Processes for producing olefins include introducing a hydrocarbon feed to a high-severity fluidized catalytic cracking system, contacting the hydrocarbon feed with a cracking catalyst under high-severity conditions in the high-severity fluidized catalytic cracking system to produce a cracking reaction effluent comprising butene, and passing at least a portion of the cracking reaction effluent, which includes at least butene, to a metathesis system. The processes further include contacting the portion of the cracking reaction effluent with a metathesis catalyst in the metathesis system, which causes at least a portion of the butene in the cracking C4 effluent to undergo a metathesis reaction to produce a metathesis reaction effluent comprising at least one of ethylene, propene, or both. The processes may further include separating a metathesis C5+ effluent from the metathesis reaction effluent and passing the metathesis C5+ effluent back to the high-severity fluidized catalytic cracking unit.

Processes are described for isomerizing one or more C.sub.14-C.sub.24 alpha olefins to produce an isomerization mixture comprising one or more C.sub.14-C.sub.24 internal olefins comprising contacting an olefinic feed comprising the one or more C.sub.14-C.sub.24 alpha olefins with a catalyst under isomerization conditions, wherein the catalyst comprises a microporous crystalline aluminosilicate having an MWW framework. The resulting isomerization mixture typically exhibits a low pour point with maintained biodegradability properties as compared to the olefinic feed, and is particularly useful in drilling fluid and paper sizing compositions.

Processes are described for isomerizing one or more C.sub.14-C.sub.24 alpha olefins to produce an isomerization mixture comprising one or more C.sub.14-C.sub.24 internal olefins comprising contacting an olefinic feed comprising the one or more C.sub.14-C.sub.24 alpha olefins with a catalyst under isomerization conditions, wherein the catalyst comprises a microporous crystalline aluminosilicate having an MWW framework. The resulting isomerization mixture typically exhibits a low pour point with maintained biodegradability properties as compared to the olefinic feed, and is particularly useful in drilling fluid and paper sizing compositions.

System and method for producing 1-butene are disclosed. The method includes dehydrogenating butane to form a mixture comprising butene isomers. 1-butene is separated from the mixture using a system that includes an extractive distillation unit and a membrane. The system also includes a isomerizing unit for isomerizing cis-2-butene and trans-2-butene to form additional 1-butene.

System and method for producing 1-butene are disclosed. The method includes dehydrogenating butane to form a mixture comprising butene isomers. 1-butene is separated from the mixture using a system that includes an extractive distillation unit and a membrane. The system also includes a isomerizing unit for isomerizing cis-2-butene and trans-2-butene to form additional 1-butene.

A process for the purification of isobutene from a C4 stream with at least 1-butene, 2-butene, isobutane and isobutene includes isomerizing 1-butene from a stream of material which is concentrated in isobutane and isobutene obtained from the C4 stream into 2-butene, using a catalyst in an isomerization reactor; supplying a product stream from the isomerization reactor to a rectification column; and providing a stream of material which is concentrated in isobutene. A processing facility is utilized for the purification of isobutene from the C4 stream.

A process for the purification of isobutene from a C4 stream with at least 1-butene, 2-butene, isobutane and isobutene includes isomerizing 1-butene from a stream of material which is concentrated in isobutane and isobutene obtained from the C4 stream into 2-butene, using a catalyst in an isomerization reactor; supplying a product stream from the isomerization reactor to a rectification column; and providing a stream of material which is concentrated in isobutene. A processing facility is utilized for the purification of isobutene from the C4 stream.

Processes for producing olefins include introducing a hydrocarbon feed to a high-severity fluidized catalytic cracking system, contacting the hydrocarbon feed with a cracking catalyst under high-severity conditions in the high-severity fluidized catalytic cracking system to produce a cracking reaction effluent comprising butene, and passing at least a portion of the cracking reaction effluent, which includes at least butene, to a metathesis system. The processes further include contacting the portion of the cracking reaction effluent with a metathesis catalyst in the metathesis system, which causes at least a portion of the butene in the cracking C4 effluent to undergo a metathesis reaction to produce a metathesis reaction effluent comprising at least one of ethylene, propene, or both. The processes may further include separating a metathesis C5+ effluent from the metathesis reaction effluent and passing the metathesis C5+ effluent back to the high-severity fluidized catalytic cracking unit.

Processes for producing olefins include introducing a hydrocarbon feed to a high-severity fluidized catalytic cracking system, contacting the hydrocarbon feed with a cracking catalyst under high-severity conditions in the high-severity fluidized catalytic cracking system to produce a cracking reaction effluent comprising butene, and passing at least a portion of the cracking reaction effluent, which includes at least butene, to a metathesis system. The processes further include contacting the portion of the cracking reaction effluent with a metathesis catalyst in the metathesis system, which causes at least a portion of the butene in the cracking C4 effluent to undergo a metathesis reaction to produce a metathesis reaction effluent comprising at least one of ethylene, propene, or both. The processes may further include separating a metathesis C5+ effluent from the metathesis reaction effluent and passing the metathesis C5+ effluent back to the high-severity fluidized catalytic cracking unit.

Provided herein is a unique process that prepares a saturated hydrocarbon mixture with well-controlled structural characteristics that address the performance requirements driven by the stricter environmental and fuel economy regulations for automotive engine oils. The process allows for the branching characteristics of the hydrocarbon molecules to be controlled so as to consistently provide a composition that has a surprising CCS viscosity at −35° C. (ASTM D5329) and Noack volatility (ASTM D5800) relationship. The process comprises providing a specific olefinic feedstock, oligomerizing in the presence of a BF.sub.3 catalyst, and hydroisomerizing in the presence of a noble-metal impregnated, 10-member ring zeolite catalyst.