# US 2014/0155663 A1 · Enhanced process for the hydroconversion of heavy oils through ebullated-bed systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0155663 A1 - Document ID: US20140155663A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/089,470 - Filed: 2013-11-25 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2007-06-14 - Assignees: ENI S.p.A. - Inventors: Giacomo RISPOLI; Giuseppe BELLUSSI; Nicoletta PANARITI; Lorenzo TAGLIABUE - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140155663A1 ## CPC - C10G 65/12: including cracking steps and other hydrotreatment steps - C10G 1/06: by destructive hydrogenation - C10G 3/46: {in combination with chromium, molybdenum, tungsten metals or compounds thereof} - C10G 3/49: {containing crystalline aluminosilicates, e.g. molecular sieves} - C10G 3/50: {in the presence of hydrogen, hydrogen donors or hydrogen generating compounds} - C10G 3/56: {suspended in the oil, e.g. slurries, ebullated beds} - C10G 45/02: to eliminate hetero atoms without changing the skeleton of the hydrocarbon involved and without cracking into lower boiling hydrocarbons; Hydrofinishing - C10G 45/58: 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 (C10G32/00 takes precedence; improving or increasing the octane number or aromatic content of naphtha C10G35/00) - C10G 47/00: Cracking of hydrocarbon oils, in the presence of hydrogen or hydrogen- generating compounds, to obtain lower boiling fractions (C10G15/00 takes precedence; destructive hydrogenation of non-melting solid carbonaceous or similar materials C10G1/06) - C10G 47/24: with moving solid particles - C10G 49/22: Separation of effluents - C10G 2300/1014: of vegetal origin - C10G 2300/1037: Hydrocarbon fractions - C10G 2300/4081: Recycling aspects - Y02P 30/20: using bio-feedstock - 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 - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract Process for the hydroconversion of heavy oils, selected from crude oils, heavy crude oils, bitumens from tar sands, distillation residues, distillation heavy cuts, distillation deasphalted residues, vegetable oils, oils from coal and oil shale, oils from the thermodecomposition of waste material, polymers, biomasses, comprising sending the heavy oil to a hydroconversion area, effected in one or more ebullated bed reactors, wherein hydrogen is introduced, in the presence of a suitable heterogeneous, supported, hydroconversion catalyst, in addition to a suitable hydrogenation catalyst, nano-dispersed in said heavy oil, and sending the stream coming from the hydroconversion area to a separation area, in which the separated liquid fraction, containing the nano-dispersed catalyst, is recycled to the ebullated bed reactor(s). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A process for the hydroconversion of heavy oils, selected from crude oils, heavy crude oils, bitumens from tar sands, distillation residues, distillation heavy cuts, distillation deasphalted residues, vegetable oils, oils from coal and oil shale, oils from the thermo-decomposition of waste material, polymers, biomasses, comprising sending the heavy oil to a hydroconversion area, effected in one or more ebullated-bed reactors, wherein hydrogen is introduced, in the presence of a suitable heterogeneous, supported hydroconversion catalyst, and also a suitable hydrogenation catalyst, nano-dispersed in said heavy oil, and sending the stream coming from the hydroconversion area to a separation area, in which the liquid fraction separated, containing the nano-dispersed catalyst, is recycled to the ebullated-bed reactor(s). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the separation area to which the effluent stream from the hydroconversion area is sent, if it is in liquid or mixed liquid/vapour phase, comprises one or more atmospheric and/or vacuum distillation and/or one or more flash steps, whereby the separation is effected of the different fractions coming from the hydroconversion reaction, from the distillation residue or from the liquid leaving the sole or last flash step, which is recycled to the ebullated-bed reactor(s). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the separation area to which the effluent stream from the hydroconversion area is sent, if it is in vapour phase, comprises one or more high-pressure separators. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein a purging is effected on the liquid fraction separated containing the nano-dispersed catalyst, recycled to the ebullated-bed reactor(s). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the nano-dispersed hydrogenation catalyst is based on Mo or W sulphide. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The process according to claim 5, wherein the nano-dispersed hydrogenation catalyst can be formed in-situ starting from a decomposable oil-soluble precursor, or ex-situ. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The process according to claim 5, wherein the nano-dispersed hydrogenation catalyst additionally contains one or more other transition metals. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The process according to claim 5, wherein the concentration of the hydrogenation catalyst, nano-dispersed in the feedstock, comprising the recycled stream, fed to the hydroconversion area, defined on the basis of the concentration of metal(s) present, ranges from 10 to 30,000 ppm. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The process according to claim 8, wherein the concentration of the hydrogenation catalyst, nano-dispersed in the feedstock, comprising the recycled stream, fed to the hydroconversion area, ranges from 3,000 to 20,000 ppm. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the supported heterogeneous hydrogenation catalyst is made up of a carrier and an active phase consisting of a mixture of sulphides, one of which deriving from a metal belonging to group VIB and at least one deriving from a metal belonging to group VIII. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The process according to claim 10, wherein the metal belonging to group VIB is molybdenum. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The process according to claim 10, wherein the metal belonging to group VIII is selected from Ni and Co. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The process according to claim 10, wherein the active phase consists of a mixture of sulphides, one of which deriving from molybdenum and one deriving from Ni or Co. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10, 13) The process according to claim 10 or 13, wherein the active phase also consists of acidic sites introduced by either suitably regulating the composition of the carrier or by adding a second phase to the carrier. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the hydroconversion reactions in ebullated beds take place at temperatures ranging from 360 to 480° C. and pressures ranging from 100 to 200 atmospheres. ### Claim 16 (depends on 2) The process according to claim 2, wherein the distillation steps are carried out at reduced pressure ranging from 0.001 to 0.5 MPa. ### Claim 17 (depends on 17) The process according to claim 17, wherein the distillation steps are carried out at reduced pressure ranging from 0.01 to 0.3 MPa.