Process for producing a diesel fuel stock from bitumen and synthesis gas
AssigneeExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
InventorsStephen Mark Davis, Michael Gerard Matturro
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A process for producing a diesel fuel stock from bitumen uses steam, naphtha and a hydroisomerized diesel fraction produced by a gas conversion process, to respectively (i) stimulate the bitumen production, (ii) dilute it for pipeline transport to an upgrading facility, and (iii) increase the cetane number of a hydrotreated diesel fuel fraction produced by upgrading the bitumen by blending it with the hydroisomerized gas conversion diesel fraction, to form the diesel stock. This diesel stock has a higher cetane number than that produced from the bitumen alone, and is used for blending and forming diesel fuel.
Claims17
A process for producing a diesel fuel fraction comprises (i) stimulating the production of bitumen with steam obtained from a hydrocarbon gas and preferably a natural gas fed gas conversion process that produces naphtha and diesel hydrocarbon fractions and steam, (ii) diluting the produced bitumen with naphtha produced by said gas conversion to form a pipelineable fluid mixture comprising said bitumen and diluent, (iii) transporting said mixture by pipeline to a bitumen upgrading facility, (iv) upgrading said bitumen to lower boiling hydrocarbons, including a diesel fraction, and (v) forming a mixture of said gas conversion and bitumen diesel fractions.
A process for producing a diesel fuel fraction from bitumen comprises the steps of (i) stimulating the production of bitumen with steam obtained from a natural gas fed gas conversion process that produces naphtha and diesel hydrocarbon fractions and steam, (ii) treating at least a portion of said gas conversion diesel fraction to reduce its pour point, (iii) diluting said bitumen with said gas conversion naphtha to form a pipelineable fluid mixture comprising said bitumen and diluent, and transporting said mixture by pipeline to a bitumen upgrading facility, (iv) upgrading said bitumen to lower boiling hydrocarbons, including a heteroatom-containing diesel fraction and (v) treating said bitumen diesel fraction to reduce its heteroatom content. At least a portion of both treated diesel fractions are combined to form a diesel stock having a cetane number higher than that of the treated bitumen diesel fraction.
A process according to claim 9 wherein at least a portion of both said diesel fractions are blended.
A process according to claim 11 wherein said blend has a cetane number higher than that of said bitumen diesel fraction.
A process according to claim 12 wherein said bitumen upgrading comprises coking and fractionation.
A process according to claim 13 wherein said treatments comprise hydroisomerizing said gas conversion diesel fraction and hydrotreating said bitumen diesel fraction.
A process according to claim 14 wherein said naphtha diluent is used on a once-through basis.
A process according to claim 15 wherein said gas conversion also produces water and a tail gas useful as fuel used to make steam from said water.
A process for producing a diesel fuel fraction from bitumen comprises:
- (i) converting natural gas to a hot synthesis gas comprising a mixture of H2 and CO which is cooled by indirect heat exchange with water to produce steam;
- (ii) contacting said synthesis gas with a hydrocarbon synthesis catalyst in one or more hydrocarbon synthesis reactors, at reaction conditions effective for said H2 and CO in said gas to react and produce heat, liquid hydrocarbons including naphtha and diesel fuel fractions, and a gas comprising methane and water vapor;
- (iii) removing heat from said one or more reactors by indirect heat exchange with water to produce steam;
- (iv) hydroisomerizing at least a portion of said diesel fraction formed in (ii) to reduce its pour point;
- (v) passing at least a portion of said steam produced in either or both steps (i) and (iii) into tar sand to heat soak and reduce the viscosity of said bitumen;
- (vi) producing said bitumen by removing it from said formation;
- (vii) reducing the viscosity of said produced bitumen by mixing it with a diluent comprising said naphtha produced in step (ii);
- (viii) transporting said mixture by pipeline to a bitumen upgrading facility.
- (ix) converting said bitumen to lower boiling hydrocarbons, including a diesel fuel fraction containing heteroatom compounds;
- (x) hydrotreating said bitumen diesel fuel fraction to reduce its heteroatom content, and
- (xi) combining at least a portion of said pour point reduced and hydrotreated diesel fuel fractions.
A process according to claim 17 wherein said combined fractions comprise a diesel fuel stock having a cetane nember higher than said diesel fraction produced by said bitumen conversion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.