Base oil production using unconverted oil

Abstract

A method of producing a base oil product by hydroprocessing unconverted oil from a hydrocracker in an unconverted oil upgrade reactor to produce upgraded unconverted oil and dewaxing the upgraded unconverted oil to produce the base oil product.

1 . Method of producing a base oil product, the method comprising:
 hydroprocessing unconverted oil from a hydrocracker in a separate unconverted oil upgrade reactor to produce upgraded unconverted oil; and   dewaxing the upgraded unconverted oil to produce the base oil product.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising, prior to hydroprocessing the unconverted oil from the hydrocracker:
 hydrocracking a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock in the hydrocracker to produce a hydrocracked effluent comprising the unconverted oil; and   separating the unconverted oil from the hydrocracked effluent.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock has a boiling point in the range from about 572° F. to about 1112° F. (about 300° C. to about 600° C.) and/or comprises a gas oil such as vacuum gas oil (VGO) or heavy coker gas oil (HCGO). 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein hydroprocessing the unconverted oil from the hydrocracker to produce upgraded unconverted oil comprises increasing the viscosity index (VI) of the unconverted oil. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein hydroprocessing the unconverted oil from the hydrocracker to produce upgraded unconverted oil comprises contacting the unconverted oil with a hydroprocessing catalyst in the presence of hydrogen under hydroprocessing conditions. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the hydroprocessing catalyst and/or the hydroprocessing conditions are selected such that VI-increasing molecular transformations predominate in the hydroprocessing. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the hydroprocessing catalyst comprises:
 (a) one or more metals selected from Groups VI and VIII to X and/or one or more compounds thereof; and   (b) a catalyst support, for example a porous refractory support, for example an alumina, a silica, an amorphous silica-alumina material, or a combination thereof; and, optionally,   (c) one or more molecular sieves, for example zeolites.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the hydroprocessing conditions comprise:
 (a) a reaction temperature from about 400° F. to about 950° F. (from about 204° C. to about 510° C.), for example from about 650° F. to about 850° F. (from about 343° C. to about 454° C.);   (b) a reaction gauge pressure from about 500 psi to about 5000 psi (from about 3447 kPa to about 34474 kPa), for example, from about 1500 psi to about 2500 psi (from about 10342 kPa to about 17237 kPa), or from about 1200 psi to about 2500 psi from about 8274 kPa to about 17237 kPa);   (c) an LHSV from about 0.1 hr −1  to about 15 hr −1 , for example from about 0.2 hr −1  to about 10 hr −1 , or from about 0.2 hr −1  to about 2.5 hr −1 , or from about 0.1 hr −1  to about 10 hr −1 ; and/or   (d) a hydrogen consumption from about 100 scf to about 2500 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed (from about 17.8 to about 445 m 3  H 2 /m 3  feed), for example from about 200 scf to about 2500 scf per barrel (from about 35.6 to about 445 m 3  H 2 /m 3  feed), or from about 100 scf to about 1500 scf per barrel (from about 17.8 to about 267 m 3  H 2 /m 3  feed).   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein hydroprocessing the unconverted oil from the hydrocracker to produce upgraded unconverted oil comprises hydrotreating, hydroisomerizing and/or hydrocracking the unconverted oil from the hydrocracker. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein hydroprocessing the unconverted oil from the hydrocracker comprises hydrocracking the unconverted oil from the hydrocracker and wherein the level of hydrocracking conversion during hydrocracking the unconverted oil from the hydrocracker is less than the level of hydrocracking conversion during hydrocracking the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock in the hydrocracker. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein hydrocracking the unconverted oil from the hydrocracker takes place at a hydrocracking conversion of from about 5% to about 30%, and wherein hydrocracking the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock in the hydrocracker takes place at a hydrocracking conversion of from about 30% to about 70%. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein, prior to hydroprocessing the unconverted oil from the hydrocracker, the unconverted oil comprises:
 (a) no greater than about 100 ppm of sulfur;   (b) no greater than about 20 ppm of nitrogen; and/or   (c) no greater than about 1 ppm of nickel, vanadium and/or copper.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein, prior to hydroprocessing the unconverted oil from the hydrocracker, the unconverted oil has:
 (a) an API gravity of from about 25 to about 45;   (b) a TBP 95% point from about 800° F. to about 1100° F. (from about 427° C. to about 593° C.); and/or   (c) a viscosity index (VI), measured according to ASTM D-2270, of from about 100 to about 150 at a kinematic viscosity of 4 cSt (4 mm 2  s −1 ) at 100° C. (212° F.).   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein hydroprocessing the unconverted oil to produce the base oil product comprises increasing the viscosity index (VI) of the unconverted oil by about 5 to by about 30. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the base oil product has a viscosity index (VI), measured according to ASTM D-2270, of no less than 120 at a kinematic viscosity of 4 cSt (4 mm 2  s −1 ) at 100° C. (212° F.). 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the base oil product is a Group III base oil product. 
     
     
         17 . Method of modifying an existing base oil product manufacturing process to increase a viscosity index (VI) of the base oil produced, the existing base oil product manufacturing process comprising:
 hydrocracking a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock in a hydrocracker to produce a hydrocracked effluent comprising unconverted oil;   separating the unconverted oil from the hydrocracked effluent; and   dewaxing the unconverted oil separated from the hydrocracked effluent to produce the base oil product;   wherein the method of modifying the existing base oil product manufacturing process comprises:   hydroprocessing the unconverted oil separated from the hydrocracked effluent in a separate unconverted oil upgrade reactor prior to dewaxing the unconverted oil to produce the base oil product.   
     
     
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         24 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein hydroprocessing the unconverted oil comprises hydrotreating, hydroisomerizing and/or hydrocracking the unconverted oil. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein hydroprocessing the unconverted oil comprises hydrocracking the unconverted oil and wherein the level of hydrocracking conversion during hydrocracking the unconverted oil is less than the level of hydrocracking conversion during hydrocracking the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock in the hydrocracker. 
     
     
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         31 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the base oil product is a Group III base oil product. 
     
     
         32 . System for producing a base oil product, the system comprising:
 a hydrocracker for hydrocracking a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock to produce a hydrocracked effluent comprising unconverted oil; and   a separate unconverted oil upgrade reactor for hydroprocessing unconverted oil, separated from the hydrocracked effluent, to produce upgraded unconverted oil.   
     
     
         33 . The system according to  claim 32 , further comprising:
 a dewaxing unit for dewaxing unconverted oil, produced by the unconverted oil upgrade reactor, to produce the base oil product.   
     
     
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         40 . The system according to  claim 32 , wherein hydroprocessing the unconverted oil comprises hydrotreating, hydroisomerizing and/or hydrocracking the unconverted oil. 
     
     
         41 . The system according to  claim 40 , wherein hydroprocessing the unconverted oil comprises hydrocracking the unconverted oil and wherein the hydroprocessing zone and the hydrocracker are configured such that the level of hydrocracking conversion during hydrocracking the unconverted oil in the hydroprocessing zone is less than the level of hydrocracking conversion during hydrocracking the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock in the hydrocracker. 
     
     
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         47 . The system according to  claim 32  configured to produce a Group III base oil product. 
     
     
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         49 . Method of modifying an existing system for producing a base oil product to increase a viscosity index (VI) of the base oil product, the existing system for producing the base oil product comprising:
 a hydrocracker for hydrocracking a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock to produce a hydrocracked effluent comprising unconverted oil; and   a dewaxing unit for dewaxing unconverted oil, separated from the hydrocracked effluent, to produce the base oil product;   
       wherein the method of modifying the existing system comprises:
 installing in the existing system a separate unconverted oil upgrade reactor for hydroprocessing the unconverted oil, separated from the hydrocracked effluent, prior to dewaxing the unconverted oil to produce the base oil product. 
 
     
     
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         56 . The method according to  claim 49 , wherein hydroprocessing the unconverted oil comprises hydrotreating, hydroisomerizing and/or hydrocracking the unconverted oil. 
     
     
         57 . The method according to  claim 56 , wherein hydroprocessing the unconverted oil comprises hydrocracking the unconverted oil and wherein the hydroprocessing zone and the hydrocracker are configured such that the level of hydrocracking conversion during hydrocracking the unconverted oil in the hydroprocessing zone is less than the level of hydrocracking conversion during hydrocracking the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock in the hydrocracker. 
     
     
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         63 . The method according to  claim 49 , wherein, after modifying the existing system, the base oil product produced is a Group III base oil product. 
     
     
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         65 . An unconverted oil upgrade reactor for hydroprocessing unconverted oil, separated from the hydrocracked effluent of a hydrocracker, prior to dewaxing the unconverted oil to produce a base oil product, the unconverted oil upgrade reactor:
 (a) having a hydroprocessing zone comprising one or more beds containing a hydroprocessing catalyst, the hydroprocessing zone being maintained at hydroprocessing conditions; and   (b) being configured to increase the viscosity index (VI) of the unconverted oil.   
     
     
         66 . The unconverted oil upgrade reactor according to  claim 65 , wherein:
 (a) the hydroprocessing catalyst comprises:   (i) one or more metals selected from Groups VI and VIII to X and/or one or more compounds thereof; and   (ii) a catalyst support, for example a porous refractory support, for example an alumina, a silica, an amorphous silica-alumina material, or a combination thereof; and, optionally,   (iii) one or more molecular sieves, for example zeolites; and/or   (b) the hydroprocessing conditions comprise:   (i) a reaction temperature from about 400° F. to about 950° F. (from about 204° C. to about 510° C.), for example from about 650° F. to about 850° F. (from about 343° C. to about 454° C.);   (ii) a reaction gauge pressure from about 500 psi to about 5000 psi (from about 3447 kPa to about 34474 kPa), for example, from about 1500 psi to about 2500 psi (from about 10342 kPa to about 17237 kPa), or from about 1200 psi to about 2500 psi from about 8274 kPa to about 17237 kPa);   (iii) an LHSV from about 0.1 hr −1  to about 15 hr −1 , for example from about 0.2 hr −1  to about 10 hr −1 , or from about 0.2 hr −1  to about 2.5 hr −1 , or from about 0.1 hr −1  to about 10 hr −1 ; and/or   (iv) a hydrogen consumption from about 100 scf to about 2500 scf per barrel of liquid hydrocarbon feed (from about 17.8 to about 445 m 3  H 2 /m 3  feed), for example from about 200 scf to about 2500 scf per barrel (from about 35.6 to about 445 m 3  H 2 /m 3  feed), or from about 100 scf to about 1500 scf per barrel (from about 17.8 to about 267 m 3  H 2 /m 3  feed).   
     
     
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