Systems and methods for producing a crude product

Abstract

Systems and methods for hydroprocessing heavy oil feedstocks are disclosed. The process employs a plurality of contacting zones operating under hydrocracking conditions and at least one separation zone to convert at least a portion of the heavy oil feedstock to lower boiling hydrocarbons, forming upgraded products. The first contacting zone consists of one or more ebullated bed reactors. Most of the metals in the heavy oil feed are converted and adsorbed on the ebullated bed catalyst and can be removed during catalyst replacement. The second contacting zone consists of one or more slurry phase reactors. The slurry phase reactor can be operated at higher temperature to achieve higher conversion.

1 . A process for upgrading a heavy oil feedstock, the process comprising:
 (a) contacting a heavy oil feedstock and a hydrogen-containing gas with at least one supported catalyst under hydrocracking conditions in a first contacting zone consisting of one or more ebullated bed reactors to convert at least a portion of the heavy oil feedstock to upgraded products comprising lower boiling hydrocarbons and form a first effluent comprising the upgraded products, the hydrogen-containing gas, and an unconverted portion of the heavy oil feedstock;   (b) sending the first effluent to a first separation zone, whereby the upgraded products are separated with the hydrogen-containing gas as an overhead stream, and the unconverted portion of the heavy oil feedstock is separated as a first non-volatile stream;   (c) contacting at least a portion of the first non-volatile stream with a slurry catalyst and an additional hydrogen-containing gas feed under hydrocracking conditions in a second contacting zone consisting of one or more slurry phase reactors to convert at least a portion of the unconverted portion of the heavy oil feedstock to lower boiling hydrocarbons to additional upgraded products comprising lower boiling hydrocarbons and form a second effluent comprising additional upgraded products, additional hydrogen-containing gas, the slurry catalyst and an unconverted portion of the heavy oil feedstock; and   (d) sending the second effluent to a second separation zone, whereby the additional upgraded products are removed with the additional hydrogen-containing gas as an overhead stream, and the slurry catalyst and the unconverted heavy oil feedstock are removed as a second non-volatile stream.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the first contacting zone consists of one ebullated bed reactor and the second contacting zone consists of one slurry phase reactor. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the second contacting zone operates at a temperature of from 10° F. to 50° F. more than the first contacting zone. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the slurry catalyst is of the formula (M t ) a (X u ) b (S v ) d (C w ) e (H x ) f (O y ) g (N z ) h , wherein M is at least one Group VIB metal; X is at least a promoter metal selected from a non-noble Group VIII metal, a Group VIB metal, a Group IVB metal, a Group IIB metal, and combinations thereof; t, u, v, w, x, y, and z represent the total charge for each of M, X, S, C, H, O and N, respectively; (ta+ub+vd+we+xf+yg+zh)=0; a>0 and b≧0; 0≦b/a≦5; S is sulfur with d having a value of from (a+0.5b) to (5a+2b); C is carbon with e having a value of from 0 to 11(a+b); H is hydrogen with f having a value from 0 to 7(a+b); O is oxygen with g having a value of from 0 to 5(a+b); and N is nitrogen with h having a value of from 0 to 0.5(a+b). 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein additional hydrocarbon oil feed, other than the heavy oil feedstock, is added to any of the contacting zones in an amount of from 2 to 30 wt. % of the heavy oil feedstock. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising recycling at least a portion of the second non-volatile stream to at least one of the contacting zones as a recycled stream. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 6 , wherein the recycled stream is sent to the second contacting zone. 
     
     
         8 . A process for upgrading a heavy oil feedstock, the process comprising:
 (a) contacting a heavy oil feedstock and a hydrogen-containing gas with at least one supported catalyst under hydrocracking conditions in a first contacting zone consisting of one or more ebullated bed reactors to convert at least a portion of the heavy oil feedstock to upgraded products comprising lower boiling hydrocarbons and form a first effluent comprising the upgraded products, hydrogen-containing gas, and an unconverted portion of the heavy oil feedstock;   (b) contacting at least a portion of the first effluent with a slurry catalyst and an additional hydrogen-containing gas feed under hydrocracking conditions in a second contacting zone consisting of one or more slurry phase reactors to convert at least a portion of the unconverted portion of the heavy oil feedstock to additional upgraded products comprising lower boiling hydrocarbons and form a second effluent comprising additional upgraded products, hydrogen-containing gas, and an unconverted portion of the heavy oil feedstock; and   (c) sending the second effluent to a separation zone, whereby volatile upgraded products are removed with the hydrogen-containing gas as an overhead stream, and the slurry catalyst and the unconverted heavy oil feedstock are removed as a non-volatile stream.   
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein the first contacting zone consists of one ebullated bed reactor and the second contacting zone consists of one slurry phase reactor. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein the second contacting zone operates at a temperature of from 10° F. to 50° F. more than the first contacting zone. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein the slurry catalyst is of the formula (M t ) a (X u ) b (S v ) d (C w ) e (H x ) f (O y ) g (N z ) h , wherein M is at least one Group VIB metal; X is at least a promoter metal selected from a non-noble Group VIII metal, a Group VIB metal, a Group IVB metal, a Group IIB metal, and combinations thereof; t, u, v, w, x, y, and z represent the total charge for each of M, X, S, C, H, O and N, respectively; (ta+ub+vd+we+xf+yg+zh)=0; a>0 and b≧0; 0≦b/a≦5; S is sulfur with d having a value of from (a+0.5b) to (5a+2b); C is carbon with e having a value of from 0 to 11(a+b); H is hydrogen with f having a value from 0 to 7(a+b); O is oxygen with g having a value of from 0 to 5(a+b); and N is nitrogen with h having a value of from 0 to 0.5(a+b). 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein additional hydrocarbon oil feed, other than the heavy oil feedstock, is added to any of the contacting zones in an amount of from 2 to 30 wt. % of the heavy oil feedstock. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 8 , further comprising recycling at least a portion of the second non-volatile stream to at least one of the contacting zones as a recycled stream. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 13 , wherein the recycled stream is sent to the second contacting zone.