A method and apparatus for upgrading heavy oil is described, having a symbiotic relationship between a cracking reactor vessel and a steam reformer vessel. A first portion of an uncracked residue oil stream from the cracking reactor vessel is passed through a heat exchanger positioned within the steam reformer vessel and back to the cracking reactor vessel, such that a heat exchange takes place which heats the uncracked residue oil stream to promote cracking. A second portion of the uncracked residue oil stream from the cracking reactor vessel is injected directly into the steam reformer vessel. That portion of the uncracked residue oil stream not vaporized in the steam reformer vessel is converted into coke which becomes deposited in a fluidized bed of the steam reformer vessel. The fluidized bed activates steam which reacts with the coke to generate hydrogen. Hydrogen from the steam reformer vessel is directed into the cracking reactor vessel to assist with cracking.

A method and apparatus for upgrading heavy oil is described, having a symbiotic relationship between a cracking reactor vessel and a steam reformer vessel. A first portion of an uncracked residue oil stream from the cracking reactor vessel is passed through a heat exchanger positioned within the steam reformer vessel and back to the cracking reactor vessel, such that a heat exchange takes place which heats the uncracked residue oil stream to promote cracking. A second portion of the uncracked residue oil stream from the cracking reactor vessel is injected directly into the steam reformer vessel. That portion of the uncracked residue oil stream not vaporized in the steam reformer vessel is converted into coke which becomes deposited in a fluidized bed of the steam reformer vessel. The fluidized bed activates steam which reacts with the coke to generate hydrogen. Hydrogen from the steam reformer vessel is directed into the cracking reactor vessel to assist with cracking.

A crude oil processing plant that comprises a Fischer-Tropsch reactor is disclosed. The crude oil processing plant comprises a crude oil processing section and a hydrogen production section. The hydrogen production section is coupled to a hydrocracker in the crude oil processing section to deliver a high purity hydrogen stream. The Fischer-Tropsch reactor receives a syngas stream from the hydrogen production section and produces a hydrocarbon stream. When light crude oil is processed, the hydrocracker typically has excess capacities to upgrade the hydrocarbon stream from the Fischer-Tropsch reactor.

A crude oil processing plant that comprises a Fischer-Tropsch reactor is disclosed. The crude oil processing plant comprises a crude oil processing section and a hydrogen production section. The hydrogen production section is coupled to a hydrocracker in the crude oil processing section to deliver a high purity hydrogen stream. The Fischer-Tropsch reactor receives a syngas stream from the hydrogen production section and produces a hydrocarbon stream. When light crude oil is processed, the hydrocracker typically has excess capacities to upgrade the hydrocarbon stream from the Fischer-Tropsch reactor.

A method for recovering waste heat in a process for the synthesis of a chemical product, particularly ammonia, where the product is used as the working fluid of a thermodynamic cycle; the waste heat is used to increase the enthalpy content of a high-pressure liquid stream of said product (11), delivered by a synthesis section (10), thus obtaining a vapor or supercritical product stream (20), and energy is recovered by expanding said vapor or supercritical stream across at least one suitable ex-pander (13); the method is particularly suited to recover the heat content of the syngas effluent after low-temperature shift.

A method for recovering waste heat in a process for the synthesis of a chemical product, particularly ammonia, where the product is used as the working fluid of a thermodynamic cycle; the waste heat is used to increase the enthalpy content of a high-pressure liquid stream of said product (11), delivered by a synthesis section (10), thus obtaining a vapor or supercritical product stream (20), and energy is recovered by expanding said vapor or supercritical stream across at least one suitable ex-pander (13); the method is particularly suited to recover the heat content of the syngas effluent after low-temperature shift.

The invention includes a gas processing system for transforming a hydrocarbon-containing inflow gas into outflow gas products, where the system includes a gas delivery subsystem, a plasma reaction chamber, and a microwave subsystem, with the gas delivery subsystem in fluid communication with the plasma reaction chamber, so that the gas delivery subsystem directs the hydrocarbon-containing inflow gas into the plasma reaction chamber, and the microwave subsystem directs microwave energy into the plasma reaction chamber to energize the hydrocarbon-containing inflow gas, thereby forming a plasma in the plasma reaction chamber, which plasma effects the transformation of a hydrocarbon in the hydrocarbon-containing inflow gas into the outflow gas products, which comprise acetylene and hydrogen. The invention also includes methods for the use of the gas processing system.

The invention includes a gas processing system for transforming a hydrocarbon-containing inflow gas into outflow gas products, where the system includes a gas delivery subsystem, a plasma reaction chamber, and a microwave subsystem, with the gas delivery subsystem in fluid communication with the plasma reaction chamber, so that the gas delivery subsystem directs the hydrocarbon-containing inflow gas into the plasma reaction chamber, and the microwave subsystem directs microwave energy into the plasma reaction chamber to energize the hydrocarbon-containing inflow gas, thereby forming a plasma in the plasma reaction chamber, which plasma effects the transformation of a hydrocarbon in the hydrocarbon-containing inflow gas into the outflow gas products, which comprise acetylene and hydrogen. The invention also includes methods for the use of the gas processing system.

A process and a related equipment for making ammonia make-up synthesis gas are disclosed, where: a hydrocarbon feedstock is reformed obtaining a raw ammonia make-up syngas stream; said raw syngas is purified in a cryogenic purification section refrigerated by a nitrogen-rich stream produced in an air separation unit; the nitrogen-rich stream at output of said cryogenic section is further used for adjusting the hydrogen/nitrogen ratio of the purified make-up syngas; an oxygen-rich stream is also produced in said air separation unit and is fed to the reforming section.

A process and a related equipment for making ammonia make-up synthesis gas are disclosed, where: a hydrocarbon feedstock is reformed obtaining a raw ammonia make-up syngas stream; said raw syngas is purified in a cryogenic purification section refrigerated by a nitrogen-rich stream produced in an air separation unit; the nitrogen-rich stream at output of said cryogenic section is further used for adjusting the hydrogen/nitrogen ratio of the purified make-up syngas; an oxygen-rich stream is also produced in said air separation unit and is fed to the reforming section.