The invention provides a method for pretreating a hydrocarbon steam cracker feed, comprising contacting the feed with a solvent to produce a pretreated feed having a reduced content of fouling components that cause fouling in the preheat, convection and radiant sections of the steam cracker and a rich solvent having an increased content of fouling components. The invention further provides a method for steam cracking hydrocarbons comprising: a) feeding a hydrocarbon steam cracker feed to the process; b) pretreating the feed by contacting the feed with a solvent to produce a pretreated feed having a reduced content of fouling components that cause fouling in the steam cracker and a rich solvent having an increased content of fouling components; c) heating the pretreated feed; and d) passing the pretreated feed through a steam cracker under cracking conditions to produce cracked products.

Disclosed herein are scavenging compounds and compositions useful in applications relating to the production, transportation, storage, and separation of crude oil and natural gas. Also disclosed herein are methods of using the compounds and compositions as scavengers, particularly in applications relating to the production, transportation, storage, and separation of crude oil and natural gas.

A method comprises conducting hydrodeoxygenation and optionally isomerization of raw material, wherein the method further comprises one or more solvent extraction steps and optionally hydrogenation to remove aromatic and/or naphthenic hydrocarbons from the material. The original aromatic and/or naphthenic content of the raw material is less than 21 vol-%. In the method, the aromatic and/or naphthenic content is reduced by more than 45%, preferably by more than 60%. A composition contains hydrocarbons produced by said method, wherein the total aromatic and/or naphthenic hydrocarbon content of the composition is less than a predefined low value, and C15-C20 i-paraffins are the main fraction of the hydrocarbon content of the composition, weight basis.

The invention provides a method for pretreating a hydrocarbon steam cracker feed, comprising contacting the feed with a solvent to produce a pretreated feed having a reduced content of fouling components that cause fouling in the preheat, convection and radiant sections of the steam cracker and a rich solvent having an increased content of fouling components. The invention further provides a method for steam cracking hydrocarbons comprising: a) feeding a hydrocarbon steam cracker feed to the process; b) pretreating the feed by contacting the feed with a solvent to produce a pretreated feed having a reduced content of fouling components that cause fouling in the steam cracker and a rich solvent having an increased content of fouling components; c) heating the pretreated feed; and d) passing the pretreated feed through a steam cracker under cracking conditions to produce cracked products.

The invention provides a method for pretreating a hydrocarbon steam cracker feed, comprising contacting the feed with a solvent to produce a pretreated feed having a reduced content of fouling components that cause fouling in the preheat, convection and radiant sections of the steam cracker and a rich solvent having an increased content of fouling components. The invention further provides a method for steam cracking hydrocarbons comprising: a) feeding a hydrocarbon steam cracker feed to the process; b) pretreating the feed by contacting the feed with a solvent to produce a pretreated feed having a reduced content of fouling components that cause fouling in the steam cracker and a rich solvent having an increased content of fouling components; c) heating the pretreated feed; and d) passing the pretreated feed through a steam cracker under cracking conditions to produce cracked products.

The invention relates to a process for the recovery of aliphatic hydrocarbons from a liquid hydrocarbon feedstock stream, which comprises aliphatic hydrocarbons and additionally comprises aromatic hydrocarbons and/or polar components, said process comprising the steps of: feeding the liquid hydrocarbon feedstock stream to a first column; feeding a first solvent stream which comprises an organic solvent to the first column at a position which is higher than the position at which the liquid hydrocarbon feedstock stream is fed; contacting at least a portion of the liquid hydrocarbon feedstock stream with at least a portion of the first solvent stream; and recovering at least a portion of the aliphatic hydrocarbons by liquid-liquid extraction of aromatic hydrocarbons and/or polar components with organic solvent, resulting in a stream comprising recovered aliphatic hydrocarbons and optionally organic solvent and a bottom stream from the first column comprising organic solvent and aromatic hydrocarbons and/or polar components.

Sulfide scavengers useful to reduce sulfide concentration in fluid streams and methods of using these scavengers. The scavengers comprise oil soluble reaction products of formaldehyde/N-substituted hydroxylamines and can be used to reduce, for example, H.sub.2S content in viscous hydrocarbon oil streams.

The invention relates to the use of a composition that comprises a) one or more condensation products of 1-amino-propan-2-ol and formaldehyde and b) monoethylene glycol, wherein component a) is present in an amount from 5 to 70% by weight and component b) is present in an amount from 30 to 95% by weight, in each case based on the weight of the composition, in the removal of sulphur compounds from process streams.

The invention relates to the use of a composition that comprises a) one or more condensation products of 1-amino-propan-2-ol and formaldehyde and b) monoethylene glycol, wherein component a) is present in an amount from 5 to 70% by weight and component b) is present in an amount from 30 to 95% by weight, in each case based on the weight of the composition, in the removal of sulphur compounds from process streams.

A method and composition for isolating a paraffinic hydrocarbon layer from a sludge comprising a mixture of paraffinic hydrocarbons, water, and solids are provided. The method comprises providing a paraffinic hydrocarbon isolation composition comprising isopropylamine dodecylbenzene sulfonate, a surfactant, and a solvent; contacting the sludge with the paraffinic hydrocarbon isolation composition; and allowing the paraffinic hydrocarbon isolation composition to separate the sludge into a three phase separation comprising a paraffinic hydrocarbon layer, a water layer, and a layer of settled solids.