Method to produce an upgraded oil using a
lignin-rich feedstock, said method comprises the following steps: - providing a
lignin-rich feedstock, wherein said
lignin-rich feedstock comprises more than 60 wt% of lignin-based compounds obtained from delignification of
biomass, where said lignin-based compounds are selected from the group consisting of: lignin-derived monomers, lignin-derived dimers, lignin-derived oligomers and combinations thereof; - providing an acidic composition having a pH of less than 1, said acidic composition comprising: an acid selected from the group consisting of:
sulfuric acid; an alkylsulfonic acid; and an arylsulfonic acid; and an
alcohol selected from the group consisting of C1-C8 linear
alcohol and C3-C8 branched
alcohol and mixtures thereof; - combining said lignin-rich feedstock with said acidic composition into a reaction mixture; - heating up said mixture to a temperature
ranging from 25oC to 120oC; and - allowing
sufficient time of reaction to convert at least a portion of said lignin-derived material into said at least one esterified lignin derivative; - separating said at least one esterified lignin derivative from said acidic composition; - performing a
hydrodeoxygenation reaction on said at least one esterified lignin derivative, wherein the
hydrodeoxygenation reaction is carried out in the presence of a
hydrogen-rich source at a temperature
ranging from 250oC to 400oC under a H2 pressure
ranging from 15 to 50 bar, more preferably 35 bar, in the presence of a catalyst adapted for HDO reactions, for a period of time sufficient to result in an upgraded oil having a TAN of about 2.5 mg KOH / g and
viscosity of 3.4 cP.