Integrated Process for Complete Conversion of Residue Feedstock

Abstract

The focus of this invention is the economic integration of two well-known technologies to provide an economical, integrated process unit for the complete conversion of residue feedstock. The technologies employed are heavy oil hydrocracking, which can be via an ebullated-bed, fixed-bed or slurry bed process, and coking, which can be via a delayed coking or fluid coking (with or without integrated gasification). The invention is most applicable to residue hydrocracking of high CCR and metals atmospheric and vacuum residues where coking of the unconverted hydrocracker residue is the most practical and economical method of hydrocracking bottoms disposal.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An integrated process for converting residue feedstock comprising:
 a) feeding a residue feedstock and a hydrogen stream into a residue hydrocracker unit containing catalyst to partially convert said residue feedstock and to create a hydrocracker vapor product stream and a hydrocracker liquid product stream;   b) feeding said hydrocracker liquid product stream along with a steam stream to a steam stripper to create a stripper naphtha stream, a stripper vapor stream containing nominally C4 and lighter hydrocarbon gases and sour gases, and a stripper bottoms stream, said stripper bottoms stream comprising a heavy boiling fraction and a light boiling fraction;   c) feeding said stripper bottoms stream to a heater to produce a heated stripper bottoms stream, said heated stripper bottoms stream comprising a heated heavy boiling fraction and a heated light boiling fraction;   d) feeding said heated stripper bottoms stream comprising said heated heavy boiling fraction and said heated light boiling fraction into a coking unit wherein said heated heavy boiling fraction from said heated stripper bottoms stream produces a solid coke product and a light converted residue product stream; and   e) feeding said light converted residue stream along with said heated light boiling fraction of said heated stripper bottoms stream to a coker fractionation unit to produce a fractionator vapor stream, a coker naphtha stream, a light gas oil stream, and a heavy gas oil stream.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1  further comprising:
 f) feeding said fractionator vapor stream, said stripper vapor stream from step b) and said hydrocracker vapor stream from step a) to gas a recovery unit; and 
 g) feeding said coker naphtha stream from step e), said stripper naphtha stream from step b), said light gas oil stream, and said heavy gas oil stream to downstream processing units for production of final petroleum products. 
 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1  wherein said residue hydrocracker unit operates at a reactor temperature of between 350-450° C., an inlet pressure of between 70-210 barg, and a space velocity of between 0.05 to 1.5 hr −1 . 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1  wherein said residue hydrocracker unit operates at a reactor temperature of between 415-430° C., an inlet pressure of between 100-175 barg, and a space velocity of between 0.1-0.3 hr −1 . 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1  wherein said residue hydrocracker unit comprises one or more ebullated-bed units operating in series or in parallel. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1  wherein said residue hydrocracker unit comprises one or more slurry bed reactors operating in series or in parallel. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1  wherein said residue hydrocracker unit comprises one or more fixed bed reactors operating in series or in parallel. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1  wherein said residue hydrocracker unit comprises one or more ebullated-bed reactors and one or more slurry-bed reactors operating in series or in parallel. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1  wherein said residue hydrocracker unit comprises one or more ebullated-bed reactors and one or more fixed-bed reactors operating in series or in parallel. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 1  wherein said residue hydrocracker unit comprises one or more slurry-bed reactors and one or more fixed-bed reactors operating in series or in parallel. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 1  wherein said heater from step c) is selected from the group comprising a gas-fired heater, an oil-fired heater, or an electric heater. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 1  wherein said coking unit from step d) is selected from the group comprising a delayed coker, a fluid coker, and a fluid coker with gasification. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 1  wherein said coke product from said coking unit from step d) is completely gasified. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 1  wherein said steam stripper from step b) creates a stripper naphtha stream, a stripper vapor stream containing nominally C4 and lighter hydrocarbon gases and sour gases, a stripper bottoms stream, said stripper bottoms stream comprising a heavy fraction and a light fraction, and a residue hydrocracker diesel stream.