrogen and less than about 100 ppm sulfur. In addition, the upgrade reactor 4 may share a dewaxing block hydrogen supply with the dewaxer 6 and the hydrofinisher 8.
  • the dewaxing block hydrogen supply typically provides higher purity hydrogen than the hydrogen supply system of the hydrocracking block, since lower levels of contaminates are generated during upgrading, dewaxing and hydrofinishing and because hydrogen is recirculated within the dewaxing block 10.
  • the upgrade reactor 4 operates under clean conditions, and therefore the hydroprocessing catalysts used in the upgrade reactor 4 are exposed to lower levels of contaminants (such as nitrogen) known to inhibit hydrocracking
  • the reaction conditions in the upgrade reactor 4 are typically selected so as to be less severe (for example, the reaction temperatures and pressures may be lower) than in the hydrocracker 2 so that excessive hydrocracking does not take place in the upgrade reactor 4 and, again, so that Vl-increasing molecular transformations predominate.
  • the upgraded UCO 5 produced by the upgrade reactor 4 therefore generally exhibits a higher VI in comparison to the UCO prior to upgrade. For example, upgrading the UCO may increase the value of the VI by about 5 to by about 30.
  • the dewaxing reactor 6 receives upgraded UCO 5 from the upgrade reactor 4 and produces dewaxed oil (DWO) 7.
  • the dewaxing reactor 6 may take any form known in the art for dewaxing oils.
  • the dewaxing reactor 6 may be configured for dewaxing oils by solvent dewaxing, catalytic dewaxing and/or isodewaxing processes as are well-known in the art.
  • Solvent dewaxing is a physical wax removing process in which the UCO is diluted with a solvent, chilled to solidify wax components, and filtered to remove the solidified wax. Solvent is then recovered from the wax and filtrate for recycling.
  • Catalytic dewaxing is a chemical wax removing process in which hydrocracking catalysts and conditions are used to crack and isomerise waxy normal paraffins in the UCO to produce shorter-chain isoparaffins.
  • Isodewaxing is a chemical wax removing process in which catalysts and conditions are selected such that isomerisation reactions predominate over cracking, thereby enabling waxy normal paraffins to be converted to isoparaffins and cyclic species while preserving paraffinicity. Isodewaxing may be preferred over alternative solvent dewaxing or catalytic dewaxing techniques as it typically leads to higher dewaxed oil yields and higher viscosity indices.
  • Dewaxing is carried out to reduce the pour point and cloud point of the oil.
  • the dewaxing process also tends to increase the viscosity and reduce the VI of the oil.
  • dewaxing UCO can increase the viscosity by about 1 % to about 10 % and reduce the viscosity index by about 5 % to about 25 %.
  • the hydrofinishing reactor 8 receives dewaxed oil 7 from the dewaxing reactor 6 and produces base oil 9.
  • the hydrofinishing reactor 8 may take any form known in the art for hydrofinishing base oils. Hydrofinishing, as is well-known in the art, involves improving the colour, as well as oxidative and thermal stability, of dewaxed oils by carrying out hydrotreating at relatively low temperatures and pressures to remove aromatics and heterocyclic compounds and/or exposing the oil to materials such as clay or bauxite.
  • the hydrofinishing reactor 8 therefore typically makes use of a hydrotreating catalyst as described hereinabove.
  • the upgrade reactor 4, dewaxing reactor 6 and hydrofinishing reactor 8 all form part of the same dewaxing block 10. This means that the upgrade, dewaxing and hydrofinishing processes all take place under clean conditions discussed hereinabove.
  • the following examples serve to illustrate, but not limit, the invention.
  • Feed A was a straight-run Middle Eastern VGO.
  • Feed B was a blend consisting of 85 vol.% of the straight-run Middle Eastern VGO of feed A and 15 vol.% of HCGO. Details of feeds A and B are provided in Table 1.
  • Both feeds A and B were separately cracked in a hydrocracker operated in a Single Stage Once-Through mode using a layered catalyst system including a hydrotreating catalyst and a hydrocracking catalyst.
  • the hydrotreating catalyst consisted of sulfided NiMo on an alumina support.
  • the catalyst extrudates had a diameter of about 1.5 mm and were shortened to a length/diameter ratio of 2 to 3 before use. Glass beads of 60/80 mesh size were used as interstitial packing in the catalyst layers in the reactor.
  • the catalyst system was sulfided per standard procedure prior to introducing feed A or B.
  • the process conditions during hydrocracking were as follows: the LHSV was 0.8 h -1 ; the hydrogen/oil ratio was 5000 scf/bbl; and the total gauge pressure was 2300 psi. Unconverted hydrogen was recycled to the reactor inlet. Three liquid product streams were separated and collected in a separation section: naphtha, diesel and UCO.
  • the reactor temperature was adjusted during hydrocracking so that three different conversion levels in the mid 50s, mid 60s and mid 70s were achieved for both of feeds A and B. Generally, the catalyst system responded with about 1 % conversion change per 1 °F of temperature change. Processing of the blend feed B required temperatures about 10 °F higher in order to achieve similar conversion levels compared to feed A. Feed A was hydroprocessed at temperatures in the range from 748 °F to 768 °F, and feed B was hydroprocessed at temperatures in the range from 758 °F to 775 °F. UCO product samples from all six yield periods were prepared and analyzed, and three cuts of equal volumes were also separated from each yield period.
  • Table 2 presents four 12-hour yield periods with different conversion levels obtained with feed A.
  • Viscosity Index VI 133 137 137 145
  • Table 3 presents four 12-hour yield periods with different conversion levels obtained with feed B.
  • Viscosity Index VI 126 134 132 137
  • Table 4 presents two extended yield periods with conversion levels in the 60s and 70s obtained with the blend feed B.
  • Table 5 presents the properties of the UCO product samples from the six extended yield periods (both of feeds A and B at three conversion levels, X, each).
  • FIG. 2 shows a plot of VI as a function of percentage hydrocracking conversion, X, for UCO obtained directly from hydrocracking feed A (indicated using filled circles) and feed B (indicated using filled squares). Although the VI increases continuously as a function of the conversion level for both feeds, the VI of the UCO obtained from the blend feed B is consistently lower than that of the UCO obtained from feed A for the same conversion level.
  • FIG. 3 shows a plot of VI as a function of viscosity at 100 °C (i.e., 212 °F) for UCO obtained directly from hydrocracking feed A (indicated using filled circles) and feed B (indicated using filled squares).
  • the VI decreases continuously as a function of the viscosity for the UCO obtained from both feeds A and B.
  • the VI of UCO obtained from the blend feed B is lower than that of UCO obtained from straight-run feed A at lower viscosities.
  • Feed X % Oil, g Wax, g VI g wt% cSt cSt
  • FIG. 4 shows a plot of VI as a function of percentage hydrocracking conversion for dewaxed oil obtained by dewaxing UCO obtained directly from hydrocracking of feed A (filled circles) and feed B (filled squares).
  • FIG. 5 shows a plot of VI as a function of viscosity at 100 °C (i.e., 212 °F) for dewaxed oil obtained by dewaxing UCO obtained directly from hydrocracking feed A (filled circles) and feed B (filled squares).
  • UCO made from both feeds A and B is suitable for making API Group II base oils, which require VI values from 80 to 120. It is also possible to make API Group III base oils, which require VI values greater than 120, from UCO obtained from straight-run feed A. However, it is more difficult to produce API Group III base oils from UCO obtained directly from hydrocracking blend feed B, particularly when targeting a viscosity of 4 cSt at 100 °C (i.e., 212 °F).
  • FIG. 6 shows a plot of VI as a function of viscosity at 100 °C (i.e., 212 °F) for the different Cuts 1, 2 and 3 obtained from feeds A and B at three different percentage hydrocracking conversions, X.
  • the VI increases as a function of the viscosity for both feeds A and B processed under all conditions.
  • FIG. 7 shows a plot of VI as a function of viscosity at 100 °C (i.e., 212 °F) for the different cuts of dewaxed oil given in Table 9.
  • the lighter fraction of the UCO made from feed A at high hydrocracking conversion levels has properties suitable for use in the manufacture of API Group III base oils (i.e., a VI greater than 120 at a viscosity of about 4 cSt at 100 °C).
  • even high hydrocracking conversion levels cannot produce a UCO suited for the manufacture of Group III base oils when starting with the feed blend B.
  • Samples of the three distillation cuts of the UCO obtained from hydrocracking feed B at 63.5 % conversion were then subjected to upgrading in an upgrade reactor.
  • the samples were contacted with hydrogen in the presence of a mild hydrocracking catalyst consisting of sulfided base metals, a small amount of a low activity Y-zeolite, amorphous silica-alumina and alumina.
  • the catalyst extrudates had a diameter of about 1.5 mm and were shortened to a length/diameter ratio of about 2 to 3 before use. Glass beads of 60/80 mesh size were used as interstitial packing in the catalyst layers in the reactor.
  • the upgrade process was carried out at temperatures between 680 °F and 710 °F (i.e., between 360 °C and 377 °C) and at a gauge pressure of 2300 psi, with a liquid hourly space velocity between 2.5 hr 1 and 5 hr 1 at a hydrogen to oil ratio of 4000 scf/bbl.
  • the hydrogen consumption was, depending on conditions, between 20 and 600 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed.
  • the conversion levels achieved in the upgrade reactor were in the range 20% to 50 %.
  • the overall conversion levels relative to the original feed B were between 72 and 81 %. Upgraded oil samples obtained from the upgrade process were again dewaxed by cooling to 5 °F (i.e., - 15 °C) and filtering out the solidified wax.
  • FIG. 8 shows a plot of the VI as a function of viscosity at 100 °C (i.e., 212 °F) for the dewaxed, upgraded UCO obtained from the three distillation cuts, as compared to the non-upgraded dewaxed oil obtained from hydrocracking feed B at 63.5 and 74 % conversion levels.
  • the upgrade process significantly increases the VI of the dewaxed oil at all viscosities, whether compared to the dewaxed oil obtained from feed B hydrocracked to the same initial level (63.5 %) or to the dewaxed oil obtained from feed B hydrocracked to the same final level (74 %).
  • the VI of the dewaxed, upgraded oil is, in particular, greater than 120 at a viscosity of 4 cSt at 100 °C, and is therefore suitable for producing API Grade III base oils.
  • FIG. 9 shows a plot comparing the VI as a function of viscosity at 100 °C (i.e., 212 °F) for the dewaxed, upgraded UCO shown in FIG. 8 with dewaxed oil obtained by hydrocracking straight-run feed A. From FIG. 9, it can be seen that the upgrade process enables the same, or better, properties to be obtained from blend feed B as compared to feed A processed without upgrade.
  • Method of producing a base oil product comprising: hydroprocessing unconverted oil from a hydrocracker to produce upgraded unconverted oil; and dewaxing the upgraded unconverted oil to produce the base oil product.
  • hydrocarbonaceous feedstock has a boiling point in the range from about 572 °F to about 1112 °F (about 300 °C to about 600 °C) and/or comprises a gas oil such as vacuum gas oil (VGO) or heavy coker gas oil (HCGO).
  • VGO vacuum gas oil
  • HCGO heavy coker gas oil
  • hydroprocessing the unconverted oil from the hydrocracker to produce upgraded unconverted oil comprises increasing the viscosity index (VI) of the unconverted oil.
  • hydroprocessing the unconverted oil from the hydrocracker to produce upgraded unconverted oil comprises contacting the unconverted oil with a hydroprocessing catalyst in the presence of hydrogen under hydroprocessing conditions.
  • hydroprocessing catalyst comprises:
  • a catalyst support for example a porous refractory support, for example an alumina, a silica, an amorphous silica-alumina material, or a combination thereof; and, optionally,
  • hydroprocessing conditions comprise: (a) a reaction temperature from about 400 °F to about 950 °F (from about 204 °C to about 510 °C), for example from about 650 °F to about 850 °F (from about 343 °C to about 454 °C);
  • reaction gauge pressure from about 500 psi to about 5000 psi (from about 3447 kPa to about 34474 kPa), for example, from about 1500 psi to about 2500 psi (from about 10342 kPa to about 17237 kPa), or from about 1200 psi to about 2500 psi from about 8274 kPa to about 17237 kPa);
  • an LHSV from about 0.1 hr 1 to about 15 hr 1 , for example from about 0.2 hr 1 to about 10 hr-1, or from about 0.2 hr 1 to about 2.5 hr -1 , or from about 0.1 hr 1 to about 10 hr -1 ; and/or
  • a hydrogen consumption from about 100 scf to about 2500 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed (from about 17.8 to about 445 m 3 H 2 /m 3 feed), for example from about 200 scf to about 2500 scf per barrel (from about 35.6 to about 445 m 3 H 2 /m 3 feed), or from about 100 scf to about 1500 scf per barrel (from about 17.8 to about 267 m 3 H 2 /m 3 feed).
  • hydroprocessing the unconverted oil from the hydrocracker to produce upgraded unconverted oil comprises hydrotreating, hydroisomerizing and/or hydrocracking the unconverted oil from the hydrocracker.
  • hydroprocessing the unconverted oil from the hydrocracker comprises hydrocracking the unconverted oil from the hydrocracker and wherein the level of hydrocracking conversion during hydrocracking the unconverted oil from the hydrocracker is less than the level of hydrocracking conversion during hydrocracking the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock in the hydrocracker.
  • hydrocracking the unconverted oil from the hydrocracker takes place at a hydrocracking conversion of from about 5 % to about 30 %
  • hydrocracking the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock in the hydrocracker takes place at a hydrocracking conversion of from about 30 % to about 70 %.
  • the unconverted oil comprises:
  • a TBP 95% point from about 800 °F to about 1100 °F (from about 427 °C to about 593 °C); and/or (c) a viscosity index (VI), measured according to ASTM D-2270, of from about 100 to about 150 at a kinematic viscosity of 4 cSt (4 mm 2 s 1 ) at 100 °C (212 °F).
  • VI viscosity index
  • hydroprocessing the unconverted oil to produce the base oil product comprises increasing the viscosity index (VI) of the unconverted oil by about 5 to by about 30.
  • the base oil product has a viscosity index (VI), measured according to ASTM D-2270, of no less than 120 at a kinematic viscosity of 4 cSt (4 mm 2 s' 2 ) at 100 °C (212 °F).
  • VI viscosity index
  • Method of modifying an existing base oil product manufacturing process to increase a viscosity index (VI) of the base oil produced comprising: hydrocracking a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock in a hydrocracker to produce a hydrocracked effluent comprising unconverted oil; separating the unconverted oil from the hydrocracked effluent; and dewaxing the unconverted oil separated from the hydrocracked effluent to produce the base oil product; wherein the method of modifying the existing base oil product manufacturing process comprises: hydroprocessing the unconverted oil separated from the hydrocracked effluent prior to dewaxing the unconverted oil to produce the base oil product.
  • the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock has a boiling point in the range from about 572 °F to about 1112 °F (about 300 °C to about 600 °C) and/or comprises a gas oil such as vacuum gas oil (VGO) or heavy coker gas oil (HCGO).
  • VGO vacuum gas oil
  • HCGO heavy coker gas oil
  • hydroprocessing the unconverted oil comprises increasing the viscosity index (VI) of the unconverted oil.
  • hydroprocessing the unconverted oil comprises contacting the unconverted oil with a hydroprocessing catalyst in the presence of hydrogen under hydroprocessing conditions. 22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the hydroprocessing catalyst and/or the hydroprocessing conditions are selected such that Vl-increasing molecular transformations predominate in the hydroprocessing.
  • a catalyst support for example a porous refractory support, for example an alumina, a silica, an amorphous silica-alumina material, or a combination thereof; and, optionally,
  • reaction temperature from about 400 °F to about 950 °F (from about 204 °C to about 510 °C), for example from about 650 °F to about 850 °F (from about 343 °C to about 454 °C);
  • reaction gauge pressure from about 500 psi to about 5000 psi (from about 3447 kPa to about 34474 kPa), for example, from about 1500 psi to about 2500 psi (from about 10342 kPa to about 17237 kPa), or from about 1200 psi to about 2500 psi from about 8274 kPa to about 17237 kPa);
  • an LHSV from about 0.1 hr 1 to about 15 hr 1 , for example from about 0.2 hr 1 to about 10 hr -1 , or from about 0.2 hr 1 to about 2.5 hr -1 , or from about 0.1 hr 1 to about 10 hr -1 ; and/or
  • a hydrogen consumption from about 100 scf to about 2500 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed (from about 17.8 to about 445 m 3 H 2 /m 3 feed), for example from about 200 scf to about 2500 scf per barrel (from about 35.6 to about 445 m 3 H 2 /m 3 feed), or from about 100 scf to about 1500 scf per barrel (from about 17.8 to about 267 m 3 H 2 /m 3 feed).
  • hydroprocessing the unconverted oil comprises hydrotreating, hydroisomerizing and/or hydrocracking the unconverted oil.
  • hydroprocessing the unconverted oil comprises hydrocracking the unconverted oil and wherein the level of hydrocracking conversion during hydrocracking the unconverted oil is less than the level of hydrocracking conversion during hydrocracking the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock in the hydrocracker.
  • the unconverted oil comprises: (a) no greater than about 100 ppm of sulfur;
  • hydroprocessing the unconverted oil comprises increasing the viscosity index (VI) of the unconverted oil by about 5 to by about 30.
  • System for producing a base oil product comprising: a hydrocracker for hydrocracking a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock to produce a hydrocracked effluent comprising unconverted oil; and an unconverted oil upgrade reactor for hydroprocessing unconverted oil, separated from the hydrocracked effluent, to produce upgraded unconverted oil.
  • hydrocarbonaceous feedstock has a boiling point in the range from about 572 °F to about 1112 °F (about 300 °C to about 600 °C) and/or comprises a gas oil such as vacuum gas oil (VGO) or heavy coker gas oil (HCGO).
  • VGO vacuum gas oil
  • HCGO heavy coker gas oil
  • the unconverted oil upgrade reactor is configured to increase the viscosity index (VI) of the unconverted oil.
  • the unconverted oil upgrade reactor has a hydroprocessing zone comprising one or more beds containing a hydroprocessing catalyst, the hydroprocessing zone being maintained at hydroprocessing conditions.
  • hydroprocessing catalyst and/or the hydroprocessing conditions are selected such that Vl-increasing molecular transformations predominate in the hydroprocessing.
  • hydroprocessing catalyst comprises:
  • a catalyst support for example a porous refractory support, for example an alumina, a silica, an amorphous silica-alumina material, or a combination thereof; and, optionally,
  • reaction temperature from about 400 °F to about 950 °F (from about 204 °C to about 510 °C), for example from about 650 °F to about 850 °F (from about 343 °C to about 454 °C);
  • reaction gauge pressure from about 500 psi to about 5000 psi (from about 3447 kPa to about 34474 kPa), for example, from about 1500 psi to about 2500 psi (from about 10342 kPa to about 17237 kPa), or from about 1200 psi to about 2500 psi from about 8274 kPa to about 17237 kPa);
  • an LHSV from about 0.1 hr 1 to about 15 hr 1 , for example from about 0.2 hr 1 to about 10 hr-1, or from about 0.2 hr 1 to about 2.5 hr -1 , or from about 0.1 hr 1 to about 10 hr -1 ; and/or
  • a hydrogen consumption from about 100 scf to about 2500 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed (from about 17.8 to about 445 m 3 H 2 /m 3 feed), for example from about 200 scf to about 2500 scf per barrel (from about 35.6 to about 445 m 3 H 2 /m 3 feed), or from about 100 scf to about 1500 scf per barrel (from about 17.8 to about 267 m 3 H 2 /m 3 feed).
  • hydroprocessing the unconverted oil comprises hydrotreating, hydroisomerizing and/or hydrocracking the unconverted oil.
  • hydroprocessing the unconverted oil comprises hydrocracking the unconverted oil and wherein the hydroprocessing zone and the hydrocracker are configured such that the level of hydrocracking conversion during hydrocracking the unconverted oil in the hydroprocessing zone is less than the level of hydrocracking conversion during hydrocracking the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock in the hydrocracker.
  • hydroprocessing zone and the hydrocracker are configured such that hydrocracking the unconverted oil takes place at a hydrocracking conversion of from about 5 % to about 30 % and such that hydrocracking the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock in the hydrocracker takes place at a hydrocracking conversion of from about 30 % to about 70 %.
  • Method of modifying an existing system for producing a base oil product to increase a viscosity index (VI) of the base oil product comprising: a hydrocracker for hydrocracking a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock to produce a hydrocracked effluent comprising unconverted oil; and a dewaxing unit for dewaxing unconverted oil, separated from the hydrocracked effluent, to produce the base oil product; wherein the method of modifying the existing system comprises: installing in the existing system an unconverted oil upgrade reactor for hydroprocessing the unconverted oil, separated from the hydrocracked effluent, prior to dewaxing the unconverted oil to produce the base oil product. 52.
  • the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock has a boiling point in the range from about 572 °F to about 1112 °F (about 300 °C to about 600 °C) and/or comprises a gas oil such as vacuum gas oil (VGO) or heavy coker gas oil (HCGO).
  • VGO vacuum gas oil
  • HCGO heavy coker gas oil
  • hydroprocessing catalyst and/or the hydroprocessing conditions are selected such that Vl-increasing molecular transformations predominate in the hydroprocessing.
  • a catalyst support for example a porous refractory support, for example an alumina, a silica, an amorphous silica-alumina material, or a combination thereof; and, optionally,
  • reaction temperature from about 400 °F to about 950 °F (from about 204 °C to about 510 °C), for example from about 650 °F to about 850 °F (from about 343 °C to about 454 °C);
  • reaction gauge pressure from about 500 psi to about 5000 psi (from about 3447 kPa to about 34474 kPa), for example, from about 1500 psi to about 2500 psi (from about 10342 kPa to about 17237 kPa), or from about 1200 psi to about 2500 psi from about 8274 kPa to about 17237 kPa);
  • an LHSV from about 0.1 hr 1 to about 15 hr 1 , for example from about 0.2 hr 1 to about 10 hr -1 , or from about 0.2 hr 1 to about 2.5 hr -1 , or from about 0.1 hr 1 to about 10 hr -1 ; and/or
  • a hydrogen consumption from about 100 scf to about 2500 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed (from about 17.8 to about 445 m 3 H 2 /m 3 feed), for example from about 200 scf to about 2500 scf per barrel (from about 35.6 to about 445 m 3 H 2 /m 3 feed), or from about 100 scf to about 1500 scf per barrel (from about 17.8 to about 267 m 3 H 2 /m 3 feed).
  • hydroprocessing the unconverted oil comprises hydrotreating, hydroisomerizing and/or hydrocracking the unconverted oil.
  • hydroprocessing the unconverted oil comprises hydrocracking the unconverted oil and wherein the hydroprocessing zone and the hydrocracker are configured such that the level of hydrocracking conversion during hydrocracking the unconverted oil in the hydroprocessing zone is less than the level of hydrocracking conversion during hydrocracking the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock in the hydrocracker.
  • hydroprocessing zone and the hydrocracker are configured such that hydrocracking the unconverted oil takes place at a hydrocracking conversion of from about 5 % to about 30 % and such that hydrocracking the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock in the hydrocracker takes place at a hydrocracking conversion of from about 30 % to about 70 %.
  • the base oil product produced has a viscosity index (VI), measured according to ASTM D-2270, of no less than 120 at a kinematic viscosity of 4 cSt (4 mm 2 s _1 ) at 100 °C (212 °F).
  • VI viscosity index
  • the base oil product produced is a Group III base oil product.
  • An unconverted oil upgrade reactor for hydroprocessing unconverted oil, separated from the hydrocracked effluent of a hydrocracker, prior to dewaxing the unconverted oil to produce a base oil product, the unconverted oil upgrade reactor: (a) having a hydroprocessing zone comprising one or more beds containing a hydroprocessing catalyst, the hydroprocessing zone being maintained at hydroprocessing conditions; and
  • the hydroprocessing catalyst comprises:
  • a catalyst support for example a porous refractory support, for example an alumina, a silica, an amorphous silica-alumina material, or a combination thereof; and, optionally,
  • reaction temperature from about 400 °F to about 950 °F (from about 204 °C to about 510 °C), for example from about 650 °F to about 850 °F (from about 343 °C to about 454 °C);
  • reaction gauge pressure from about 500 psi to about 5000 psi (from about 3447 kPa to about 34474 kPa), for example, from about 1500 psi to about 2500 psi (from about 10342 kPa to about 17237 kPa), or from about 1200 psi to about 2500 psi from about 8274 kPa to about 17237 kPa);
  • an LHSV from about 0.1 hr 1 to about 15 hr -1 , for example from about 0.2 hr 1 to about 10 hr ' 1 , or from about 0.2 hr 1 to about 2.5 hr ' 1 , or from about 0.1 hr 1 to about 10 hr _1 ;
  • a hydrogen consumption from about 100 scf to about 2500 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed (from about 17.8 to about 445 m 3 H 2 /m 3 feed), for example from about 200 scf to about 2500 scf per barrel (from about 35.6 to about 445 m 3 H 2 /m 3 feed), or from about 100 scf to about 1500 scf per barrel (from about 17.8 to about 267 m 3 H 2 /m 3 feed).
  • Base oil product produced (a) by the method according to any of claims 1 to 17, (b) using the system according to any of claims 34 to 50, or (c) using the system modified by the method according to any of claims 51 to 66.
  • Lubricant comprising the base oil product of claim 69.
  • the upgraded unconverted oil is obtained by hydroprocessing unconverted oil obtained from hydrocracking a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock having a boiling point in the range from about 572 °F to about 1112 °F (about 300 °C to about 600 °C) and/or comprising a gas oil such as vacuum gas oil (VGO) or heavy coker gas oil (HCGO).
  • VGO vacuum gas oil
  • HCGO heavy coker gas oil
  • the dewaxed, upgraded unconverted oil is obtained by (a) hydroprocessing unconverted oil obtained from hydrocracking a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock having a boiling point in the range from about 572 °F to about 1112 °F (about 300 °C to about 600 °C) and/or comprising a gas oil such as vacuum gas oil (VGO) or heavy coker gas oil (HCGO) and (b) dewaxing the hydroprocessed unconverted oil.
  • VGO vacuum gas oil
  • HCGO heavy coker gas oil

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Crystallography & Structural Chemistry (AREA)
  • Production Of Liquid Hydrocarbon Mixture For Refining Petroleum (AREA)
  • Lubricants (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un procédé de production d'un produit d'huile de base par hydrotraitement d'huile non convertie provenant d'un hydrocraqueur dans un réacteur de valorisation d'huile non convertie pour produire de l'huile non convertie améliorée et le déparaffinage de l'huile non convertie améliorée pour produire le produit d'huile de base.
EP22700682.2A 2021-01-18 2022-01-17 Production d'huile de base à l'aide d'huile non convertie Pending EP4277968A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

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US202163138779P 2021-01-18 2021-01-18
US202163138940P 2021-01-19 2021-01-19
PCT/IB2022/050360 WO2022153271A1 (fr) 2021-01-18 2022-01-17 Production d'huile de base à l'aide d'huile non convertie

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EP4277968A1 true EP4277968A1 (fr) 2023-11-22

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JP (1) JP2024504957A (fr)
KR (1) KR20230131487A (fr)
BR (1) BR112023014300A2 (fr)
CA (1) CA3208274A1 (fr)
TW (1) TW202244254A (fr)
WO (1) WO2022153271A1 (fr)

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US4919788A (en) * 1984-12-21 1990-04-24 Mobil Oil Corporation Lubricant production process
US6663768B1 (en) * 1998-03-06 2003-12-16 Chevron U.S.A. Inc. Preparing a HGH viscosity index, low branch index dewaxed
KR101679426B1 (ko) * 2010-04-30 2016-11-25 에스케이이노베이션 주식회사 미전환유를 이용한 고급 윤활기유의 제조 방법

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WO2022153271A1 (fr) 2022-07-21
BR112023014300A2 (pt) 2023-09-26
TW202244254A (zh) 2022-11-16
CA3208274A1 (fr) 2022-07-21
KR20230131487A (ko) 2023-09-13

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