Integrated Hydrotreating Reactor for Tight Oil Refining

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Solution Overview

Problem

Refining tight oil using conventional processes is inefficient due to low heteroatom content, leading to high operational energy costs and carbon footprints, as well as the need for multiple hydrotreating reactors.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a method that involves flash separation and hydrotreating whole crude oil before distillation, using a single reactor with a dewaxing and demetalization reactor bed, which reduces capital and energy expenditures and optimizes hydrogen usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional multiple hydrotreating reactors are used to process sour heavy crude, then sulfur and contaminants are reduced, but hydrogen consumption and operational energy cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesulfur reductionVSAvoidhydrogen consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple hydrotreating reactor functions into a single integrated reactor system. The reactor contains multiple catalyst beds (demetalization catalyst, hydroprocessing catalyst, and dewaxing catalyst) arranged in sequence within one vessel, allowing simultaneous performance of demetalization, hydrodesulfurization, and dewaxing operations that traditionally required separate reactors. This merging reduces hydrogen consumption and operational energy costs while maintaining effective sulfur reduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If conventional multiple hydrotreating reactors are used for sour heavy crude refining, then contaminant removal is achieved, but capital investment and operational complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontaminant removalVSAvoidnumber of reactors

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention integrates multiple catalyst beds within a single reactor vessel, combining demetalization, hydroprocessing, and dewaxing functions that traditionally required separate reactor units. This reduces the number of individual reactor vessels, piping, and associated equipment, thereby reducing capital investment and operational complexity while maintaining effective contaminant removal capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Productivity

If tight oil is processed using conventional crude oil refining processes, then processing can proceed, but efficiency is reduced due to low heteroatom content

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverefining efficiencyVSAvoidoperational energy cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the processing parameters and catalyst selection to match the specific characteristics of tight oil with low heteroatom content. The hydroprocessing catalyst and dewaxing catalyst are optimized for low-sulfur feedstocks, and operating conditions (temperature, pressure, space velocity) are adjusted to maximize efficiency for tight oil processing. This parameter optimization improves refining efficiency and reduces unnecessary energy consumption associated with processing conventional sour crude through standard configurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Reliability

If multiple separate hydrotreating reactors are used, then each product stream can be individually treated, but the carbon footprint increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct stream treatmentVSAvoidcarbon footprint

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The integrated reactor system combines multiple treatment functions in one unit, reducing the total number of reactors and associated heating, cooling, and pumping operations. This consolidation decreases the overall energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions (carbon footprint) while still providing effective treatment of product streams. The single reactor system eliminates redundant equipment and operations that would otherwise contribute to higher carbon emissions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach minimizes hydrogen consumption, reduces fouling and corrosion, and enhances the quality and yield of petroleum distillate streams, while allowing excess hydrogen to be reused, thus lowering the overall carbon footprint.

Implementation Method 1

processing the whole crude oil stream within the hydrotreating reactor to create a treated stream

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCatalysis: Catalysis

Implementation Method 2

processing the treated stream within the distillation tower to create one or more petroleum distillate streams

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDistillation: Distillation

Implementation Method 3

processing the whole crude oil stream within the flash evaporation separator to create a plurality of flashed streams

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFlash evaporation: Flash Evaporation

Data Source

PatentUS11597885B2Methods of whole crude and whole crude wide cut hydrotreating and dewaxing low hetroatom content petroleum

Publication Date: 2023.03.07 EXXONMOBIL TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING CO

AI summary

Methods of refining a whole crude oil stream. The methods involve first processing the crude either through a hydrotreating reactor comprising a dewaxing reactor bed or a flash evaporation separator. The treated streams are then further processed through a demetalization reactor bed, a hydroprocessing reactor bed, or both. The stream can then be still further processed via additional hydrotreating, distillation, or both.