Provided herein is a method for obtaining flowable oil comprising the steps of providing a population of oil-producing microorganisms; recovering oil from the microorganisms, wherein the oil is at a first temperature; reducing the first temperature over a first period of time to a second temperature; and applying mechanical energy to the oil during the first period of time thereby producing the flowable oil.

In a process for producing one or more 2,X-dimethyl biphenyl isomers (where X=2, 3 or 4), a feed comprising toluene is contacted with hydrogen in the presence of a hydroalkylation catalyst under conditions effective to produce a hydroalkylation reaction product comprising (methylcyclohexyl)toluene. At least part of the hydroalkylation reaction product is dehydrogenated in the presence of a dehydrogenation catalyst under conditions effective to produce a dehydrogenation reaction product comprising dimethyl biphenyl isomers. The dehydrogenation reaction product is then separated into at least a first stream comprising one or more 3,3-, 3,4- and 4,4-dimethyl biphenyl isomers and at least one second stream comprising one or more 2,X-dimethyl biphenyl isomers (where X=2, 3 or 4). The at least one second stream is then contacted with a first adsorbent thereby selectively adsorbing one or more 2,X-dimethyl biphenyl isomers (where X=2, 3 or 4) within said first adsorbent and then withdrawing from said first adsorbent a first extract stream comprising one or more selectively adsorbed 2,X-dimethyl biphenyl isomers (where X=2, 3 or 4) and a first raffinate stream comprising one or more less selectively adsorbed components.

In a process for producing one or more 2,X-dimethyl biphenyl isomers (where X=2, 3 or 4), a feed comprising toluene is contacted with hydrogen in the presence of a hydroalkylation catalyst under conditions effective to produce a hydroalkylation reaction product comprising (methylcyclohexyl)toluene. At least part of the hydroalkylation reaction product is dehydrogenated in the presence of a dehydrogenation catalyst under conditions effective to produce a dehydrogenation reaction product comprising dimethyl biphenyl isomers. The dehydrogenation reaction product is then separated into at least a first stream comprising one or more 3,3-, 3,4- and 4,4-dimethyl biphenyl isomers and at least one second stream comprising one or more 2,X-dimethyl biphenyl isomers (where X=2, 3 or 4). The at least one second stream is then contacted with a first adsorbent thereby selectively adsorbing one or more 2,X-dimethyl biphenyl isomers (where X=2, 3 or 4) within said first adsorbent and then withdrawing from said first adsorbent a first extract stream comprising one or more selectively adsorbed 2,X-dimethyl biphenyl isomers (where X=2, 3 or 4) and a first raffinate stream comprising one or more less selectively adsorbed components.

Solids dissolution may be promoted using a solvent blend comprising a disulfide solvent, particularly additional solids present in combination with elemental sulfur deposits. The solvent blends may comprise at least one disulfide solvent, at least one amine solvent, at least one ketone solvent, at least one ester solvent, and optionally water. Solids dissolution methods may comprise: identifying one or more solids in addition to elemental sulfur to be contacted by the solvent blend; adjusting a composition of the solvent blend to afford selectivity for dissolution of at least a portion of the one or more solids; and contacting the solvent blend with elemental sulfur and the one or more solids to promote at least partial dissolution thereof.

Solids dissolution may be promoted using a solvent blend comprising a disulfide solvent, particularly additional solids present in combination with elemental sulfur deposits. The solvent blends may comprise at least one disulfide solvent, at least one amine solvent, at least one ketone solvent, at least one ester solvent, and optionally water. Solids dissolution methods may comprise: identifying one or more solids in addition to elemental sulfur to be contacted by the solvent blend; adjusting a composition of the solvent blend to afford selectivity for dissolution of at least a portion of the one or more solids; and contacting the solvent blend with elemental sulfur and the one or more solids to promote at least partial dissolution thereof.

Process and apparatuses for producing benzene and para-xylene from a reformate stream is provided. The process comprises separating the reformate stream to provide a first stream comprising C.sub.4 and lighter hydrocarbons and a second stream comprising aromatic hydrocarbons. The second steam is provided to a reformate splitter to provide a reformate bottoms stream comprising C.sub.8+ aromatic hydrocarbons and a reformate overhead stream comprising C.sub.7 aromatic hydrocarbons. The reformate overhead stream is passed to an aromatics extraction unit to provide an aromatics extract stream comprising benzene and toluene and a raffinate stream comprising non-aromatic hydrocarbons. The reformate bottoms stream and one of the first stream and the raffinate stream is passed to an olefin reduction zone, wherein the reformate bottoms stream and one of the first stream and the raffinate stream are contacted with an olefin saturation catalyst under olefin saturation conditions to produce an olefin-treated reformate stream.

Process and apparatuses for producing benzene and para-xylene from a reformate stream is provided. The process comprises separating the reformate stream to provide a first stream comprising C.sub.4 and lighter hydrocarbons and a second stream comprising aromatic hydrocarbons. The second steam is provided to a reformate splitter to provide a reformate bottoms stream comprising C.sub.8+ aromatic hydrocarbons and a reformate overhead stream comprising C.sub.7 aromatic hydrocarbons. The reformate overhead stream is passed to an aromatics extraction unit to provide an aromatics extract stream comprising benzene and toluene and a raffinate stream comprising non-aromatic hydrocarbons. The reformate bottoms stream and one of the first stream and the raffinate stream is passed to an olefin reduction zone, wherein the reformate bottoms stream and one of the first stream and the raffinate stream are contacted with an olefin saturation catalyst under olefin saturation conditions to produce an olefin-treated reformate stream.

The invention relates to a process for the manufacture of diesel range hydrocarbons wherein a feed is hydrotreated in a hydrotreating step and isomerised in an isomerisation step, and a feed comprising fresh feed containing more than 5 wt % of free fatty acids and at least one diluting agent is hydrotreated at a reaction temperature of 200-400 C., in a hydrotreating reactor in the presence of catalyst, and the ratio of the diluting agent/fresh feed is 5-30:1.

The invention relates to a process for the manufacture of diesel range hydrocarbons wherein a feed is hydrotreated in a hydrotreating step and isomerised in an isomerisation step, and a feed comprising fresh feed containing more than 5 wt % of free fatty acids and at least one diluting agent is hydrotreated at a reaction temperature of 200-400 C., in a hydrotreating reactor in the presence of catalyst, and the ratio of the diluting agent/fresh feed is 5-30:1.

A method of producing p-xylene, the method comprising the steps of converting the C9+ aromatic hydrocarbons and the hydrogen gas in the presence of a dealkylation catalyst to produce a dealkylation effluent, separating the dealkylation effluent to produce a carbon-nine (C9) aromatics stream, a xylene stream, and a toluene stream, separating the p-xylenes from the xylene stream in the p-xylene separation unit to produce a p-xylene product and a p-xylene depleted stream, converting the m-xylene and o-xylene in the p-xylene depleted stream in the isomerization unit to produce an isomerization effluent, reacting the C9 aromatics stream and the hydrogen stream in the presence of a transalkylation catalyst in the transalkylation reactor to produce a transalkylation effluent, separating the C6 to C9+ aromatic hydrocarbons in the isomerization effluent and the transalkylation effluent in the splitter column to produce a benzene recycle, a toluene recycle, a xylene recycle and a C9+ recycle.