Co-cracking of methanol and crude oil in a dual downer fluid catalytic cracking process

Abstract

A process for producing greater value chemicals and light hydrocarbons includes separating a crude oil feed to produce crude oil fractions; passing a methanol stream and at least one crude oil fraction to an FCC system comprising a first FCC reactor, a second FCC reactor, and a cracking catalyst. The process includes contacting the methanol stream with a first cracking catalyst in the first FCC reactor, where the contacting catalytic cracks the methanol to produce a first FCC effluent and heat. The process includes contacting the crude oil fraction with a second cracking catalyst in the second FCC reactor, where the contacting catalytically cracks hydrocarbons in the crude oil fraction to produce a second FCC effluent. The first FCC effluent, the second FCC effluent, or both include the greater value chemical products and light hydrocarbons.

Description

CO-CRACKING OF METHANOL AND CRUDE OIL IN A DUAL DOWNER FLUID CATALYTIC CRACKING PROCESSCROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Application Serial No. 19 / 181,525 filed on April 17, 2025, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to fluid catalytic cracking processes, and more specifically relate to dual downflow fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) systems.BACKGROUND

[0003] Light olefins such as ethylene, propylene, butenes, and aromatics compounds such as benzene, toluene and xylenes are basic intermediates for a large proportion of the petrochemical industry. These compounds are produced through a refinery fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) process where classical heavy feedstocks such as vacuum-gas oil or raw crude oil are converted. Lighter feedstocks such as olefinic or paraffinic naphtha are also considered as possible feedstocks for the FCC process. Processing raw crude oil in such processes is however somehow challenging due to crude oil containing different components which have different cracking reactivity, thus having a wide boiling range. Light components of raw crude oil usually need longer time and require higher temperatures to crack compared to heavy components and produce less coke on the used catalyst. Similarly the very heavy components of the crude oil that are composed of multi-ring aromatics will not be cracked due their refractory nature.SUMMARY

[0004] Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) systems and processes for producing one or more petrochemical products from methanol and a raw crude oil. In particular, embodiments are directed to FCC systems and processes that include cocracking a methanol feed stream and a rawrcrude oil or crude oil fraction in dual downflow FCC reactors.

[0005] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, an FCC process of the present disclosure for producing greater value chemicals and light hydrocarbons may include separating a crude oil feed to produce a plurality of crude oil fractions; passing a methanol stream and at least one crude oil fraction to a fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) system comprising a first FCC reactor, a second FCC reactor in parallel with the first FCC reactor, and a cracking catalyst, wherein the first FCC reactor and the second FCC reactor may be downflow FCC reactors; contacting the methanol stream with a first cracking catalyst in the first FCC reactor, where the contacting may cause the methanol to undergo catalytic cracking to produce a first FCC effluent and heat; separating the first FCC effluent from used first cracking catalyst downstream of the first FCC reactor; contacting the at least one crude oil fraction with a second cracking catalyst in the second FCC reactor, where the contacting may cause hydrocarbons in the at least one crude oil fraction to undergo catalytic cracking reactions to produce a second FCC effluent; and separating the second FCC effluent from used second cracking catalyst downstream of the second FCC reactor; wherein the first FCC effluent, the second FCC effluent, or both may comprise the greater value chemical products and light hydrocarbons.

[0006] According to other embodiments, the FCC process may comprise separating a crude oil feed into a light boiling point fraction and a heavy boiling point fraction; passing a methanol stream, the light boiling point fraction, and the heavy boiling point fraction to a fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) system comprising a first FCC reactor, a second FCC reactor in parallel with the first FCC reactor, and a cracking catalyst, wherein the first FCC reactor and the second FCC reactor may be downflow FCC reactors; contacting the methanol stream and the light boiling point fraction with a first cracking catalyst in the first FCC reactor, where the contacting may cause the methanol and hydrocarbons in the light boiling point fraction to undergo catalytic cracking to produce a first FCC effluent; separating the first FCC effluent from used first cracking catalyst downstream of the first FCC reactor; contacting the heavy boiling point fraction with a second cracking catalyst in the second FCC reactor, where the contacting may cause hydrocarbons in the heavy boiling point fraction to undergo catalytic cracking reactions to produce a second FCC effluent; and separating the second FCC effluent from used second cracking catalyst downstream of the second FCC reactor; wherein the first FCC effluent, the second FCC effluent, or both may comprise the greater value chemical products and light hydrocarbons.

[0007] According to other embodiments, a FCC process may comprise separating a crude oil feed into a light boiling point fraction and a heavy boiling point fraction; passing a methanol stream, the light boiling point fraction, and the heavy boiling point fraction to a fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) system comprising a first FCC reactor, a second FCC reactor in parallel with the first FCC reactor, and a cracking catalyst, wherein the first FCC reactor and the second FCC reactor may be downflow FCC reactors; contacting the methanol stream and the heavy boiling point fraction with a first cracking catalyst in the first FCC reactor, where the contacting may cause the methanol and hydrocarbons in the heavy boiling point fraction to undergo catalytic cracking to produce a first FCC effluent; separating the first FCC effluent from used first cracking catalyst downstream of the first FCC reactor; contacting the light boiling point fraction with a second cracking catalyst in the second FCC reactor, where the contacting may cause hydrocarbons in the light boiling point fraction to undergo catalytic cracking reactions to produce a second FCC effluent; and separating the second FCC effluent from used second cracking catalyst downstream of the second FCC reactor; wherein the first FCC effluent, the second FCC effluent, or both may comprise the greater value chemical products and light hydrocarbons.

[0008] According to embodiments, the FCC system described in this disclosure may include a first FCC reactor, where the first FCC reactor may be a downflow FCC reactor; a first fluid-solid separator downstream of the first FCC reactor; a second FCC reactor in parallel with the first downflow FCC reactor, where the second FCC reactor may be a downflow FCC reactor; a second fluid-solid separator downstream of the second FCC reactor; a regeneration zone downstream of the first fluid-solid separator and the second fluid-solid separator and fluidly coupled to the first fluidsolid separator and the second fluid-solid separator; a first withdrawal well upstream of the first FCC reactor; a second withdrawal well upstream of the second FCC reactor; a methanol stream in fluid communication with the first FCC reactor, the methanol stream comprising methanol; and a hydrocarbon stream in fluid communication with the second FCC reactor, the hydrocarbon stream comprising at least one crude oil.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The following detailed description of specific embodiments of the present disclosure can be best understood when read in conjunction with the following drawings, where like structure is indicated with like reference numerals and in which:

[0010] FIG. 1 schematically depicts one embodiment of a dual downflow FCC system and process, according to embodiments shown and described in this disclosure;

[0011] FIG. 2 schematically depicts another embodiment of a dual downflow FCC system and process, according to embodiments shown and described in this disclosure;

[0012] FIG. 3 schematically depicts another embodiment of a dual downflow FCC system and process, according to embodiments shown and described in this disclosure; and

[0013] FIG. 4 schematically depicts a test reactor system for converting hydrocarbon feeds to greater value chemicals and light hydrocarbons, according to embodiments shown and described in this disclosure.

[0014] For the purpose of describing the simplified schematic illustrations and descriptions of FIGS. 1-4, some of the numerous valves, temperature sensors, electronic controllers, and the like that may be employed and well known to those of ordinary skill in the art of certain chemical processing operations are not included. Further, accompanying components that are often included in chemical processing operations, such as, for example, air supplies, heat exchangers, surge tanks, catalyst hoppers, or other related systems are not depicted. It would be known that these components are within the spirit and scope of the present embodiments disclosed. However, operational components, such as those described in the present disclosure, may be added to the embodiments described in this disclosure.

[0015] It should further be noted that arrows in the drawings refer to process streams. However, the arrows may equivalently refer to transfer lines that may serve to transfer process streams between two or more system components. Additionally, arrows that connect to system components define inlets or outlets in each given system component. The arrow direction corresponds generally with the major direction of movement of the materials of the stream contained within the physical transfer linesignified by the arrow. Furthermore, arrows that do not connect two or more system components signify a product stream which exits the depicted system or a system inlet stream which enters the depicted system. Product streams may be further processed in accompanying chemical processing systems or may be commercialized as end products. System inlet streams may be streams transferred from accompanying chemical processing systems or may be non-processed feedstock streams. Some arrows may represent recycle streams, which are effluent streams of system components that are recycled back into the system. However, it should be understood that any represented recycle stream, in embodiments, may be replaced by a system inlet stream of the same material, and that a portion of a recycle stream may exit the system as a system product.

[0016] Additionally, arrows in the drawings may schematically depict process steps of transporting a stream from one system component to another system component. For example, an arrow from one system component pointing to another system component may represent "passing" a system component effluent to another system component, which may include the contents of a process stream "exiting" or being "removed" from one system component and "introducing" the contents of that product stream to another system component.

[0017] It should be understood that two or more process streams are "mixed" or "combined" when two or more lines intersect in the schematic flow diagrams of FIGS. 1-4. Mixing or combining may also include mixing by directly introducing both streams into a like reactor, separation device, or other system component. For example, it should be understood that when two streams are depicted as being combined directly prior to entering a separator or reactor, that in some embodiments the streams could equivalently be introduced into the separator or reactor and be mixed in the reactor.

[0018] Reference will now be made in greater detail to various embodiments of the present disclosure, some embodiments of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Whenever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or similar parts.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to systems and processes for converting a methanol stream and at least one crude oil fraction into one or more greater-valuechemicals and other light hydrocarbons using a dual downflow fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) system that includes two downflow FCC reactors. Referring now to FIG. 1 , in embodiments, a process for producing greater value chemicals and other light hydrocarbons may include separating a crude oil feed 104 to produce a plurality of crude oil fractions 112, 113, 114, and passing a methanol stream 102 and at least one crude oil fraction 112. 113. 114 to an FCC system 120. The FCC system 120 may comprise a first FCC unit 130, a second FCC unit 150 in parallel with the first FCC unit 130, and a cracking catalyst, wherein the first FCC unit 130 and the second FCC unit 150 both may be downflow FCC reactors. The process may include contacting the methanol stream 102 with a first cracking catalyst 133 in the first FCC unit 130, where the contacting may cause methanol in the methanol stream 102 to undergo catalytic cracking to produce a first FCC effluent 142 and heat. The process may further include separating the first FCC effluent 142 from used first cracking catalyst 144 downstream of the first FCC unit 130; contacting the at least one crude oil fraction 112, 113, 114 with a second cracking catalyst 153 in the second FCC unit 150. where the contacting causes hydrocarbons in the at least one crude oil fraction to undergo catalytic cracking reactions to produce a second FCC effluent 162; and separating the second FCC effluent 162 from used second cracking catalyst 164 downstream of the second FCC unit 150. The first FCC effluent 142, the second FCC effluent 162, or both may comprise the greater value chemical products and other light hydrocarbons.

[0020] The dual downflow FCC system and processes may convert a raw crude oil feed into at least one greater value petrochemical product or light hydrocarbons, non-limiting examples of which may include light olefins, light aromatic compounds, gasoline constituents, or combinations of these constituents. The use of methanol may enable the production of greater value chemical and light hydrocarbon.

[0021] As used in this disclosure, the term "cracking" refers to chemical reactions that include breaking a molecule having carbon-carbon bonds into more than one molecule by the breaking of one or more of the carbon-carbon bonds and / or converting one or more cyclic moieties in a compound, such as one or more aromatic rings or cycloalkyl groups, to non-cyclic moieties. As used in the present disclosure, the term "catalytic cracking" refers to cracking conducted in the presence of a catalyst.

[0022] As used in this disclosure, the term "catalyst" refers to any substance that increases the rate of a specific chemical reaction. Catalysts and catalyst components described in this disclosure can be utilized to promote various reactions, such as, but not limited to catalytic cracking, aromatic cracking, dehalogenation, acid gas removal, pyrolysis, other chemical reactions, or combinations of these.

[0023] As used in this disclosure, the term "used catalyst" refers to catalyst that has been contacted with reactants but has not been regenerated in a regenerator or through a regeneration process to restore at least a portion of the catalytic activity to the catalyst. The term "regenerated catalyst" refers to a catalyst that has been regenerated in a regenerator or through a regeneration process to increase the catalytic activity, the temperature, or both of the regenerated catalyst.

[0024] As used in this disclosure, the term "crude oil" refers to a mixture of petroleum liquids and gases, including impurities, such as sulfur- containing compounds, nitrogen-containing compounds, and metal compounds, extracted directly from a subterranean formation or received from a desalting unit without having any fractions, such as naphtha, separated by distillation. A "topped crude oil" refers to a crude oil from which a portion of light hydrocarbons (hydrocarbons having a low boiling point temperature less than a threshold temperature) have been removed through a topping process.

[0025] As used in this disclosure, the term "aromatic compounds" refers to compounds having one or more aromatic ring structures. The term "light aromatic compounds" refers to compounds having an aromatic ring, with or without substitution, and from six to eight carbon atoms. The term "BTEX" refers to any combination of one or a plurality of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, para-xylene, meta- xylene, and ortao-xylene.

[0026] As used in this disclosure, the term "xylenes," when used without a designation of the isomer, such as the prefix para, meta, or ortho, refers to one or more of meta-xylene, ort / m-xylene, para- xylene, and mixtures of these xylene isomers.

[0027] As used in this disclosure, the term "light olefins" refers to olefins having from 2 to 4 carbon atoms, where the term "olefins" has its normal meaning as understood by a person of ordinary skill in art of chemistry.

[0028] As used in this disclosure, the terms "butenes" and "mixed butenes" refers to 1 -butene, cB-2-butene, ftw -2-butene, isobutene, and combinations of these. As used in this disclosure, the term "normal butenes" refers to 1 -butene, cz -2-butene, tra s-2-butene, and any combination thereof, but not including isobutene.

[0029] As used in this disclosure, the term "naphtha" refers to hydrocarbons having atmospheric boiling point temperatures of from 25 °C to 221 °C.

[0030] As used in this disclosure, the terms "low carbon footprint fuels" or "low carbon footprint fuel components" refer to fuels and fuel components derived from non-fossil origin, in contrast to conventional fuels which are produced directly from petroleum extracted from subterranean sources. The "low carbon footprint fuels" or "low carbon footprint fuel components" are produced sustainably from municipal or organic waste, sustainable biomass, renewables, or circular CO2. Production and use of the low carbon footprint fuels and fuel components result in very little or no additional CO2 generated. Low carbon footprint fuels and fuel components can help to reduce greenhouse emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change.

[0031] As used in this disclosure, the term "sustainable chemicals" refers to chemicals that are derived from the processing of captured CO2 or from recycling waste materials back to produce useful chemical products and other light hydrocarbons.

[0032] As used in this disclosure, the terms "boiling point temperature", or "boiling temperature", or "boiling point" refer to the temperature at which a compound or composition boils at atmospheric pressure, unless otherwise stated.

[0033] As used in this disclosure, the term "initial boiling point" or "IBP" of a composition refers to the temperature at which the constituents of the composition having the lowest boiling point temperature begin to transition from the liquid phase to the vapor phase, as determined according to the standard test methods in ASTM D2887.

[0034] As used in this disclosure, the term "final boiling point" or "FBP" of a composition refers to the temperature at which the greatest boiling temperature constituents of the composition transition from the liquid phase to the vapor phase, as determined according to the standard test methods in ASTM D2887.

[0035] As used in this disclosure, the term "separation unit" refers to any separation device that at least partially separates one or more chemicals in a mixture from one another. For example, a separation unit may selectively separate different chemical species from one another, forming one or more chemical fractions. Examples of separation units include, without limitation, distillation columns, cryogenic distillation units, fractionators, flash drums, knock-out drums, knock-out pots, centrifuges, filtration devices, traps, scrubbers, expansion devices, membranes, solvent extraction devices, pressure swing adsorption units, high-pressure separators, low-pressure separators, fluidsolid separators, and the like. It should be understood that separation processes described in this disclosure may not completely separate all of one chemical consistent from all of another chemical constituent. It should be understood that the separation processes described in this disclosure "at least partially" separate different chemical components from one another, and that even if not explicitly stated, it should be understood that separation may include only partial separation. As used in this disclosure, one or more chemical constituents may be "separated" from a process stream to form a new process stream. Generally, a process stream may enter a separation unit and be divided or separated into two or more process streams of desired composition.

[0036] As used in this disclosure, the terms "upstream" and "downstream" refer to the relative positioning of unit operations with respect to the direction of flow of the process streams through the system. A first unit operation of a system is considered "upstream" of a second unit operation if process streams flowing through the system encounter the first unit operation before encountering the second unit operation. Likewise, a second unit operation is considered "downstream" of the first unit operation if the process streams flowing through the system encounter the first unit operation before encountering the second unit operation.

[0037] As used in this disclosure, passing a stream or effluent from one unit "directly" to another unit refers to passing the stream or effluent from the first unit to the second unit without passing the stream or effluent through an intervening reaction system or separation system that substantially changes the composition of the stream or effluent. Heat transfer devices, such as heat exchangers, preheaters, coolers, or other heat transfer equipment, and pressure devices, such as pumps, pressure regulators, compressors, or other pressure devices, are not considered to be intervening systems that change the composition of a stream or effluent, unless otherwise specifically stated in the presentdisclosure. Combining two streams or effluents together upstream of a process unit also is not considered to comprise an intervening system that changes the composition of one or both of the streams or effluents being combined. Simply dividing a stream into two streams having the same composition is also not considered to comprise an intervening system that changes the composition of the stream.

[0038] As used in this disclosure, the term "reactor" refers to any vessel, container, conduit, or the like, in which a chemical reaction, such as catalytic cracking, occurs between one or more reactants optionally in the presence of one or more catalysts. A reactor can include one or a plurality of "reaction zones" disposed within the reactor. The term "reaction zone" refers to a region in a reactor where a particular reaction takes place.

[0039] As used in this disclosure, the term "high-severity conditions" refers to operating conditions of a fluid catalytic cracking system that include temperatures greater than or equal to 550 °C, such as from 550 °C to 800 °C, a catalyst to oil ratio greater than or equal to 1 : 1 , or from 1 : 1 to 60:1, and a residence time of less than or equal to 60 seconds, or from 0.1 seconds to 60 seconds, each of which conditions may be more severe than typical operating conditions of fluid catalytic cracking systems.

[0040] As used in this disclosure, the terms "catalyst-to-oil ratio" and "CTO weight ratio" refer to the weight ratio of a catalyst to hydrocarbons in a reactor, such as in the cracking reaction zone of the first downflow FCC reactor 134 of the first FCC unit 132 of the present disclosure. The catalyst-to-oil ratio of the present disclosure is calculated by dividing the mass flow rate of the cracking catalyst introduced to the FCC reactor unit by the mass flow rate of the hydrocarbons introduced to the FCC reactor unit, such as the hydrocarbons being introduced through the stream 102 and the light crude oil stream 104.

[0041] As used in this disclosure, the term "contact time" refers to the amount of time that reactants, such as the hydrocarbons of the crude oil feed, are in contact with the FCC catalyst composition, at reaction conditions, such as at the reaction temperature.

[0042] As used in this disclosure, the term "effluent" refers to a stream that is passed out of a reactor, a reaction zone, or a separator following a particular reaction or separation process. Generally.-Ilan effluent has a different composition than the stream that entered the separator, reactor, or reaction zone. It should be understood that when an effluent is passed to another system unit, only a portion of that effluent may be passed. For example, a slip stream (having the same composition) may carry some of the effluent away, meaning that only a portion of the effluent may enter the downstream system unit. The terms "reaction effluent" or "reactor effluent" are more particularly used to refer to streams that are passed out of a reactor or reaction zone.

[0043] It should further be understood that streams may be named for the components of the stream, and the component for which the stream is named may be the major component of the stream (such as comprising from 50 weight percent (wt.%), from 70 wt.%, from 90 wt.%, from 95 wt.%, from 99 wt.%, from 99.5 wt.%, or even from 99.9 wt.% of the contents of the stream to 100 wt.% of the contents of the stream, notwithstanding any inert gases or diluents purposely added to the stream). It should also be understood that components of a stream are disclosed as passing from one system component to another when a stream comprising that component is disclosed as passing from that system component to another. For example, a disclosed "methanol stream" passing to a first system component or from a first system component to a second system component should be understood to equivalently disclose "methanol" passing to the first system component or passing from a first system component to a second system component.

[0044] Hydrocarbon feedstocks, such as hut not limited to vacuum gas oils, atmospheric residues, or other heavy oils, can be converted to greater value chemicals and other light hydrocarbons through fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC). FCC processes for the cracking of hydrocarbon feedstocks rely on contacting the hydrocarbon feedstock with heated fluidized catalytic particles in a reaction zone maintained at temperatures and pressures suitable for conducting the catalytic cracking reactions. When the heavier hydrocarbon feedstock contacts the hot cracking catalyst and is cracked to lighter products, carbonaceous deposits, commonly referred to as coke, form on the used cracking catalyst, which reduces the catalytic activity of the cracking catalyst. The used cracking catalyst is separated from the cracked effluent, stripped of removable hydrocarbons, and passed to a regeneration vessel, where the coke is burned from the used cracking catalyst in the presence of air or other oxygencontaining gas to produce a regenerated cracking catalyst, which has substantially restored catalytic activity. The combustion products from the regeneration are removed from the regeneration vessel asflue gas. The heated regenerated cracking catalyst is then recycled to the reaction zone of the FCC unit as the cracking catalyst.

[0045] The hydrocarbon feedstocks conventionally used with FCC processes are mainly the vacuum gas oil or bottom residues from distillation of crude oils. Lighter feedstocks, such as but not limited to olefinic or paraffinic naphtha, are also considered as possible hydrocarbon feedstocks for the FCC process. These lighter hydrocarbon feedstocks can increase yield of propylene from the FCC process. However, fluidized catalytic cracking of lighter hydrocarbon feedstocks produces less coke. Combustion of coke during regeneration produces heat which is absorbed by the regenerated catalyst and used as a heat source in the FCC reactor for the endothermic cracking reactions. Producing less coke causes problems with heat balance within the FCC reactor.

[0046] To solve the heat balance issues with cracking lighter feedstocks, such as naphtha, conventional methods have focused on the use of additional fuels in the regenerator to increase the temperature of the regenerated cracking catalysts to the operating temperature of the FCC unit. Other conventional methods include co-processing the lighter feedstocks with a heavy feedstock, such as vacuum gas oil, distillation residue fractions, or other heavy oils, which added heavy feedstock produces the coke needed to heat balance the FCC reactor system.

[0047] All these feedstocks for the FCC process are usually limited and are obtained through costly and energy intensive processing steps within the refinery. To be able to respond to the ever growing demand of the above mentioned petrochemicals, other type of feeds, available in larger quantities like raw crude oil have to be considered. Using such kind of feed will enable an additional ideal situation where refinery capacity is not a restricting factor anymore.

[0048] Processing a whole raw crude oil in an FCC system can be challenging. For instance, a whole crude oil can contain greater concentrations of heavy metals and coke precursors. The heavy metals can permanently deactivate the cracking catalyst, which cannot generally be undone by a typical regeneration process. The high content of coke precursors may reduce the yield achievable from cracking the whole crude oil.

[0049] Additionally, whole crude oils can have a large boiling temperature range due to the diverse hydrocarbon species present in the whole crude oil. The main challenge in catalytic crackingof whole crude oil is that the whole crude oil contains different components which have different cracking reactivity. Light constituents of the crude oil are generally less reactive and typically need longer contact time and greater temperatures to crack compared to heavy components. The lighter constituents usually produce less coke on the used cracking catalyst compared to the heavy constituents. The heavier constituents have greater reactivity and, therefore, can be cracked with a shorter contact time and lower temperature. The very heavy constituents of the crude oil, which heavy constituents are composed of multi-ring aromatic compounds, can sometimes not be cracked at all due their refractory nature. This wide range in constituents in the whole crude oil may make it difficult to identify the proper operating conditions for catalytic cracking of the whole crude oil, leading to inefficient conversions.

[0050] The present disclosure is directed to FCC systems and processes for converting whole crude oil or crude oil fractions to greater value chemicals and other light hydrocarbons through coprocessing the whole crude oil or crude oil fractions with methanol. The FCC system has a feed separator, a first FCC reactor, a second FCC reactor, and a catalyst regenerator. The first FCC reactor and the second FCC reactor are both downflow FCC reactors. The whole crude oil is first separated into one or a plurality of crude oil fractions. The methanol is passed to the first FCC reactor and catalytically cracked in the first FCC reactor, and at least one crude oil fraction is passed to the second FCC reactor and catalytically cracked in the second FCC reactor. A second crude oil fraction may be passed to the first FCC reactor and co-processed with the methanol.

[0051] Catalytic cracking of methanol is an exothermic reaction that produces heat in additional to reaction products. The additional heat generated through the exothermic catalytic cracking of the methanol can improve the heat balance of the FCC system, particularly when one or both of the crude oil fractions is a lighter fraction, such as but not limited to a naphtha fraction. The co-cracking of methanol with a crude oil fraction may improve conversion of the different components due to methanol helping to sustain the heat balance of the overall process. The co-processing of the methanol may also reduce the need for introducing supplemental fuels, such as but not limited to torch oil, to the catalyst regenerator. The methanol can also act as a hydrogen donor. Hydrogen donated by the catalytic cracking of the methanol can increase the conversion of both lighter constituents and heavy constituents of the raw crude oil or raw crude oil fractions. Utilization of the dual down flow reactorsystem brings flexibility in co-processing of methanol with crude oil or crude oil fractions, where operating conditions can be tailored in both reaction zones, and the injection of methanol can be done at the most adequate reaction zone.

[0052] Additionally, when the methanol is low carbon methanol or e-methanol, the co-processing of the methanol with the raw crude oil or raw crude oil fractions may enable the production of low-carbon footprint chemicals and gasoline. In other words, when low-carbon methanol or e-methanol is co-processed with the raw crude oil fraction, at least a portion of the greater value chemicals and other light hydrocarbons, such as light olefins, light aromatic compounds, gasoline constituents, or other products, may be classified as sustainable or low-carbon, among other features.

[0053] Referring now to FIG. 1, one embodiment of a system 100 of the present disclosure for producing greater value chemicals and other light hydrocarbons is schematically depicted. The system 100 may include a feed separator 110 and an FCC system 120 disposed downstream of the feed separator 110. The feed separator 110 may include one or a plurality of separation units and may be configured to separate a crude oil feed 104 to produce a plurality of crude oil fractions. In embodiments, the feed separator 110 may be a distillation unit.

[0054] In embodiments, the crude oil fractions 104 may include a light hydrocarbon gas stream 111, a naphtha stream 112, a heavy oil stream 113, a residue stream 114, or combinations thereof. The light hydrocarbon gas stream 111 may include constituents having boiling point temperatures of less than 0 °C. Heavy oil streams 113 may include vacuum gas oils (boiling point temperatures of from 360 °C to 565 °C), diesel oils (boiling point temperatures of from 221 °C to 360 °C), or any other heavy oils having a boiling point temperature of from 221 °C to 565 °C. The residue stream 114 may be an atmospheric residue, a vacuum residue, or combinations thereof.

[0055] Referring now to FIG. , in embodiments, the feed separator 110 may be configured to separate the crude oil feed 104 into a light boiling point fraction 116 and a heavy boiling point fraction 118. In embodiments, the feed separator 110 may have a cut-point temperature of from 225 °C to 450 °C, such as from 225 °C to 400 °C, from 225 °C to 350 °C, from 250 °C to 450 °C, from 250 °C to 400 °C. from 250 °C to 350 °C, from 300 °C to 450 °C, from 300 °C to 400 °C, from 300 °C to 350 °C, from 350 °C to 450 °C, from 350 °C to 400 °C, or about 350 °C. The light boiling point fraction116 may include at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 98%, or even at least 99% of the constituents of the crude oil feed 104 having boiling point temperatures less than the cut-point temperature of the feed separator 110. The heavy boiling point fraction 118 may include at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 98%, or even at least 99% of the constituents of the crude oil feed 104 having boiling point temperatures greater than or equal to the cut-point temperature of the feed separator 110.

[0056] Referring again to FIG. 1, the FCC system 120 includes a first FCC unit 130, a second FCC unit 150 in parallel with the first FCC unit 130, and a catalyst regenerator 170. The first FCC unit 130 may include a first catalyst withdrawal well 132, a first FCC reactor 134 downstream of the first catalyst withdrawal well 132, and a first fluid-solid separator 140 downstream of the first FCC reactor 134. In embodiments, the first FCC unit 130 may also include a first stripping unit downstream of the first fluid-solid separator 140 or integrated with the first fluid-solid separator 140. The first withdrawal well 132 may be in fluid communication with the catalyst regenerator 170 to pass regenerated catalyst 176 to the first catalyst withdrawal well 132 as the first cracking catalyst 133. The first withdrawal well 132 may be a vessel that enables accumulation of the first cracking catalyst 133 upstream of the first FCC reactor 134. The first withdrawal well 132 may be in fluid communication with the first FCC reactor 134 to pass the first cracking catalyst 133 to the first FCC reactor 134. The first FCC reactor 134 may be a cylindrical tube in which the first cracking catalyst 134 and hydrocarbons are contacted and flow downward through the first FCC reactor 134. In embodiments, the first FCC reactor 134 may include a steam feed 136 for introducing steam to the first FCC reactor 134.

[0057] The first fluid-solid separator 140 may be disposed at or just downstream of an exit from the first FCC reactor 134. The first fluid-solid separator 140 may be configured to separate the contents of the first FCC reactor 134 to produce a first FCC effluent 142 and a used first cracking catalyst 144. The first fluid-solid separator 140 may be in fluid communication with the catalyst regenerator 170 to pass the used first cracking catalyst 144 from the first fluid-solid separator 140 to the catalyst regenerator 170.

[0058] Referring again to FIG. 1, the second FCC unit 150 may include a second catalyst withdrawal well 152, a second FCC reactor 154 downstream of the second catalyst withdrawal well152, and a second fluid-solid separator 160 downstream of the second FCC reactor 154. In embodiments, the second FCC unit 150 may also include a second stripping unit downstream of the second fluid-solid separator 160 or integrated with the second fluid solid separator 160. The second withdrawal well 152 may be in fluid communication with the catalyst regenerator 170 to pass regenerated catalyst 176 to the second catalyst withdrawal well 152 as the second cracking catalyst 153. The second withdrawal well 152 may be a vessel that enables accumulation of the second cracking catalyst 153 upstream of the second FCC reactor 154. The second withdrawal well 152 may be in fluid communication with the second FCC reactor 154 to pass the second cracking catalyst 153 to the second FCC reactor 154. The second FCC reactor 154 may be a cylindrical tube in which the second cracking catalyst 154 and hydrocarbons are contacted and flow downward through the second FCC reactor 154. In embodiments, the second FCC reactor 154 may include a steam feed 136 for introducing steam to the second FCC reactor 154.

[0059] The second fluid-solid separator 160 may be disposed at or just downstream of an exit from the second FCC reactor 154. The second fluid-solid separator 160 may be configured to separate the contents of the second FCC reactor 154 to produce a second FCC effluent 162 and a used second cracking catalyst 164. The second fluid-solid separator 160 may be in fluid communication with the catalyst regenerator 170 to pass the used second cracking catalyst 164 from the second fluid-solid separator 160 to the catalyst regenerator 170.

[0060] The catalyst regenerator 170 may be configured to receive the used first cracking catalyst 144 and the used second cracking catalyst 164 and contact the used cracking catalysts with a regeneration gas 174. The regeneration gas 174 may be an oxygen-containing gas, such as but not limited to air. The catalyst regenerator 170 may include a regenerator riser and a regeneration zone 172 at the top end of the regenerator riser. The used cracking catalysts and the regeneration gas 174 may mix and travel upward through the regenerator riser to the regeneration zone 172. In embodiments, a supplemental fuel may be added to the regenerator riser, the regeneration zone 172, or both, to introduce additional heat of combustion to increase the temperature of the regenerated catalyst 176. The flue gas 178 may exit from the top of the regeneration zone 172 of the catalyst regenerator 170.

[0061] In embodiments, the first cracking catalyst 133 and the second cracking catalyst 153 may be the same cracking catalyst. The cracking catalyst may include any suitable FCC cracking catalyst, cracking catalyst additive, or combinations thereof. The cracking catalyst may be any conventional cracking catalyst known to those skilled in the art for catalyzing cracking reactions of hydrocarbons. In embodiments, the cracking catalyst may comprise a commercial catalyst for FCC applications. In embodiments, the cracking catalyst may comprise one or more commercial catalysts for FCC applications. Alternatively, or additionally, the cracking catalyst may comprise other suitable solid acid catalysts. In embodiments, the cracking catalyst may comprise one or more binders, cracking promoters, matrix materials, or other constituents to modify the physical or chemical properties such as catalyst attrition index and catalyst density. In embodiments, the cracking catalyst may be an equilibrium catalyst (ECAT). In embodiments, the ECAT may comprise a Y-type zeolite, a USY zeolite, or combinations thereof. In embodiments, the cracking catalyst may include a cracking additive to increase the yield of light olefins or other constituents. Other cracking catalysts may also be suitable for the cracking catalyst in the FCC system 120. In embodiments, the cracking catalyst may comprise an equilibrium catalyst and a cracking additive, where the equilibrium catalyst may comprise a Y-type zeolite or a USY zeolite, and the cracking additive may include a Mordenite framework inverted (MFI) zeolite, such as but not limited to a ZSM-5 zeolite.

[0062] During operation of the FCC system 120, a first feed stream, such as but not limited to a methanol feed stream 102, may be introduced to the first FCC reactor 134 along with the first FCC catalyst 133. The first feed stream and the first FCC catalyst 133 may be mixed within the first FCC reactor 134 and may flow downward through the first FCC reactor 134. Contact of the first feed stream with the first cracking catalyst 133 in the first FCC reactor may cause at least a portion of the first feed stream to undergo catalytic cracking to produce a first reaction mixture comprising a first FCC effluent 142 and used first cracking catalyst 144. The first reaction mixture is passed to the first fluid-solid separator 140, which separates the first reaction mixture to produce the first FCC effluent 142 and the used first cracking catalyst 144. The used first cracking catalyst 144 may be passed to the catalyst regenerator 170. The first FCC effluent 142 may be passed out of the FCC system 120. such as to an FCC effluent separation system (not shown) for separation of the first FCC effluent 142 into a plurality of FCC product streams.

[0063] During operation of the FCC system 120, a second feed stream, such as but not limited to a crude oil fraction 106, may be introduced to the second FCC reactor 154 along with the second FCC catalyst 153. The second feed stream and the second FCC catalyst 153 may be mixed within the second FCC reactor 154 and may flow downward through the second FCC reactor 154. Contact of the second feed stream with the second cracking catalyst 153 in the second FCC reactor 154 may cause at least a portion of the second feed stream to undergo catalytic cracking to produce a second reaction mixture comprising a second FCC effluent 162 and used second cracking catalyst 164. The second reaction mixture is passed to the second fluid-solid separator 160, which separates the second reaction mixture to produce the second FCC effluent 162 and the used second cracking catalyst 164. The used second cracking catalyst 164 may be passed to the catalyst regenerator 170. The second FCC effluent 162 may be passed out of the FCC system 120, such as to an FCC effluent separation system (not shown) for separation of the second FCC effluent 162 into a plurality of FCC product streams. In embodiments, the first FCC effluent 142 and the second FCC effluent 162 may be combined and then passed to the FCC effluent separation system.

[0064] Referring again to FIG. 1, the methanol feed stream 102 may be passed to the first FCC unit 130. The methanol feed stream 102 may comprise conventional methanol, low carbon methanol, e-methanol, or any combination of these. Low carbon methanol refers to methanol produced from sustainable sources, such as but not limited to captured CO2, hydrogen produced from sustainable sources, or combinations thereof. Other sources of low-carbon methanol are contemplated. The term "e-methanol" refers to methanol that is produced from reacting CO2 and green H2 produced from water electrolysis powered by renewable energy. It is noted that all e-methanol is low-carbon methanol, but not all low-carbon methanol is e-methanol. The modifier "low-carbon" in front of a species indicates that the species is produced from raw materials or by a process that represents a savings in greenhouse gas emissions over conventional fossil fuel sources and fossil fuel refining methods, whether or not the low-carbon species meets the specifications of certain sustainability standards.

[0065] The crude oil fraction 106 introduced to the second FCC unit 150 may include a vacuumgas oil, an atmospheric residue, a vacuum residue, a whole crude oil, a topped crude oil, or any combinations thereof. The crude oil fraction 106 may be produced by separating a crude oil feed 104in the feed separator 110 to produce one or more crude oil fractions 106. As used in this disclosure, the term "crude oil" is to be understood to mean a mixture of petroleum liquids and gases, including impurities such as sulfur- containing compounds, nitrogen-containing compounds and metal compounds, as distinguished from fractions of crude oil. In embodiments, the crude oil feed 104 may be a minimally treated crude oil to provide a crude oil feed 104 having total metals (Ni+V) content of less than 5 parts per million by weight (ppmw) and Conradson carbon residue of less than 5 wt %.

[0066] While the present description and examples may specify raw crude oil as the hydrocarbon material of the crude oil feed 104, it should be understood that the crude oil feed 104 described with respect to the embodiments of FIGS. 1-3, respectively, may be applicable for the conversion of a wide variety of hydrocarbon materials, which may be present in the crude oil feed, including, but not limited to, raw crude oil, vacuum residue, atmospheric residue, vacuum gas oils, diesel oils, naphtha streams, other hydrocarbon streams, or combinations of these materials. The crude oil feed 104 may include one or more non-hydrocarbon constituents, such as one or more heavy metals, sulfur compounds, nitrogen compounds, inorganic components, or other non-hydrocarbon compounds. If the crude oil feed 104 is a raw crude oil, it may have an American Petroleum Institute (API) gravity of from 22 degrees to 45 degrees. It should be understood that, as used in this disclosure, a "crude oil feed" may refer to a raw hydrocarbon material, such as a raw crude oil, which has not been previously treated, separated, or otherwise refined (such as crude oil) or may refer to a hydrocarbon material which has undergone some degree of processing, such as treatment, separation, reaction, purifying, or other operation, prior to being introduced to the system 100 in the crude oil feed 104.

[0067] In embodiments, the crude oil fraction 106 may be a vacuum gas oil (VGO), which may be produced from subjecting the crude oil feed 104 to separation in the feed separator 110. Example properties for one particular exemplary' grade of VGO are provided in Table 1.

[0068] Table 1: Example of Vacuum-Gas Oil Feed PropertiesProperty VGODensity (g / cm3)(15°C) 0.896Sulfur (ppm) 300Nitrogen (ppm) 170Simulated Distillation, (°C)IBP 1755% 37225% 40050% 43090% 519FBP 537

[0069] Referring again to FIG. 1, in embodiments, the system 100 receives a methanol feed stream 102 and a crude oil feed 104. The crude oil feed 104 is passed to the feed separator 110 and is separated into the plurality of crude oil fractions 106. The methanol feed stream 102 and the at least one crude oil fraction 106 are catalytically cracked in separate dual reactors to produce two or more system product streams.

[0070] The crude oil feed 104 may be introduced to the feed separator 110 which may separate the crude oil feed 104 to produce a plurality of crude oil fractions 106 and a light hydrocarbon gas outlet stream 111. The at least one crude oil fraction 106 may comprise a naphtha stream 112, a heavy oil stream 113, a residue stream 114, or combinations thereof. When the crude oil fraction 106 includes the heavy oil stream 113, the heavy oil stream 113 may be a vacuum gas oil, a diesel oil, or both. When the crude oil fraction 106 includes the residue stream 114, the residue stream 114 may be atmospheric residue, a vacuum residue, or any combinations thereof. The contents of the light hydrocarbon gas outlet stream 111 may comprise a plurality of light hydrocarbon gases.

[0071] Referring to FIG. 1, the methanol feed stream 102 may be introduced to the first FCC reactor 134 through an injection line downstream of an inlet of the first FCC reactor 134. In embodiments, a steam feed 136 may also be introduced to the first FCC reactor 134. In embodiments, only the methanol feed stream 102 and optionally the steam feed 136 are passed to the first FCC reactor 134. The methanol feed stream 102 may be mixed with the first cracking catalyst 133 andoptionally the steam feed 136 in the first FCC reactor 134. The methanol feed stream 102 may be catalytically cracked in the first FCC reactor 134 through contact with the first cracking catalyst 133 to produce the first reaction mixture comprising the first FCC effluent 142 and the used first cracking catalyst 144. The first FCC effluent 142 may comprise a first cracking product. The first FCC effluent 142 and the used first cracking catalyst 144 may be passed to the first fluid-solid separator 140 downstream of the first FCC reactor 134. In the first fluid-solid separator 140, the first FCC effluent 142 may be separated from the used first cracking catalyst 144. A first stripping gas 146 may be introduced to the first fluid-solid separator 140 and may strip the used first cracking catalyst 144 of removable hydrocarbons. The first FCC effluent 142 may exit the first fluid-solid separator 140.

[0072] In embodiments, the methanol feed stream 102 may be contacted with the first cracking catalyst 133 in the first FCC reactor 134 at a first cracking temperature sufficient to cause catalytic cracking of at least a portion of the methanol in the methanol feed stream 102. In embodiments, the first cracking temperature may be from 400 °C to 680 °C, such as from 400 °C to 650 °C, from 400 °C to 600 °C. from 420 °C to 680 °C. from 420 °C to 650 °C, or from 420 °C to 600 °C. The methanol feed stream 102 may be contacted with the first cracking catalyst 133 at a pressure of from 101 kilopascals (kPa) to 303 kPa, such as from 125 kPa to 303 kPa, from 150 kPa to 303 kPa, from 200 kPa to 303 kPa, from 250 kPa to 303 kPa, from 101 kPa to 250 kPa, from 101 kPa to 200 kPa, from 101 kPa to 150 kPa, at atmospheric pressure (-101 kPa), or any combination of these ranges. In embodiments, the methanol feed stream 102 may be contacted with the cracking catalyst 133 for a contact time of from 0.2 seconds to 30 seconds, such as from 0.2 seconds to 20 seconds, from 0.2 seconds to 10 seconds, from 0.2 seconds to 5 seconds, from 0.2 seconds to 2 seconds, from 0.5 seconds to 30 seconds, from 0.5 seconds to 20 seconds, from 0.5 seconds to 10 seconds, from 0.5 seconds to 5 seconds, from 0.5 seconds to 2 seconds, from 1 second to 30 seconds, from 1 second to 20 seconds, from 1 second to 10 seconds, from 1 second to 5 seconds, from 1 second to 2 seconds, and any combination of these ranges. In embodiments, the methanol feed stream 102 may be contacted with the cracking catalyst 133 at a gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) of from 0.2 per hour (h'1) to 100 h'1. such as from 1 h’1to 100 h'1, from 5 h'1to 100 h'1, from 10 h’1to 100 h'1, from 25 h'1to 100 h'1, from 50 h'1to 100 h'1, from 0.2 h'1to 80 h'1, from 0.2 h'1to 50 h'1, from 0.2 h'1to 25 h'1, from 0.2 h'1to 10 h'1, or any combinations of these ranges. In embodiments, the methanol feed stream102 may be contacted with the cracking catalyst 133 at a catalyst-to-oil weight ratio of greater than or equal to 2. such as from 2 to 40. from 2 to 35, from 2 to 30, from 2 to 25, from 2 to 20, from 2 to 15, from 2 to 12, from 2 to 10, from 2 to 8, from 3 to 40, from 3 to 35, from 3 to 30, from 3 to 25, from 3 to 20, from 3 to 15, from 3 to 12, from 3 to 10, or any combination of these ranges. The catalyst-to-oil weight ratio in the first FCC reactor 134 is equal to an average ratio of a mass flow rate of the cracking catalyst 133 through the first FCC reactor 134 divided by a mass flow rate of the methanol feed stream 102 in the first FCC reactor 134 during steady state operation of the FCC system 120.

[0073] The used first cracking catalyst 144 may be passed to the catalyst regenerator 170. In the catalyst regenerator 170, the used first cracking catalyst 144 may be regenerated to produce a regenerated catalyst 176. The regenerated catalyst 176 may be passed from the regeneration zone 172 to a first catalyst withdrawal well 132 where it stabilizes before being introduced to the first FCC reactor 134. The regenerated catalyst 176 may be introduced to the first FCC reactor 134 via a catalyst injection line.

[0074] Still referring to FIG. 1, as the methanol feed stream 102 is introduced to the first FCC reactor 134, at least one crude oil fraction 106 may be introduced to the second FCC reactor 154. The crude oil fraction 106 may be mixed with a second cracking catalyst 153 and optionally the steam feed 136 in the second FCC reactor 154. The crude oil fraction 106 may be catalytically cracked in the second FCC reactor 154 through contact with the second cracking catalyst 153 to produce the second reaction mixture comprising the second FCC effluent 162 and the used second cracking catalyst 164. The second FCC effluent 162 may comprise a second cracking product. The second FCC effluent 162 and the used second cracking catalyst 164 may be passed to the second fluid-solid separator 160 downstream of the second FCC reactor 154. In the second fluid-solid separator 160. the second FCC effluent 162 may be separated from the used second cracking catalyst 164. A second stripping gas 166 may be introduced to the second fluid-solid separator 160 and may strip the used second cracking catalyst 164 of removable hydrocarbons. The second FCC effluent 162 may exit the second fluid-solid separator 160.

[0075] In embodiments, the crude oil fraction 106 may be contacted with the second cracking catalyst 153 in the second FCC reactor 154 at a second cracking temperature sufficient to cause catalytic cracking of at least a portion of the hydrocarbons in the crude oil fraction 106. The second cracking temperature may be the same as or different from the first cracking temperature. In embodiments, the second cracking temperature may be from 500 °C to 680 °C, such as from 500 °C to 650 °C, from 500 °C to 600 °C, from 520 °C to 680 °C, from 520 °C to 650 °C, or from 520 °C to 600 °C. The crude oil fraction 106 may be contacted with the second cracking catalyst 153 at a pressure of from 101 kilopascals (kPa) to 303 kPa, such as from 125 kPa to 303 kPa, from 150 kPa to 303 kPa, from 200 kPa to 303 kPa, from 250 kPa to 303 kPa, from 101 kPa to 250 kPa, from 101 kPa to 200 kPa, from 101 kPa to 150 kPa, at atmospheric pressure (—101 kPa), or any combination of these ranges. In embodiments, the crude oil fraction 106 may be contacted with the second cracking catalyst 153 for a contact time of from 0.2 seconds to 30 seconds, such as from 0.2 seconds to 20 seconds, from 0.2 seconds to 10 seconds, from 0.2 seconds to 5 seconds, from 0.2 seconds to 2 seconds, from 0.5 seconds to 30 seconds, from 0.5 seconds to 20 seconds, from 0.5 seconds to 10 seconds, from 0.5 seconds to 5 seconds, from 0.5 seconds to 2 seconds, from 1 second to 30 seconds, from 1 second to 20 seconds, from 1 second to 10 seconds, from 1 second to 5 seconds, from 1 second to 2 seconds, and any combination of these ranges. In embodiments, the crude oil fraction 106 may be contacted with the second cracking catalyst 153 at a gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) of from 0.2 per hour (h'1) to 100 h'1, such as from 1 h'1to 100 h'1, from 5 h'1to 100 h'1, from 10 h'1to 100 h' from 25 h'1to 100 h'1, from 50 h'1to 100 h'1, from 0.2 h'1to 80 h'1, from 0.2 h'1to 50 h'1, from 0.2 h'1to 25 h’1, from 0.2 h'1to 10 h'1. or any combinations of these ranges. In embodiments, the crude oil fraction 106 may be contacted with the second cracking catalyst 153 at a catalyst-to-oil weight ratio of greater than or equal to 2, such as from 2 to 40, from 2 to 35, from 2 to 30, from 2 to 25, from 2 to 20. from 2 to 15, from 2 to 12, from 2 to 10. from 2 to 8. from 3 to 40, from 3 to 35, from 3 to 30, from 3 to 25, from 3 to 20, from 3 to 15, from 3 to 12, from 3 to 10, or any combination of these ranges. The catalyst-to-oil weight ratio in the second FCC reactor 154 is equal to an average ratio of a mass flow rate of the second cracking catalyst 153 through the second FCC reactor 154 divided by a mass flow rate of the crude oil fraction 106 in the second FCC reactor 154 during steady state operation of the FCC system 120.

[0076] The used second cracking catalyst 164 may be passed to the catalyst regenerator 170. In the catalyst regenerator 170, the used second cracking catalyst 164 from the second FCC reactor 154 and the used first cracking catalyst 144 from the first FCC reactor 134 may be regenerated in the regeneration zone 172 to produce a regenerated catalyst 176. In the regenerator 170 the coke is burned from the used first cracking catalyst 144 and the used second cracking catalyst 164 in the presence of air to produce the substantially regenerated catalyst 176. The combustion products may exit the top of the regeneration zone 172 as a flue gas outlet stream 178. The regenerated catalyst 176 may be passed from the regeneration zone 172 to the second withdrawal well 152 upstream of the second FCC reactor 154 where it stabilizes before being introduced to the second FCC reactor 154. The regenerated catalyst 176 may be introduced to the second FCC reactor 154 via a catalyst injection line.

[0077] Referring now to FIG. 2, the crude oil feed 104 may be introduced to the feed separator 110, which may separate the contents of the crude oil feed 104 into a light boiling point fraction 116 and a heavy boiling point fraction 118. In embodiments, the feed separator 110 may be a fractionator or of similar means. The feed separator 110 may be operated at a temperature suitable to separate the crude oil feed 104 into the light boiling point fraction 116 and the heavy boiling point fraction 118, as previously discussed herein. In embodiments, the light boiling point fraction 116 may include constituents of the crude oil feed 104 having atmospheric boiling point temperatures of less than or equal to a cut-point temperature of the feed separator 110. The contents of the heavy boiling point fraction 118 may include constituents of the crude oil feed 104 having atmospheric boiling point temperatures greater than the or equal to the cut-point temperature of the feed separator 110. The feed separator 110 may have any of the cut-point temperatures previously discussed herein.

[0078] Referring again to FIG. 2. the methanol feed stream 102 and the light boiling point fraction 116 may be cracked in the first FCC unit 130 and the heavy boiling point fraction 118 may be cracked in the second FCC unit 150. In embodiments, the methanol feed stream 102 and the light boiling point fraction 116 may be combined to produce a first mixed feed stream 108 upstream of the first FCC unit 130. The first mixed feed stream 108 and the optional steam feed 136 may be introduced to the first downflow FCC reactor 134. The first mixed feed stream 108 may be mixed with the steam feed 136 and the first cracking catalyst 133 in the first FCC reactor 134. In embodiments, the methanolfeed stream 102 and the light boiling point fraction 116 may be separately passed to the first FCC reactor 134 and mixed together in the first FCC reactor 134. When injected separately, the methanol feed stream 102 may be fed into the first FCC reactor 134 through either the same injection line as the light boiling point fraction 116 or through a different injection line located at the same position or at a different position downstream of the catalyst injection line. In embodiments, the methanol feed stream 102 may be injected at a point downstream of the injection point for the light boiling point fraction 116.

[0079] The amount of the methanol feed stream 102 introduced to the first FCC reactor 134 may be sufficient to heat balance the FCC system 120. In embodiments, a weight ratio of the light boiling point fraction 116 to the methanol feed stream 102 is from 1:99 to 99:1, or more preferably from 10:90 to 90:10. In embodiments, the total feed to the first FCC reactor 134 (methanol feed stream 102 plus the light boiling point fraction 116) may comprise from 1 wt.% to 99 wt.% methanol, such as from 1 wt.% to 70 wt.%, from 1 wt.% to 50 wt.%, from 1 wt.% to 30 wt.%, from 5 wt.% to 99 wt.%, from 5 wt.% to 70 wt.%, from 5 wt.% to 50 wt.%. from 5 wt.% to 40 wt.%, from 10 wt.% to 99 wt.%. from 10 wt.% to 70 wt.%, from 10 wt.% to 50 wt.%, or from 10 wt.% to 40 wt.%, based on the total weight of the methanol feed stream 102 and the light boiling point fraction 116 introduced to the first FCC reactor 134.

[0080] In the first FCC reactor 134, the first mixed feed stream 108 may be cracked through contact with the first cracking catalyst 133 to produce the first reaction mixture comprising the first FCC effluent 142 and the used first cracking catalyst 144. The first FCC effluent 142 may comprise the first cracking product. The first reaction mixture may be passed to the first fluid-solid separator 140 downstream of the first FCC reactor 134. In the first fluid-solid separator 140, the first FCC effluent 142 may be separated from the used first cracking catalyst 144. The first stripping gas 146 may be introduced to the first fluid-solid separator 140 and may strip the used first cracking catalyst 144 of removable hydrocarbons. The first FCC effluent 142 may exit the first fluid-solid separator 140.

[0081] In embodiments, the methanol feed stream 102 and light boiling point fraction 116 may be contacted with the first cracking catalyst 133 in the first FCC reactor 134 at a first crackingtemperature sufficient to cause catalytic cracking of at least a portion of the methanol in the methanol feed stream 102. In embodiments, the first cracking temperature may be from 400 °C to 700 °C. such as from 400 °C to 680 °C, from 400 °C to 600 °C, from 420 °C to 700 °C, from 420 °C to 680 °C, from 420 °C to 600 °C, from 500 °C to 700 °C, from 500 °C to 680 °C, from 500 °C to 650 °C, from 500 °C to 600 °C, from 520 °C to 700 °C. from 520 °C to 680 °C, from 520 °C to 650 °C, from 520 °C to 600 °C, from 550 °C to 700 °C, from 550 °C to 680 °C, from 550 °C to 650 °C, from 550 °C to 600 °C, from 600 °C to 700 °C, from 600 °C to 680 °C, from 600 °C to 660 °C, or from 600 °C to 650 °C. The methanol feed stream 102 and the light boiling point fraction 116 may be contacted with the first cracking catalyst 133 at a pressure of from 101 kilopascals (kPa) to 303 kPa, such as from 125 kPa to 303 kPa, from 150 kPa to 303 kPa, from 200 kPa to 303 kPa, from 250 kPa to 303 kPa, from 101 kPato 250 kPa, from 101 kPa to 200 kPa, from 101 kPa to 150 kPa, at atmospheric pressure (-101 kPa), or any combination of these ranges. In embodiments, the methanol feed stream 102 and the light boiling point fraction 116 may be contacted with the first cracking catalyst 133 for a contact time of from 0.2 seconds to 30 seconds, such as from 0.2 seconds to 20 seconds, from 0.2 seconds to 10 seconds, from 0.2 seconds to 5 seconds, from 0.2 seconds to 2 seconds, from 0.5 seconds to 30 seconds, from 0.5 seconds to 20 seconds, from 0.5 seconds to 10 seconds, from 0.5 seconds to 5 seconds, from 0.5 seconds to 2 seconds, from 1 second to 30 seconds, from 1 second to 20 seconds, from 1 second to 10 seconds, from 1 second to 5 seconds, from 1 second to 2 seconds, and any combination of these ranges. In embodiments, the methanol feed stream 102 and the light boiling point fraction 116 may be contacted with the first cracking catalyst 133 at a gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) of from 0.2 per hour (h-1) to 100 h’1, such as from 1 h’1to 100 h’1, from 5 h'1to 100 h'1. from 10 h'1to 100 h'1, from 25 h'1to 100 h'1, from 50 h'1to 100 h’1, from 0.2 h'1to 80 h'1, from 0.2 h'1to 50 h'1, from 0.2 h'1to 25 h'1, from 0.2 h'1to 10 h'1, or any combinations of these ranges. In embodiments, the methanol feed stream 102 and the light boiling point fraction 116 may be contacted with the first cracking catalyst 133 at a catalyst-to-oil weight ratio of greater than or equal to 2, such as from 2 to 40, from 2 to 35, from 2 to 30, from 2 to 25, from 2 to 20, from 2 to 15, from 2 to 12, from 2 to 10, from 2 to 8, from 3 to 40, from 3 to 35, from 3 to 30, from 3 to 25, from 3 to 20, from 3 to 15, from 3 to 12, from 3 to 10, or any combination of these ranges.

[0082] The used first cracking catalyst 144 may be passed to the catalyst regenerator 170. In the catalyst regenerator 170, the used first cracking catalyst 144 may be regenerated to produce a regenerated catalyst 176. The regenerated catalyst 176 may be passed from the regeneration zone 172 to a first catalyst withdrawal well 132 where it stabilizes before being introduced to the first FCC reactor 134. The regenerated catalyst 176 may be introduced to the first FCC reactor 134 via a catalyst injection line.

[0083] Still referring to FIG. 2, as the light boiling point fraction 116 and methanol feed stream 102 are introduced to the first FCC reactor 134, the heavy boiling point fraction 118 and, optionally, the steam feed 136 may be introduced to the second FCC reactor 154. The heavy boiling point fraction 118 may be mixed with a second cracking catalyst 153 and optionally the steam feed 136 in the second FCC reactor 154. The heavy boiling point fraction 118 may be catalytically cracked in the second FCC reactor 154 through contact with the second cracking catalyst 153 to produce the second reaction mixture comprising the second FCC effluent 162 and the used second cracking catalyst 164. The second FCC effluent 162 may comprise a second cracking product. The second FCC effluent 162 and the used second cracking catalyst 164 may be passed to the second fluid-solid separator 160 downstream of the second FCC reactor 154. In the second fluid-solid separator 160, the second FCC effluent 162 may be separated from the used second cracking catalyst 164. A second stripping gas 166 may be introduced to the second fluid-solid separator 160 and may strip the used second cracking catalyst 164 of removable hydrocarbons. The second FCC effluent 162 may exit the second fluidsolid separator 160.

[0084] In embodiments, the heavy boiling point fraction 118 may be contacted with the second cracking catalyst 153 in the second FCC reactor 154 at a second cracking temperature sufficient to cause catalytic cracking of at least a portion of the hydrocarbons in the heavy boiling point fraction 118. The second cracking temperature may be the same as or different from the first cracking temperature. In embodiments, the second cracking temperature may be from 500 °C to 680 °C, such as from 500 °C to 650 °C, from 500 °C to 630 °C, from 500 °C to 600 °C, from 520 °C to 680 °C, from 520 °C to 650 °C, from 520 °C to 630 °C, from 520 °C to 600 °C, from 550 °C to 680 °C, from 550 °C to 650 °C, from 550 °C to 630 °C, from 550 °C to 600 °C, from 580 °C to 680 °C, from 580 °C to 650 °C, from 580 °C to 630 °C, or from 580 °C to 600 °C. The heavy boiling point fraction 118may be contacted with the second cracking catalyst 153 at a pressure of from 101 kilopascals (kPa) to 303 kPa, such as from 125 kPa to 303 kPa, from 150 kPa to 303 kPa. from 200 kPa to 303 kPa. from 250 kPa to 303 kPa, from 101 kPa to 250 kPa, from 101 kPa to 200 kPa, from 101 kPa to 150 kPa, at atmospheric pressure (—101 kPa), or any combination of these ranges. In embodiments, the heavy boiling point fraction 118 may be contacted with the second cracking catalyst 153 for a contact time of from 0.2 seconds to 30 seconds, such as from 0.2 seconds to 20 seconds, from 0.2 seconds to 10 seconds, from 0.2 seconds to 5 seconds, from 0.2 seconds to 2 seconds, from 0.5 seconds to 30 seconds, from 0.5 seconds to 20 seconds, from 0.5 seconds to 10 seconds, from 0.5 seconds to 5 seconds, from 0.5 seconds to 2 seconds, from 1 second to 30 seconds, from 1 second to 20 seconds, from 1 second to 10 seconds, from 1 second to 5 seconds, from 1 second to 2 seconds, and any combination of these ranges. In embodiments, the heavy boiling point fraction 118 may be contacted with the second cracking catalyst 153 at a gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) of from 0.2 per hour (h‘!) to 100 h’1, such as from 1 h'1to 100 h , from 5 h'1to 100 h’1, from 10 h'1to 100 h’1. from 25 h'1to 100 h'1, from 50 h'1to 100 h'1, from 0.2 h'1to 80 h'1, from 0.2 h'1to 50 h'1, from 0.2 h'1to 25 h'1, from 0.2 h'1to 10 h'1, or any combinations of these ranges. In embodiments, the heavy boiling point fraction 118 may be contacted with the second cracking catalyst 153 at a catalyst-to-oil weight ratio of greater than or equal to 2, such as from 2 to 40, from 2 to 35, from 2 to 30, from 2 to 25, from 2 to 20, from 2 to 15, from 2 to 12, from 2 to 10, from 2 to 8, from 3 to 40, from 3 to 35, from 3 to 30, from 3 to 25, from 3 to 20, from 3 to 15, from 3 to 12, from 3 to 10, or any combination of these ranges.

[0085] The used second cracking catalyst 164 may be passed to the catalyst regenerator 170. In the catalyst regenerator 170, the used second cracking catalyst 164 from the second FCC reactor 154 and the used first cracking catalyst 144 from the first FCC reactor 134 may be regenerated in the regeneration zone 172 to produce a regenerated catalyst 176. In the regenerator 170 the coke is burned from the used first cracking catalyst 144 and the used second cracking catalyst 164 in the presence of air to produce the substantially regenerated catalyst 176. The combustion products may exit the top of the regeneration zone 172 as a flue gas outlet stream 178. The regenerated catalyst 176 may be passed from the regeneration zone 172 to the second withdrawal well 152 upstream of the second FCC reactor 154 where it stabilizes before being introduced to the second FCC reactor 154. Theregenerated catalyst 176 may be introduced to the second FCC reactor 154 via a catalyst injection line.

[0086] Referring now to FIG. 3, the crude oil feed 104 may be introduced to the feed separator 110, which may separate the contents of the crude oil feed 104 into the light boiling point fraction 116 and the heavy boiling point fraction 118. The methanol feed stream 102 and the heavy boiling point fraction 118 may be combined and cracked in the first FCC unit 130 and the light boiling point fraction 116 may be separately cracked in the second FCC unit 150.

[0087] The methanol feed stream 102 and the heavy boiling point fraction 118 may be combined to produce a second mixed feed stream 109 upstream of the first FCC unit 130. The second mixed feed stream 109 and the optional steam feed 136 may be introduced to the first FCC reactor 134. The second mixed feed stream 109 may be mixed with the optional steam feed 136 and the first cracking catalyst 133 in the first FCC reactor 134. In embodiments, the methanol feed stream 102 and the heavy boiling point fraction 118 may be separately passed to the first FCC reactor 134 and mixed together in the first FCC reactor 134. When injected separately, the methanol feed stream 102 may be fed into the first FCC reactor 134 through either the same injection line as the heavy boiling point fraction 118 or through a different injection line located at the same position or at a different position downstream of the catalyst injection line. In embodiments, the methanol feed stream 102 may be injected at a point downstream of the injection point for the heavy boiling point fraction 118.

[0088] The amount of the methanol feed stream 102 introduced to the first FCC reactor 134 may be sufficient to heat balance the FCC system 120. In embodiments, a weight ratio of the heavy boiling point fraction 118 to the methanol feed stream 102 is from 1:99 to 99:1, or more preferably from 10:90 to 90:10. In embodiments, the total feed to the first FCC reactor 134 (methanol feed stream 102 plus the heavy boiling point fraction 118) may comprise from 1 wt.% to 99 wt.% methanol, such as from 1 wt.% to 70 wt.%, from 1 wt.% to 50 wt.%, from 1 wt.% to 30 wt.%, from 5 wt.% to 99 wt.%, from 5 wt.% to 70 wt.%, from 5 wt.% to 50 wt.%, from 5 wt.% to 40 wt.%, from 10 wt.% to 99 wt.%, from 10 wt.% to 70 wt.%. from 10 wt.% to 50 wt.%, or from 10 wt.% to 40 wt.%, based on the total weight of the methanol feed stream 102 and the heavy boiling point fraction 118 introduced to the first FCC reactor 134.

[0089] In the first FCC reactor 134, the second mixed feed stream 109 may be cracked through contact with the first cracking catalyst 133 to produce the first reaction mixture comprising the first FCC effluent 142 and the used first cracking catalyst 144. The first FCC effluent 142 may comprise the first cracking product. The reaction mixture may be passed to the first fluid-solid separator 140 downstream of the first FCC reactor 134. In the first fluid-solid separator 140. the first FCC effluent 142 may be separated from the used first cracking catalyst 144. The first stripping gas 146 may be introduced to the first fluid-solid separator 140 and may strip the used first cracking catalyst 144 of removable hydrocarbons. The first FCC effluent 142 may exit the first fluid-solid separator 140.

[0090] In embodiments, methanol feed stream 102 and the heavy boiling point fraction 118 may be contacted with the first cracking catalyst 133 in the first FCC reactor 134 at a first cracking temperature sufficient to cause catalytic cracking of at least a portion of the methanol feed stream 102 and the heavy boiling point fraction 118. In embodiments, the first cracking temperature may be from 400 °C to 680 °C, such as from 400 °C to 650 °C, from 400 °C to 630 °C, from 400 °C to 600 °C, from 420 °C to 680 °C, from 420 °C to 650 °C, from 420 °C to 630 °C. from 420 °C to 600 °C. from 500 °C to 680 °C, from 500 °C to 650 °C, from 500 °C to 630 °C, from 500 °C to 600 °C, from 520 °C to 680 °C. from 520 °C to 650 °C, from 520 °C to 630 °C, from 520 °C to 600 °C, from 550 °C to 680 °C, from 550 °C to 650 °C, from 550 °C to 630 °C, from 550 °C to 600 °C, from 580 °C to 680 °C, from 580 °C to 650 °C, from 580 °C to 630 °C, or from 580 °C to 600 °C. The methanol feed stream 102 and the heavy boiling point fraction 118 may be contacted with the first cracking catalyst 133 at a pressure of from 101 kilopascals (kPa) to 303 kPa, such as from 125 kPa to 303 kPa, from 150 kPa to 303 kPa, from 200 kPa to 303 kPa, from 250 kPa to 303 kPa, from 101 kPa to 250 kPa, from 101 kPa to 200 kPa, from 101 kPa to 150 kPa. at atmospheric pressure (-101 kPa), or any combination of these ranges. In embodiments, the methanol feed stream 102 and the heavy boiling point fraction 118 may be contacted with the first cracking catalyst 133 for a contact time of from 0.2 seconds to 30 seconds, such as from 0.2 seconds to 20 seconds, from 0.2 seconds to 10 seconds, from 0.2 seconds to 5 seconds, from 0.2 seconds to 2 seconds, from 0.5 seconds to 30 seconds, from 0.5 seconds to 20 seconds, from 0.5 seconds to 10 seconds, from 0.5 seconds to 5 seconds, from 0.5 seconds to 2 seconds, from 1 second to 30 seconds, from 1 second to 20 seconds, from 1 second to 10 seconds, from 1 second to 5 seconds, from 1 second to 2 seconds, and any combination of theseranges. In embodiments, the methanol feed stream 102 and the heavy boiling point fraction 118 may be contacted with the first cracking catalyst 133 at a gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) of from 0.2 per hour (h-1) to 100 h’1, such as from 1 h'1to 100 h'1, from 5 h'1to 100 h'1, from 10 h'1to 100 h'1, from 25 h'1to 100 h'1, from 50 h’1to 100 h'1, from 0.2 h'1to 80 h'1, from 0.2 h'1to 50 h'1, from 0.2 h'1to 25 h’1, from 0.2 h'1to 10 h'1, or any combinations of these ranges. In embodiments, the methanol feed stream 102 and the heavy boiling point fraction 118 may be contacted with the first cracking catalyst 133 at a catalyst-to-oil weight ratio of greater than or equal to 2, such as from 2 to 40, from 2 to 35, from 2 to 30, from 2 to 25, from 2 to 20, from 2 to 15, from 2 to 12, from 2 to 10, from 2 to 8, from 3 to 40, from 3 to 35, from 3 to 30, from 3 to 25, from 3 to 20, from 3 to 15, from 3 to 12, from 3 to 10, or any combination of these ranges.

[0091] The used first cracking catalyst 144 may be passed to the catalyst regenerator 170. In the catalyst regenerator 170, the used first cracking catalyst 144 may be regenerated to produce a regenerated catalyst 176. The regenerated catalyst 176 may be passed from the regeneration zone 172 to a first catalyst withdrawal well 132 where it stabilizes before being introduced to the first FCC reactor 134. The regenerated catalyst 176 may be introduced to the first FCC reactor 134 via a catalyst injection line.

[0092] Still referring to FIG. 3, as the heavy boiling point fraction 118 and the methanol feed stream 102 are introduced to the first FCC reactor 134, the light boiling point fraction 116 and the optional steam feed 136 may be introduced to the second FCC reactor 154. The light boiling point fraction 116 may be mixed with a second cracking catalyst 153 and optionally the steam feed 136 in the second FCC reactor 154. The light boiling point fraction 116 may be catalytically cracked in the second FCC reactor 154 through contact with the second cracking catalyst 153 to produce the second reaction mixture comprising the second FCC effluent 162 and the used second cracking catalyst 164. The second FCC effluent 162 may comprise a second cracking product. The second FCC effluent 162 and the used second cracking catalyst 164 may be passed to the second fluid-solid separator 160 downstream of the second FCC reactor 154. In the second fluid-solid separator 160, the second FCC effluent 162 may be separated from the used second cracking catalyst 164. A second stripping gas 166 may be introduced to the second fluid-solid separator 160 and may strip the used second crackingcatalyst 164 of removable hydrocarbons. The second FCC effluent 162 may exit the second fluidsolid separator 160.

[0093] In embodiments, the light boiling point fraction 116 may be contacted with the second cracking catalyst 153 in the second FCC reactor 154 at a second cracking temperature sufficient to cause catalytic cracking of at least a portion of the hydrocarbons in the light boiling point fraction 116. The second cracking temperature may be the same as or different from the first cracking temperature. In embodiments, the second cracking temperature may be from 500 °C to 700 °C, such as from 500 °C to 680 °C, from 500 °C to 650 °C, from 500 °C to 600 °C, from 520 °C to 700 °C, from 520 °C to 680 °C, from 520 °C to 650 °C, from 520 °C to 600 °C, from 550 °C to 700 °C, from 550 °C to 680 °C, from 550 °C to 650 °C, from 550 °C to 600 °C, from 600 °C to 700 °C, from 600 °C to 680 °C, from 600 °C to 660 °C, or from 600 °C to 650 °C. The light boiling point fraction 116 may be contacted with the second cracking catalyst 153 at a pressure of from 101 kilopascals (kPa) to 303 kPa, such as from 125 kPa to 303 kPa, from 150 kPa to 303 kPa. from 200 kPa to 303 kPa, from 250 kPa to 303 kPa. from 101 kPa to 250 kPa, from 101 kPa to 200 kPa. from 101 kPa to 150 kPa, at atmospheric pressure (—101 kPa), or any combination of these ranges. In embodiments, the the light boiling point fraction 116 may be contacted with the second cracking catalyst 133 for a contact time of from 0.2 seconds to 30 seconds, such as from 0.2 seconds to 20 seconds, from 0.2 seconds to 10 seconds, from 0.2 seconds to 5 seconds, from 0.2 seconds to 2 seconds, from 0.5 seconds to 30 seconds, from 0.5 seconds to 20 seconds, from 0.5 seconds to 10 seconds, from 0.5 seconds to 5 seconds, from 0.5 seconds to 2 seconds, from 1 second to 30 seconds, from 1 second to 20 seconds, from 1 second to 10 seconds, from 1 second to 5 seconds, from 1 second to 2 seconds, and any combination of these ranges. In embodiments, the light boiling point fraction 116 may be contacted with the second cracking catalyst 153 at a gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) of from 0.2 per hour (h'1) to 100 h'1, such as from 1 h'1to 100 h'1, from 5 h'1to 100 h'1, from 10 h'1to 100 h'1, from 25 h'1to 100 h'1, from 50 h'1to 100 h'1, from 0.2 h'1to 80 h'1, from 0.2 h'1to 50 h'1, from 0.2 h'1to 25 h'1, from 0.2 h'1to 10 h'1, or any combinations of these ranges. In embodiments, the light boiling point fraction 116 may be contacted with the second cracking catalyst 153 at a catalyst-to-oil weight ratio of greater than or equal to 2, such as from 2 to 40, from 2 to 35, from 2 to 30, from 2 to 25, from 2 to 20, from 2 to 15, from 2 to 12, from 2 to 10, from 2 to 8, from 3 to 40, from 3 to 35,from 3 to 30, from 3 to 25, from 3 to 20, from 3 to 15, from 3 to 12, from 3 to 10, or any combination of these ranges.

[0094] The used second cracking catalyst 164 may be passed to the catalyst regenerator 170. In the catalyst regenerator 170, the used second cracking catalyst 164 from the second FCC reactor 154 and the used first cracking catalyst 144 from the first FCC reactor 134 may be regenerated in the regeneration zone 172 to produce a regenerated catalyst 176. In the regenerator 170 the coke is burned from the used first cracking catalyst 144 and the used second cracking catalyst 164 in the presence of air to produce the substantially regenerated catalyst 176. The combustion products may exit the top of the regeneration zone 172 as a flue gas outlet stream 178. The regenerated catalyst 176 may be passed from the regeneration zone 172 to the second withdrawal well 152 upstream of the second FCC reactor 154 where it stabilizes before being introduced to the second FCC reactor 154. The regenerated catalyst 176 may be introduced to the second FCC reactor 154 via a catalyst injection line.

[0095] Referring back to FIGS. 1-3, introducing the used second cracking catalyst 164 and the used first cracking catalyst 144 to the regenerator 170 may enable operation of the first FCC reactor 134 and the second FCC reactor 154 at different cracking temperatures or for different contact times while enabling regeneration of the used first cracking catalyst 144 and the used second cracking catalyst 164 in a single common regeneration zone 172. In embodiments, the FCC system 120 having the dual downflow FCC reactors in parallel may enable control of the reaction conditions in the first FCC reactor 134 and the second FCC reactor 154, independent of one another. The separation of the first FCC reactor 134 and the second FCC reactor 154 within the FCC system 120 may allow for each FCC reactor to have operating conditions configured and adjusted based on the different feeds to produce the desired products. Specifically, the first FCC reactor 134, which receives the methanol feed stream 102, may have operating conditions selected to increase the yield of sustainable olefins and gasoline products from the first FCC reactor 134.

[0096] As previously discussed, the crude oil fractions may have wide boiling ranges. Fractions with greater boiling points, such as the heavy boiling point fraction 118, may tend to be more reactive, requiring less cracking activity compared to the fractions having lesser boiling points, such as thelight boiling point fraction 116. Cracking the heavy boiling point fraction 118 and the light boiling point fraction 116 in separate FCC reactors, respectively, may enable control of the cracking temperatures, contact time, or both, of the first downflow FCC reactor 134 and the second downflow FCC reactor 154, to adjust for the difference in relative reactivity of the crude oil fractions 106. Control of the reactor conditions for the dual downflow FCC reactors may enable enhanced production of the first cracking product, the second cracking product, or both due to the different cracking reactivity of the heavy boiling point fraction 118 and the light boiling point fraction 116.

[0097] Still referring to FIGS. 1-3, the FCC system 100 having dual separation zones downstream of the dual downflow FCC reactors may enable two independent cracking product outlet streams. The first fluid-solid separator 140 downstream of the first FCC reactor 134 may separate the contents of the first FCC reactor 134 to produce a first FCC effluent 142 and the used first cracking catalyst 144. where the first FCC effluent 142 comprises the first cracking product, and the second fluid-solid separator 160 downstream of the second FCC reactor 154 may separate the contents of the second FCC reactor 154 to produce the second FCC effluent 162 and the used second cracking catalyst 164. where the second FCC effluent 162 comprises the second cracking products.

[0098] Any existing dual FCC reactor system within an existing hydrocarbon production facility may be leveraged within the various embodiments of the processes and systems for producing greater value chemicals and other light hydrocarbons. However, for clarity and conciseness, the example FCC system 100 is illustrated in FIGS. 1-3. It will be appreciated that other styles of existing FCC systems and configurations of the existing FCC system within a hydrocarbon production facility may be leveraged within the various embodiments by providing co-feeds in a substantially similar manner as described in relation to FIGS. 1-3.

[0099] It will be appreciated that one or more of the operating parameters of the dual FCC reactor system may be adjusted to account for changes in of the compositions of the feed streams, such as the methanol feed stream 102, the crude oil feed 104, or both into the process. These changes may include, but are not limited to, changes in temperature, pressure. GHSV, contact time, catalyst to oil ratio, and other co-fed stream flow rates (such as light boiling-point fraction, VGO, or AR flow rates).EXAMPLES

[0100] The various embodiments of systems and processes of the present disclosure will be further clarified by the following examples. The examples are illustrative in nature, and should not be understood to limit the subject matter of the present disclosure.

[0101] In the Examples of the present disclosure, feed streams (VGO. methanol, or both) were catalytically cracked with a cracking catalyst using a micro activity test (MAT) instrument having a quartz reactor. The MAT instrument was obtained from Sakuragi Rikagaku (Japan). The cracking of the various feed streams was conducted and evaluated according to standard test method ASTM D-3907.

[0102] Referring to FIG. 4, the MAT unit 300 used for the MAT testing in these examples is schematically depicted. The MAT unit 300 includes a fixed bed quartz tubular reactor 303. The catalyst 304 is loaded into the fixed bed quartz tubular reactor 303 in between layers of quartz wool 306. The catalyst 304 is steam deactivated at 810 °C for six hours prior to the reaction to hydrothermally age the catalyst 304 to mimic the equilibrium catalyst in commercial operation. The catalyst 304 in the fixed bed quartz tubular reactor 303 is heated by a furnace 322, which includes a top heater 324, a middle heater 326, and a bottom heater 328. The feed 302 is injected into the top of the fixed bed quartz tubular reactor 303 through a feed syringe. The feed 302 can be heated prior to injection with the syringe heater 318. The injection site can be heated prior to injection by the preheater 320. The feed 302 is in contact with the catalyst 304 for a time on stream of thirty seconds per reaction test cycle. The reaction temperature is controlled using temperature controller 316. which is integrated with the furnace 322. After contacting the feed 302 with the catalyst 304, the reaction effluent, which comprises liquid products and gaseous products, is passed out of the fixed bed quartz tubular reactor 303. After the reaction, the catalyst 304 is stripped using nitrogen gas 314, which enters the fixed bed quartz tubular reactor at 30 cm7min.

[0103] The liquid products created by the reaction are collected in the liquid receiver 308, and the gaseous products created by the reaction are collected in the gas collectors 310 through water displacement. The liquid receiver 308 is submerged in a low temperature circulating bath maintained at -10 °C to condense the liquid products. The gaseous products are then analyzed by the gaschromatograph 312. The liquid products are analyzed by simulated distillation according to test method EN 15199-2 using the Agilent 7890 gas chromatograph and naphtha analysis techniques.

[0104] Micro activity tests were conducted at 520 °C using an equilibrium FCC catalyst. The reaction conditions and amount of methanol in the feed stream are provided in Table 2. The cracking effluents were evaluated for total concentration of light olefins and the C3 olefinicity, which is the percentage of olefins in the effluent that have 3 carbon atoms. As shown by the data in Table 2, the introduction of methanol in the feed increased the total concentration of olefins produced and increased the amount of C3 olefins produced.

[0105] Table 21 2 3 Reaction Temperature (°C) 520 520 520Time on Stream(s) 30 30 30 Catalyst E CAT E CAT E CAT Methanol (wt%) 0 14.4 27.0VGO + VGO + VGOFeed Methanol Methanol Catalyst to Oil Ratio 3.7 3.9 4.0Total light Olefins (wt%) 15.3 16.2 16.6C3 olefinicity (%) 70 79 86

[0106] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a process for producing greater value chemicals and light hydrocarbons may include separating a crude oil feed to produce a plurality of crude oil fractions and passing a methanol stream and at least one crude oil fraction to a fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) system comprising a first FCC reactor, a second FCC reactor in parallel with the first FCC reactor, and a cracking catalyst, where the first FCC reactor and the second FCC reactor may both be downflow FCC reactors. The process may further include contacting the methanol stream with a first cracking catalyst in the first FCC reactor, where the contacting may cause methanol in the methanol stream to undergo catalytic cracking to produce a first FCC effluent and heat. The process may further include separating the first FCC effluent from used first cracking catalyst downstream of the first FCC reactor and contacting the at least one crude oil fraction with a second cracking catalyst in the second FCC reactor, where the contacting may cause hydrocarbons in the at least one crude oilfraction to undergo catalytic cracking reactions to produce a second FCC effluent. The process may further include separating the second FCC effluent from used second cracking catalyst downstream of the second FCC reactor. The first FCC effluent, the second FCC effluent, or both may comprise the greater value chemical products and light hydrocarbons.

[0107] A second aspect of the present disclosure may include the first aspect, comprising passing the first FCC effluent to a first fluid- solid separator downstream of the first FCC reactor.

[0108] A third aspect of the present disclosure may include any one of the first or second aspects, comprising passing the second FCC effluent to a second fluid-solid separator downstream of the second FCC reactor.

[0109] A fourth aspect of the present disclosure may include any one of the first through third aspects, comprising separating the first FCC effluent from used first cracking catalyst to produce a first product stream comprising the first FCC effluent.

[0110] A fifth aspect of the present disclosure may include any one of the first through fourth aspects, comprising separating the second FCC effluent from used second cracking catalyst to produce a second product stream comprising the second FCC effluent.

[0111] A sixth aspect of the present disclosure may include any one of the first through fifth aspects, where the methanol may comprise conventional methanol, low carbon methanol, e-methanol, green methanol, or any combination of these.

[0112] A seventh aspect of the present disclosure may include any one of the first through sixth aspects, where the at least one crude oil fraction may comprise a vacuum-gas oil, an atmospheric residue, a vacuum residue, a whole crude oil, a topped crude oil, or any combinations thereof.

[0113] An eighth aspect of the present disclosure may include any one of the first through seventh aspects, comprising operating the first FCC reactor, the second FCC reactor, or both at a catalyst to oil ratio of from 2 to 40.

[0114] A ninth aspect of the present disclosure may include any one of the first through eighth aspects, comprising operating the first FCC reactor, the second FCC reactor, or both at a cracking temperature of from 400 °C to 700 °C.

[0115] A tenth aspect of the present disclosure may include any one of the first through ninth aspects, comprising operating the first FCC reactor, the second FCC reactor, or both at a contact time of from 0.2 seconds to 2 seconds.

[0116] An eleventh aspect of the present disclosure may include any one of the first through tenth aspects, comprising passing used first cracking catalyst from the first FCC reactor and used second cracking catalyst from the second FCC reactor upstream to a catalyst regenerator.

[0117] A twelfth aspect of the present disclosure may include any one of the first through eleventh aspects, comprising regenerating used first cracking catalyst and used second cracking catalyst to produce a regenerated catalyst.

[0118] A thirteenth aspect of the present disclosure may include any one of the first through twelfth aspects, comprising separating the crude oil feed into a light boiling point fraction and a heavy boiling point fraction.

[0119] A fourteenth aspect of the present disclosure may include the thirteenth aspect, where the light boiling point fraction may include constituents of the crude oil feed having atmospheric boiling point temperatures less than or equal to 350 °C, and the heavy boiling point fraction includes constituents of the crude oil feed having atmospheric boiling point temperatures greater than 350 °C.

[0120] A fifteenth aspect of the present disclosure may include either one of the thirteenth or fourteenth aspects, where the methanol may be co-cracked in the first FCC reactor with the light boiling point fraction or the heavy boiling point fraction.

[0121] A sixteenth aspect of the present disclosure may include any one of the thirteenth through fifteenth aspects, where the light boiling point fraction may be cracked in a separate FCC reactor from the heavy boiling point fraction.

[0122] A seventeenth aspect of the present disclosure may include any one of the thirteenth through sixteenth aspects, where a ratio of the at least one crude oil fraction to methanol in the first FCC reactor is from 1 :99 to 99: 1 , or more preferably from 10:90 to 90: 10.

[0123] According to an eighteenth aspect of the present disclosure, a process for producing greater value chemicals and light hydrocarbons may include separating a crude oil feed into a lightboiling point fraction and a heavy boiling point fraction and passing a methanol stream, the light boiling point fraction, and the heavy boiling point fraction to a fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) system comprising a first FCC reactor, a second FCC reactor in parallel with the first FCC reactor, and a cracking catalyst, wherein the first FCC reactor and the second FCC reactor may both be downflow FCC reactors. The process may further include contacting the methanol stream and the light boiling point fraction with a first cracking catalyst in the first FCC reactor, where the contacting may cause the methanol and hydrocarbons in the light boiling point fraction to undergo catalytic cracking to produce a first FCC effluent. The process may further include separating the first FCC effluent from used first cracking catalyst downstream of the first FCC reactor and contacting the heavy boiling point fraction with a second cracking catalyst in the second FCC reactor, where the contacting may cause hydrocarbons in the heavy boiling point fraction to undergo catalytic cracking reactions to produce a second FCC effluent. The process may further include separating the second FCC effluent from used second cracking catalyst downstream of the second FCC reactor, where the first FCC effluent, the second FCC effluent, or both may comprise the greater value chemical products and light hydrocarbons.

[0124] A nineteenth aspect of the present disclosure may include the eighteenth aspect, comprising operating the first FCC reactor at a cracking temperature of from 550 °C to 700 °C, or more preferably from 600 °C to 660 °C.

[0125] A twentieth aspect of the present disclosure may include either one of the eighteenth or nineteenth aspects, comprising operating the second FCC reactor at a cracking temperature of from 500 °C to 650 °C, or more preferably from 550 °C to 650 °C, or from 580 °C to 630 °C.

[0126] According to a twenty-first aspect of the present disclosure, a process for producing greater value chemicals and light hydrocarbons may include separating a crude oil feed into a light boiling point fraction and a heavy boiling point fraction and passing a methanol stream, the light boiling point fraction, and the heavy boiling point fraction to a fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) system comprising a first FCC reactor, a second FCC reactor in parallel with the first FCC reactor, and a cracking catalyst, wherein the first FCC reactor and the second FCC reactor may both be downflow FCC reactors. The process may further include contacting the methanol stream and theheavy boiling point fraction with a first cracking catalyst in the first FCC reactor, where the contacting may cause the methanol and hydrocarbons in the heavy boiling point fraction to undergo catalytic cracking to produce a first FCC effluent. The process may further include separating the first FCC effluent from used first cracking catalyst downstream of the first FCC reactor and contacting the light boiling point fraction with a second cracking catalyst in the second FCC reactor, where the contacting may cause hydrocarbons in the light boiling point fraction to undergo catalytic cracking reactions to produce a second FCC effluent. The process may further include separating the second FCC effluent from used second cracking catalyst downstream of the second FCC reactor, where the first FCC effluent, the second FCC effluent, or both may comprise the greater value chemical products and light hydrocarbons.

[0127] A twenty-second aspect of the present disclosure may include the twenty-first aspect, comprising operating the first FCC reactor at a cracking temperature of from 500 °C to 650 °C, or more preferably from 550 °C to 650 °C, or from 580 °C to 630 °C.

[0128] A twenty-third aspect of the present disclosure may include either one of the twenty-first or twenty-second aspects, comprising operating the second FCC reactor at a cracking temperature of from 550 °C to 700 °C, or more preferably from 600 °C to 660 °C.

[0129] According to a twenty-fourth aspect of the present disclosure, a fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) system for producing greater value chemicals and light hydrocarbons may include a first FCC reactor, the first FCC reactor being a downflow FCC reactor; a first fluid-solid separator downstream of the first FCC reactor; a second FCC reactor in parallel with the first FCC reactor, the second FCC reactor being a downflow FCC reactor; a second fluid-solid separator downstream of the second FCC reactor; a catalyst regenerator downstream of the first fluid-solid separator and the second fluid-solid separator and fluidly coupled to the first fluid-solid separator and the second fluidsolid separator; a first withdrawal well upstream of the first FCC reactor; a second withdrawal well upstream of the second FCC reactor; a methanol stream in fluid communication with the first FCC reactor, the methanol stream comprising methanol; and a hydrocarbon stream in fluid communication with the second FCC reactor, the hydrocarbon stream comprising at least one crude oil fraction.

[0130] A twenty-fifth aspect of the present disclosure may include the twenty-fourth aspect, further comprising a feed separator and a crude oil feed in fluid communication with the feed separator, wherein the feed separator may comprise a heavy boiling point fraction outlet stream and a light boiling point fraction outlet stream, wherein the hydrocarbon stream may comprise the heavy boiling point fraction stream or the light boiling point fraction stream.

[0131] A twenty-sixth aspect of the present disclosure may the twenty-fifth aspect, wherein the heavy boiling point fraction outlet stream and the light boiling point fraction outlet stream may be fluidly coupled to the first FCC reactor or the second FCC reactor.

[0132] A twenty-seventh aspect of the present disclosure may include any one of the twenty-fifth or twenty- sixth aspects, wherein the heavy boiling point fraction outlet stream may be fluidly coupled to a separate FCC reactor than the light boiling point fraction outlet stream.

[0133] A twenty-eighth aspect of the present disclosure may include any one of the twenty-fifth through twenty- seventh aspects, wherein the heavy boiling point fraction stream may be in fluid communication with the second FCC reactor and the light boiling point fraction stream may be in fluid communication with the first FCC reactor.

[0134] A twenty-ninth aspect of the present disclosure may include any one of the twenty-fifth through twenty- seventh aspects, wherein the heavy boiling point fraction stream may be in fluid communication with the first FCC reactor and the light boiling point fraction stream may be in fluid communication with the second FCC reactor.

[0135] A thirtieth aspect of the present disclosure may include any one of the twenty-fifth through twenty-ninth aspects, wherein the crude oil feed may be a whole crude oil having an SPI gravity of from 22 degrees to 45 degrees.

[0136] A thirty-first aspect of the present disclosure may include any one of the twenty-fourth through thirtieth aspects, wherein the methanol stream may comprise conventional methanol, low carbon methanol, e-methanol, green methanol, or any combination of these.

[0137] A thirty-second aspect of the present disclosure may include any one of the twenty-fourth through thirty-first aspects, wherein the catalyst regenerator may be upstream of the first withdrawalwell and the second withdrawal well and fluidly coupled to the first withdrawal well and the second withdrawal well.

[0138] The subject matter of the present disclosure has been described in detail and by reference to specific embodiments. It should be understood that any detailed description of a component or feature of an embodiment does not necessarily imply that the component or feature is essential to the particular embodiment or to any other embodiment. Further, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the described embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed subject matter.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A process for producing greater value chemicals and light hydrocarbons, the process comprising:separating a crude oil feed to produce a plurality of crude oil fractions;passing a methanol stream and at least one crude oil fraction to a fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) system comprising a first FCC reactor, a second FCC reactor in parallel with the first FCC reactor, and a cracking catalyst, wherein the first FCC reactor and the second FCC reactor are both downflow FCC reactors;contacting the methanol stream with a first cracking catalyst in the first FCC reactor, where the contacting causes methanol in the methanol stream to undergo catalytic cracking to produce a first FCC effluent and heat;separating the first FCC effluent from used first cracking catalyst downstream of the first FCC reactor;contacting the at least one crude oil fraction with a second cracking catalyst in the second FCC reactor, where the contacting causes hydrocarbons in the at least one crude oil fraction to undergo catalytic cracking reactions to produce a second FCC effluent; andseparating the second FCC effluent from used second cracking catalyst downstream of the second FCC reactor;wherein the first FCC effluent, the second FCC effluent, or both comprise the greater value chemical products and light hydrocarbons .

2. The process of claim 1 , comprising passing the first FCC effluent to a first fluid-solid separator downstream of the first FCC reactor, and passing the second FCC effluent to a second fluid-solid separator downstream of the second FCC reactor.

3. The process of either one of claims 1 or 2. comprising separating the first FCC effluent from used first cracking catalyst to produce a first product stream comprising the first FCC effluent, andseparating the second FCC effluent from used second cracking catalyst to produce a second product stream comprising the second FCC effluent.

4. The process of any one of claims 1-3, wherein the methanol comprises conventional methanol, low carbon methanol, e-methanol, green methanol, or any combination of these.

5. The process of any one of claims 1-4, wherein the at least one crude oil fraction comprises a vacuum-gas oil, an atmospheric residue, a vacuum residue, a whole crude oil, a topped crude oil, or any combinations thereof.

6. The process of any one of claims 1-5, comprising operating the first FCC reactor, the second FCC reactor, or both at a catalyst to oil ratio of from 2 to 40, at a contact time of from 0.2 seconds to 2 seconds, or both.

7. The process of any one of claims 1-6, comprising operating the first FCC reactor, the second FCC reactor, or both at a cracking temperature of from 400 °C to 700 °C.

8. The process of any one of claims 1-7, comprising passing used first cracking catalyst from the first FCC reactor and used second cracking catalyst from the second FCC reactor upstream to a catalyst regenerator, and regenerating used first cracking catalyst and used second cracking catalyst to produce a regenerated catalyst.

9. The process of any one of claims 1-8, comprising separating the crude oil feed into a light boiling point fraction and a heavy boiling point fraction.

10. The process of claim 9, wherein the light boiling point fraction includes constituents of the crude oil feed having atmospheric boiling point temperatures less than or equal to 350 °C. and the heavy boiling point fraction includes constituents of the crude oil feed having atmospheric boiling point temperatures greater than 350 °C.

11. The process of either one of claims 9 or 10, wherein the methanol is co-cracked in the first FCC reactor with the light boiling point fraction or the heavy boiling point fraction.

12. The process of any one of claims 9-11, wherein the light boiling point fraction is cracked in a separate FCC reactor from the heavy boiling point fraction.

13. The process of any one of claims 9-12, wherein the ratio of the at least one crude oil fraction to methanol in the first FCC reactor is from 1 :99 to 99:1.

14. A fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) system for producing greater value chemicals and light hydrocarbons, the system comprising:a first FCC reactor, the first FCC reactor being a downflow FCC reactor;a first fluid- solid separator downstream of the first FCC reactor;a second FCC reactor in parallel with the first FCC reactor, the second FCC reactor being a downflow FCC reactor;a second fluid-solid separator downstream of the second FCC reactor;a catalyst regenerator downstream of the first fluid-solid separator and the second fluid-solid separator and fluidly coupled to the first fluid-solid separator and the second fluid- solid separator;a first withdrawal well upstream of the first FCC reactor;a second withdrawal well upstream of the second FCC reactor;a methanol stream in fluid communication with the first FCC reactor, the methanol stream comprising methanol; anda hydrocarbon stream in fluid communication with the second FCC reactor, the hydrocarbon stream comprising at least one crude oil fraction.

15. The system of claim 14. further comprising a feed separator and a crude oil feed in fluid communication with the feed separator, wherein the feed separator comprises a heavy boiling point fraction outlet stream and a light boiling point fraction outlet stream, wherein the hydrocarbon stream comprises the heavy boiling point fraction stream or the light boiling point fraction stream.

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