Methods for producing a total product in the presence of sulfur

Abstract

Methods of producing a total product are described. A method includes continuously contacting a feed with a hydrogen source in the presence of one or more inorganic salt catalysts and steam to produce a total product, wherein the feed has at least 0.02 grams of sulfur, per gram of feed; and producing a total product that includes coke and the crude product. The crude product has a sulfur content of at most 90% of the sulfur content of the feed.

Description

PRIORITY [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part application claiming priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 014,299 filed Dec. 16, 2004, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 531,506 filed Dec. 19, 2003 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 618,814 filed Oct. 14, 2004.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for treating feed, and to compositions that are produced, for example, using such systems and methods. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART [0003] Crudes that have one or more unsuitable properties that do not allow the crudes to be economically transported, or processed using conventional facilities, are commonly referred to as “disadvantaged crudes”. [0004] Disadvantaged crudes often contain relatively high levels of residue. Such crudes tend to be difficult and expensive to transport and / or process using conventional facilities. High residue crudes may be treated at high tempe...

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Benefits of technology

[0013] Inventions described herein generally relate to systems and methods for contacting a feed with one or more catalysts to produce a total product comprising a crude product and, in some embodiments, non-condensable gas. Inventions described herein also generally relate to compositions that have novel combinations of components therein. Such compositions can be obtained by using the systems and methods described herein.

Problems solved by technology

Disadvantaged crudes often contain relatively high levels of residue.

Such crudes tend to be difficult and expensive to transport and / or process using conventional facilities.

During processing, water removal from the less viscous crudes and / or crude mixtures may be difficult using conventional means.

When processing hydrogen deficient hydrocarbons, consistent quantities of hydrogen generally need to be added, particularly if unsaturated fragments resulting from cracking processes are produced.

Processes such as reforming that are used to produce hydrogen are generally endothermic and, typically, require additional heat.

Hydrogen and / or heat is costly to produce and / or costly to transport to treatment facilities.

It may be costly to regenerate the catalytic activity of a catalyst contaminated by coke.

High temperatures used during regeneration may also diminish the activity of the catalyst and / or cause the catalyst to deteriorate.

Disadvantaged crudes with a relatively high TAN may contribute to corrosion of metal components during transporting and / or processing of the disadvantaged crudes.

The use of corrosion-resistant metal often involves significant expense, and thus, the use of corrosion-resistant metal in existing equipment may not be desirable.

The use of corrosion inhibitors may negatively affect equipment used to process the crudes and / or the quality of products produced from the crudes.

Such deposits may cause a decline in the activity of the catalyst.

Organically bound heteroatoms may, in some situations, have an adverse effect on catalysts.

These processes tend to result in poor desulfurization efficiency, production of oil insoluble sludge, poor demetallization efficiency, formation of substantially inseparable salt-oil mixtures, utilization of large quantities of hydrogen gas, and / or relatively high hydrogen pressures.

Adding diluent, however, generally increases costs of treating disadvantaged crudes due to the costs of diluent and / or increased costs to handle the disadvantaged crudes.

Addition of diluent to a disadvantaged crude may, in some situations, decrease stability of such crude.

The process, systems, and catalysts described in these patents, however, have limited applicability because of many of the technical problems set forth above.

In sum, disadvantaged crudes generally have undesirable properties (for example, relatively high residue, a tendency to corrode equipment, and / or a tendency to consume relatively large amounts of hydrogen during treatment).

Other undesirable properties include relatively high amounts of undesirable components (for example, relatively high TAN, organically bound heteroatoms, and / or metal contaminants).

Such properties tend to cause problems in conventional transportation and / or treatment facilities, including increased corrosion, decreased catalyst life, process plugging, and / or increased usage of hydrogen during treatment.

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