# US 11,965,133 B2 · Methods for processing hydrocarbon feed streams > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,965,133 B2 - Document ID: US11965133B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/059,761 - Filed: 2022-11-29 - Published: 2023-06-01 - Granted: 2024-04-23 - Earliest claimed: 2021-11-30 - Assignees: Saudi Arabian Oil Company; King Abdullah University of Science and Technology - Applicants: Saudi Arabian Oil Company; King Abdullah University of Science and Technology - Inventors: Khalid Ali Almajnouni; Shatha Ali Alabbad; Abdulelah Alghadeer; Ola Ali; Isidoro Morales Osorio; Abdennour Bourane; Wei Xu; Jorge Gascon Sabate; Jullian Vittenet; Mohammed Alabdullah; Alberto Rodriguez-Gomez; Marcus John Killingworth - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11965133B2 ## CPC - C10G 9/36: with heated gases or vapours - C10G 11/187: {Controlling or regulating} - B01J 8/12: moved by gravity in a downward flow - B01J 8/1809: {Controlling processes} - B01J 8/24: according to "fluidised-bed" technique (B01J8/20 takes precedence) - C10G 11/00: Catalytic cracking, in the absence of hydrogen, of hydrocarbon oils (cracking in direct contact with molten metals or salts C10G9/34) - C10G 51/04: including only thermal and catalytic cracking steps - C10G 69/06: including at least one step of thermal cracking in the absence of hydrogen - B01J 2208/00584: Controlling the density - C10G 2300/1033: Oil well production fluids - C10G 2300/807: Steam - C10G: CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION (cracking to hydrogen or synthesis gas C01B; cracking or pyrolysis of hydrocarbon gases to individual hydrocarbons or mixtures thereof of definite or specified constitution C07C; cracking to cokes C10B); RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES - B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS ## Abstract A hydrocarbon feed stream may be processed by a method that may include catalytically cracking a hydrocarbon feed stream in a counter-current reactor to produce a first effluent stream, and processing a portion or all of the first effluent stream by at least one or more separations. The at least one or more separations may form at least a second effluent stream including at least 95 wt. % C4-C6 hydrocarbons, and a third effluent stream including at least 95 wt. % of ethane, propane, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the method may further include catalytically cracking a portion or all of the second effluent stream in a second reactor to form a second reactor effluent stream, combining a portion of all of the second reactor effluent stream with the first effluent stream, steam cracking a portion or all of the third effluent stream to form a steam cracked effluent stream, and combining a portion or all of the steam cracked effluent stream with the first effluent. In other embodiments, the method may further include passing a portion or all of the second effluent stream to the counter-current reactor, steam cracking a portion or all of the third effluent stream to form a steam cracked effluent stream, and combining a portion or all of the steam cracked effluent stream with the first effluent stream. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of processing a hydrocarbon feed stream, the method comprising: catalytically cracking a hydrocarbon feed stream in a counter-current reactor to produce a first effluent stream; processing a portion or all of the first effluent stream by at least one or more separations to form at least: a second effluent stream comprising at least 95 wt. % C4-C6 hydrocarbons; a third effluent stream comprising at least 95 wt. % of ethane, propane, or a combination thereof; and catalytically cracking a portion or all of the second effluent stream in a second reactor to form a second reactor effluent stream; combining a portion of all of the second reactor effluent stream with the first effluent stream; steam cracking a portion or all of the third effluent stream to form a steam cracked effluent stream; and combining a portion or all of the steam cracked effluent stream with the first effluent. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrocarbon feed stream is crude oil diluted with steam. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the crude oil in the hydrocarbon stream has an American Petroleum Institute (API) gravity of from 22 degrees to 40 degrees. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrocarbon feed stream has a final boiling point of from 40° C. to 800° C. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the third effluent stream comprises at least 95 wt. % ethane; processing the first effluent by at least one or more separations forms a fourth effluent stream; and the fourth effluent stream comprises at least 95 wt. % propane. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising: steam cracking the fourth effluent stream to form a second steam cracked effluent stream; and passing the second steam cracked effluent stream to the counter-current reactor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: processing the first effluent by at least one or more separations forms a fifth effluent stream comprising at least 90 wt. % C7-C12 hydrocarbons; the method further comprises processing the fifth effluent stream by BTX extraction to form a sixth effluent stream. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising passing the sixth effluent stream to the second reactor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising passing the sixth effluent stream to the counter-current reactor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the counter-current reactor comprises an upper reaction zone and a lower reaction zone; the upper reaction zone operates with a counter-current plug flow regime; the lower reaction zone operates with a dense bed fluidization regime. ### Claim 11 A method of processing a hydrocarbon feedstock, the method comprising: catalytically cracking a hydrocarbon feed stream in a counter-current reactor to produce a first effluent stream; processing a portion or all of the first effluent stream by at least one or more separations to form at least: a second effluent stream comprising at least 95 wt. % C4-C6 hydrocarbons; and a third effluent stream comprising at least 95 wt. % of ethane, propane, or a combination thereof; passing a portion or all of the second effluent stream to the counter-current reactor; steam cracking a portion or all of the third effluent stream to form a steam cracked effluent stream; and combining a portion or all of the steam cracked effluent stream with the first effluent stream; wherein one or more of: (1) the hydrocarbon feed stream is a mixture of crude oil and steam; (2) the method of processing the hydrocarbon feedstock further comprises steam cracking the fourth effluent stream to form a second steam cracked effluent stream, and passing the second steam cracked effluent stream to the counter-current reactor; or (3) the counter-current reactor comprises an upper reaction zone and a lower reaction zone, the upper reaction zone operates with a counter-current plug flow regime, and the lower reaction zone operates with a dense bed fluidization regime. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the hydrocarbon feed stream is a mixture of crude oil and steam. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the hydrocarbon feed stream has an American Petroleum Institute (API) gravity of from 22 degrees to 40 degrees. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the hydrocarbon feed stream has a final boiling point of from 40° C. to 800° C. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein: the third effluent stream comprises at least 95 wt. % ethane; processing the first effluent by at least one or more separations forms a fourth effluent stream; and the fourth effluent stream comprises at least 95 wt. % propane. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the method of processing the hydrocarbon feedstock further comprises steam cracking the fourth effluent stream to form a second steam cracked effluent stream, and passing the second steam cracked effluent stream to the counter-current reactor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 , wherein: processing the first effluent by at least one or more separations forms a fifth effluent stream comprising at least 90 wt. % C7-C12 hydrocarbons; and the method further comprises processing the fourth effluent stream by BTX extraction to form a sixth effluent stream. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising passing the sixth effluent stream to the counter-current reactor. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the counter-current reactor comprises an upper reaction zone and a lower reaction zone, the upper reaction zone operates with a counter-current plug flow regime, and the lower reaction zone operates with a dense bed fluidization regime.