606
The Chemistry and Technology of Petroleum
The H-Oil process can operate between 45% and 90% conversion of the vacuum residue in the
feedstock. The bottoms product is upgraded relative to the feed and can be utilized for fuel oil or
coker feed. The slurry processes must recover and dispose of the entrained carrier or additive.
To minimize this disposal problem, these proposed processes operate at high conversion, 90% or
greater. For example, if the carrier feed rate is 1% of the feed, at 90% conversion, the unconverted
residue will contain 10% solids. Generally, this material will have a negative value. Slurry reactor
operation at high severity is achieved by operation at high temperature [>420°C, (>790°F) and up to
450°C (840°F)] (Kressmann et al., 2000).
Thus, a wide variety of process options can be used with the H-Oil process depending on the
specific operation. In all cases, a catalytic ebullated-bed reactor system is used to provide an efficient
hydroconversion. The system insures uniform distribution of liquid, hydrogen-rich gas and catalyst across the reactor. The ebullated-bed system operates under essentially isothermal conditions,
exhibiting little temperature gradient across the bed (Kressmann et al., 2000). The heat of reaction
is used to bring the feed oil and hydrogen up to reactor temperature.
The H-Oil reactor is flexible in that it can handle feedstock with either high or low metals concentrations, although it is particularly efficient in treating and cracking.
22.3.6 HydrovIsBreAkIng ProCess
Briefly, hydrovisbreaking, a noncatalytic process, is conducted under similar conditions to visbreaking (Chapter 18) and involves treatment with hydrogen under mild conditions. The presence
TABLE 22.3
Feedstock and Product Data for the H-Oil Process
Feedstock
Arabian
Medium
Vacuum
Residuum
65% a
Arabian
Medium
Vacuum
Residuum
90% a
Athabasca
Bitumen
API gravity
4.9
4.9
8.3
Sulfur, % w/w
5.4
5.4
4.9
Nitrogen, % w/w
0.5
Carbon residue, % w/w
Metals, ppm
128.0
128.0
Ni
V
Residuum (>525°C, >975°F)% w/w
50.3
Products, % w/w b
Naphtha (C 5 –204°C, 400°F)
17.6
23.8
16.0
Sulfur, % w/w
1.0
Distillate (204°C–343°C, 400°F–650°F)
22.1
36.5
43.0
Sulfur, % w/w
2.0
Vacuum gas oil (343°C–534°C,
650°F–975°F)
34.0
37.1
26.4
Sulfur, % w/w
3.5
Residuum (>534°C, >975°F)
33.2
9.5
16.0
Sulfur, % w/w
5.7
a % Conversion.
b % Desulfurization.
The Chemistry and Technology of Petroleum
The H-Oil process can operate between 45% and 90% conversion of the vacuum residue in the
feedstock. The bottoms product is upgraded relative to the feed and can be utilized for fuel oil or
coker feed. The slurry processes must recover and dispose of the entrained carrier or additive.
To minimize this disposal problem, these proposed processes operate at high conversion, 90% or
greater. For example, if the carrier feed rate is 1% of the feed, at 90% conversion, the unconverted
residue will contain 10% solids. Generally, this material will have a negative value. Slurry reactor
operation at high severity is achieved by operation at high temperature [>420°C, (>790°F) and up to
450°C (840°F)] (Kressmann et al., 2000).
Thus, a wide variety of process options can be used with the H-Oil process depending on the
specific operation. In all cases, a catalytic ebullated-bed reactor system is used to provide an efficient
hydroconversion. The system insures uniform distribution of liquid, hydrogen-rich gas and catalyst across the reactor. The ebullated-bed system operates under essentially isothermal conditions,
exhibiting little temperature gradient across the bed (Kressmann et al., 2000). The heat of reaction
is used to bring the feed oil and hydrogen up to reactor temperature.
The H-Oil reactor is flexible in that it can handle feedstock with either high or low metals concentrations, although it is particularly efficient in treating and cracking.
22.3.6 HydrovIsBreAkIng ProCess
Briefly, hydrovisbreaking, a noncatalytic process, is conducted under similar conditions to visbreaking (Chapter 18) and involves treatment with hydrogen under mild conditions. The presence
TABLE 22.3
Feedstock and Product Data for the H-Oil Process
Feedstock
Arabian
Medium
Vacuum
Residuum
65% a
Arabian
Medium
Vacuum
Residuum
90% a
Athabasca
Bitumen
API gravity
4.9
4.9
8.3
Sulfur, % w/w
5.4
5.4
4.9
Nitrogen, % w/w
0.5
Carbon residue, % w/w
Metals, ppm
128.0
128.0
Ni
V
Residuum (>525°C, >975°F)% w/w
50.3
Products, % w/w b
Naphtha (C 5 –204°C, 400°F)
17.6
23.8
16.0
Sulfur, % w/w
1.0
Distillate (204°C–343°C, 400°F–650°F)
22.1
36.5
43.0
Sulfur, % w/w
2.0
Vacuum gas oil (343°C–534°C,
650°F–975°F)
34.0
37.1
26.4
Sulfur, % w/w
3.5
Residuum (>534°C, >975°F)
33.2
9.5
16.0
Sulfur, % w/w
5.7
a % Conversion.
b % Desulfurization.