# US 9,434,894 B2 · Process for converting FCC naphtha into aromatics > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,434,894 B2 - Document ID: US9434894B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/309,623 - Filed: 2014-06-19 - Published: 2015-12-24 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-06-19 - Assignees: Uop LLC - Applicants: Uop LLC - Inventors: Robert Mehlberg; Robert Jason Lee Noe; Antoine Negiz; Steven F. Zink - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9434894B2 ## CPC - C10G 69/08: including at least one step of reforming naphtha - C10G 35/04: Catalytic reforming - C10G 45/68: Aromatisation of hydrocarbon oil fractions - C10G 69/04: including at least one step of catalytic cracking in the absence of hydrogen - C10G 69/14: plural parallel stages only - C10G 2400/30: Aromatics - 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 ## Abstract A method and apparatus for processing hydrocarbons are described. The method includes fractionating a hydrocarbon stream to form at least two fractions. The first fraction is reformed to form a reformate stream, and the reformate stream is introduced into an aromatics processing zone to produce aromatic products. At least a portion of the second fraction is cracked in a fluid catalytic cracking unit. A selectively hydrogenated light naphtha stream is formed by separating the cracked hydrocarbon stream into at least two streams and selectively hydrogenating the light naphtha stream, or selectively hydrogenating the cracked hydrocarbon stream and separating the hydrogenated cracked hydrocarbon stream into at least two streams. Aromatics are extracted from the selectively hydrogenated light naphtha stream forming an extract stream and a raffinate stream. The extract stream is hydrotreated, sent to the aromatics processing zone to produce additional aromatic products. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for processing hydrocarbons comprising: fractionating a hydrocarbon stream in a fractionation unit to form at least two fractions including a first fraction and a second fraction; reforming the first fraction in a reforming unit to form a reformate stream; introducing the reformate stream into an aromatics processing zone to produce select aromatic products; cracking at least a portion of the second fraction in a fluid catalytic cracking unit to form a cracked hydrocarbon stream; forming a selectively hydrogenated light naphtha stream by separating the cracked hydrocarbon stream into at least two streams including a light naphtha stream and a heavy naphtha stream and selectively hydrogenating the light naphtha stream, or selectively hydrogenating the cracked hydrocarbon stream and separating the hydrogenated cracked hydrocarbon stream into at least two streams including a light naphtha stream and a heavy naphtha stream; extracting aromatics from the selectively hydrogenated light naphtha stream in an aromatic extraction unit to form an extract stream and a raffinate stream containing olefins; and introducing the extract stream into the aromatics processing zone to produce additional aromatic products. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the selectively hydrogenated light naphtha stream is formed by separating the cracked hydrocarbon stream into at least two streams including the light naphtha stream and the heavy naphtha stream and selectively hydrogenating the light naphtha stream. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 further comprising at least one of: hydrotreating the heavy naphtha stream and blending the hydrogenated heavy naphtha stream into gasoline; and blending a portion of the selectively hydrogenated light naphtha stream with gasoline. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: blending the raffinate stream containing the olefins with gasoline. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the selectively hydrogenated light naphtha stream is formed by selectively hydrogenating the cracked hydrocarbon stream and separating the hydrogenated cracked hydrocarbon stream into at least two streams including a light naphtha stream and a heavy naphtha stream. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising combining at least a portion of the reformate stream with the extract stream. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein combining at least the portion of the reformate stream with the extract stream comprises combining the reformate stream with the extract stream before introducing the combined stream into the aromatics processing zone. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the aromatics processing zone comprises at least a second aromatic extraction unit and a separation unit, and wherein introducing the reformate stream into the aromatics processing zone comprises introducing the reformate stream into the second aromatic extraction unit, and further comprising: extracting aromatics from the reformate stream in the second aromatic extraction unit to form a reformate extract stream and a reformate raffinate stream; and wherein the extract stream is hydrotreated before introducing the extract stream into the aromatics processing zone, and wherein introducing the extract stream into the aromatics processing zone comprises combining the hydrotreated extract stream with the reformate extract stream and further processing the combined stream in the separation unit. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising at least one of: hydrotreating the heavy naphtha stream and blending the hydrotreated heavy naphtha stream into gasoline; and blending a portion of the light naphtha stream into gasoline. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising introducing selectively hydrotreated pyrolysis naphtha to the aromatic extraction unit. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the aromatics processing zone comprises at least a second aromatic extraction unit, a separation unit, and a toluene disproportionation and transalkylation process unit, and wherein introducing the extract stream into the aromatics processing zone comprises introducing the extract stream into the toluene disproportionation and transalkylation process unit, and further comprising hydrotreating the extract stream in the toluene disproportionation and transalkylation process unit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising hydrotreating the extract stream prior to introducing the extract stream into the aromatics processing zone. ### Claim 13 A method for processing hydrocarbons comprising: fractionating a hydrocarbon stream in a fractionation unit to form at least two fractions including a C6-C10 fraction and a C11+ fraction; reforming the C6-C10 fraction in a reforming unit to form a reformate stream; introducing the reformate stream to an aromatics processing zone to produce select aromatic products; cracking at least a portion of the C11+ fraction in a fluid catalytic cracking unit to form a cracked stream; forming a selectively hydrogenated first stream comprising at least C6-C9 hydrocarbons by separating the cracked stream into at least two streams including the first stream comprising at least the C6-C9 hydrocarbons and a second stream comprising C10+ hydrocarbons and selectively hydrogenating the first stream comprising at least the C6-C9 hydrocarbons, or selectively hydrogenating the cracked stream and separating the hydrogenated cracked stream into at least two streams including the first stream comprising at least the C6-C9 hydrocarbons and a second stream comprising C10+ hydrocarbons; extracting aromatics from the selectively hydrogenated first stream comprising at least the C6-C9 hydrocarbons in an aromatic extraction unit to form an extract stream and a raffinate stream containing olefins; and introducing the extract stream into the aromatics processing zone to produce additional aromatic products. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein the selectively hydrogenated first stream comprising at least C6-C9 hydrocarbons is formed by separating the cracked stream into at least two streams including the first stream comprising at least the C6-C9 hydrocarbons and the second stream comprising C10+ hydrocarbons and selectively hydrogenating the first stream comprising at least the C6-C9 hydrocarbons. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 further comprising at least one of: hydrotreating the second stream comprising the C10+ hydrocarbons and blending the hydrotreated second stream comprising C10+ hydrocarbons into gasoline; and blending a portion of the selectively hydrogenated first stream comprising at least the C6-C9 hydrocarbons with gasoline. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 further comprising introducing selectively hydrotreated pyrolysis naphtha to the aromatic extraction unit. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein the selectively hydrogenated first stream comprising at least C6-C9 hydrocarbons is formed by selectively hydrogenating the cracked stream and separating the hydrogenated cracked stream into at least two streams including the first stream comprising at least the C6-C9 hydrocarbons and a second stream comprising C10+ hydrocarbons. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 further comprising combining at least a portion of the reformate stream with the extract stream before introducing the combined stream into the aromatics processing zone. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein the aromatics processing zone comprises at least a second aromatic extraction unit and a separation unit, and wherein introducing the reformate stream into the aromatics processing zone comprises introducing the reformate stream into the second aromatic extraction unit, and further comprising: extracting aromatics from the reformate stream in the second aromatic extraction unit to form a reformate extract stream and a reformate raffinate stream; hydrotreating the extract stream prior to introducing into the aromatics processing zone; and wherein introducing the extract stream into the aromatics processing zone comprises combining the extract stream after the hydrotreating with the reformate extract stream to form a combined stream and further processing the combined stream in the separation unit. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein the aromatics processing zone comprises at least a second aromatic extraction unit, a separation unit, and a toluene disproportionation and transalkylation process unit, and wherein introducing the extract stream into the aromatics processing zone comprises introducing the extract stream into the toluene disproportionation and transalkylation process unit, and further comprising hydrotreating the extract stream in the toluene disproportionation and transalkylation process unit.