Systems for hydroprocessing heavy oil

A system for hydroprocessing heavy oil, comprising:

• a catalyst precursor;
• a hydrocarbon diluent;
• a heavy oil feedstock separate from the hydrocarbon diluent;
• a first mixing vessel configured for receiving and mixing the catalyst precursor with the hydrocarbon diluent below a temperature at which a significant portion of the catalyst precursor decomposes to form a diluted precursor mixture comprising mixture products of the catalyst precursor and the hydrocarbon diluent;
• a second mixing vessel, downstream from the first mixing vessel, configured for receiving and mixing the diluted precursor mixture with the heavy oil feedstock without heating to a temperature at which a substantial portion of the catalyst precursor decomposes to form a conditioned feedstock comprising mixture products of the catalyst precursor, the hydrocarbon diluent, and the heavy oil feedstock;
• a pre-heater, downstream from the second mixing vessel, configured for receiving and heating the conditioned feedstock to decompose the catalyst precursor so that metal from the decomposed catalyst precursor reacts with sulfur in the heated feedstock to form metal sulfide catalyst particles in situ within the heated feedstock;
• and
• a hydroprocessing reactor, downstream from the pre-heater, comprised of a reaction chamber operating at hydroprocessing conditions, an input port configured for introducing the heated feedstock and in situ formed metal sulfide catalyst particles into the reaction chamber, and an output port for withdrawing upgraded hydrocarbon material formed within the reaction chamber.

A system for hydroprocessing heavy oil, comprising:

• a hydroprocessing reactor configured to operate at hydroprocessing conditions and being comprised of a reaction chamber, an input port for feeding heavy oil into the reaction chamber, and an output port for withdrawing upgraded hydrocarbon material from the reaction chamber;
• a first mixing vessel upstream from the hydroprocessing reactor configured to receive a catalyst precursor and a hydrocarbon diluent and mix them below a temperature at which a significant portion of the catalyst precursor decomposes to form a diluted precursor mixture comprising mixture products of the catalyst precursor and the hydrocarbon diluent;
• a second mixing vessel, downstream from the first mixing vessel and upstream from the hydroprocessing reactor, configured to receive the diluted precursor mixture and a heavy oil feedstock separate from the hydrocarbon diluent and mix them without heating to a temperature at which a substantial portion of the catalyst precursor decomposes to form a conditioned feedstock comprising mixture products of the catalyst precursor, the hydrocarbon diluent, and the heavy oil feedstock;
• and
• a heater, downstream from the second mixing vessel and upstream from hydroprocessing reactor and/or that forms part of the hydroprocessing reactor, for receiving and heating a conditioned feedstock to decompose a catalyst precursor and cause or allow metal from the decomposed catalyst precursor to react with sulfur in a heated feedstock to form metal sulfide catalyst particles in situ within the heated feedstock.

A system for hydroprocessing heavy oil, comprising:

• a heavy oil feedstock comprised of hydrocarbons having a boiling point greater than 343° C. and metal sulfide catalyst particles dispersed in the heavy oil feedstock and having been formed from an oil-soluble catalyst precursor in situ within the heavy oil feedstock;
• a first mixing vessel configured to receive the oil-soluble catalyst precursor and a hydrocarbon diluent separate from the heavy oil feedstock and mix them below a temperature at which a significant portion of the catalyst precursor decomposes to form a diluted precursor mixture comprising mixture products of the catalyst precursor and the hydrocarbon diluent;
• a second mixing vessel, downstream from the first mixing vessel, configured to receive the diluted precursor mixture and the heavy oil feedstock and mix them without heating to a temperature at which a substantial portion of the catalyst precursor decomposes to form a conditioned feedstock comprising mixture products of the catalyst precursor, the hydrocarbon diluent, and the heavy oil feedstock;
• a pre-heater, downstream from the second mixing vessel, configured to heat the conditioned feedstock so as to decompose the oil-soluble catalyst precursor, cause or allow metal from the decomposed catalyst precursor to react with sulfur in the heavy oil feedstock, and form the metal sulfide catalyst particles in situ within the heavy oil feedstock;
• and
• a hydroprocessing reactor configured to receive the heavy oil feedstock containing the in situ formed metal sulfide catalyst particles and form an upgraded hydrocarbon material, the metal sulfide catalyst particles catalyzing reactions between hydrogen and hydrocarbon free radicals within the hydroprocessing reactor while reducing or eliminating formation of coke precursors and sediment.