Methods of preparing cracking catalysts from clay mineral compositions and steam enhanced catalytic cracking of crude oil to petrochemicals

Abstract

A method of preparing a cracking catalyst includes converting one or more clay mineral compositions to metakaolin; synthesizing an intermediate ZSM-5 zeolite from the metakaolin, a silica source, and ZSM-5 zeolite seeds; and forming a cracking catalyst comprising a hierarchical mesoporous ZSM-5 zeolite through disintegration and recrystallization of the intermediate ZSM-5 zeolite. A cracking catalyst for steam enhanced catalytic cracking of hydrocarbons includes a hierarchical mesoporous ZSM-5 zeolite impregnated with manganese, zirconium, or manganese and zirconium, where the cracking catalyst has a mesopore volume of at least 0.30 cubic centimeters per gram (cm3/g). A process for upgrading crude oil through steam enhanced catalytic cracking includes contacting the crude oil with steam in the presence of a cracking catalyst, where the cracking catalyst comprises a hierarchical mesoporous ZSM-5 zeolite impregnated with manganese, zirconium, or both manganese and zirconium.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.