Methods for upgrading of contaminated hydrocarbon streams
AssigneeAuterra, Inc.
InventorsKyle E. Litz, Jennifer L. Vreeland, Jonathan P. Rankin, Mark N. Rossetti, Tracey M. Jordan
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Abstract
A method of upgrading a heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed by removing heteroatom contaminants is disclosed. The method includes contacting the heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed with an oxidant to oxidize the heteroatoms, contacting the oxidized-heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed with caustic and a selectivity promoter, and removing the heteroatom contaminants from the heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed. The oxidant may be used in the presence of a catalyst.
Claims20
A method of upgrading a heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed by removing heteroatom contaminants, the method comprising:
- contacting the heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed with an oxidant;
- contacting the oxidized heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed with at least one caustic and at least one selectivity promoter;
- and
- removing the heteroatom contaminants from the heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed.
A method of upgrading a heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed by removing heteroatom contaminants, the method comprising:
- contacting the heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed with an oxidant to oxidize at least a portion of the heteroatom contaminants to form a first intermediate stream;
- contacting the first intermediate stream with at least one caustic and at least one selectivity promoter to form a second intermediate stream;
- separating a substantially heteroatom-free hydrocarbon product from the second intermediate stream;
- recovering the at least one caustic and at least one selectivity promoter from the second intermediate stream;
- and recycling the recovered at least one caustic and at least one selectivity promoter.
A method of upgrading a heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon feed by removing heteroatom contaminants, the method comprising oxidizing dibenzothiophenes to sulfones, reacting the sulfones with caustic and a selectivity promoter, and separating a substantially heteroatom-free hydrocarbon product.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.