The invention provides a method for enriching diluents with butane so as not to violate pre-defined limits for liquid hydrocarbon fuels with respect to density, volatility and low density hydrocarbon content.

A carbon precursor material characterized by a flashpoint above 290 C. and a softening point between 110 and 300 C. Mettler is provided that includes petroleum-derived pitch product derived from a petroleum-based raw material having a concentration of less than 40% by weight of asphaltenes as measured by SARA analysis. The use of such carbon precursor material in in the production of graphite electrodes for electric arc furnaces used in steel/ferro-alloy/silicon production or in carbon electrodes for aluminum production and/or manufacture of graphite particles for the manufacturing of battery electrodes. A process for producing a coating and/or binding and/or impregnation carbon precursor material is also provided.

Process for the preparation of an asphalt mix composition, said process comprising: (1) heating an asphalt composition to a temperature in the range of from 110 to 190 C. to obtain a first input stream; (2) providing one or more thermosetting reactive compounds to obtain a second input stream; and (3) homogenizing the streams of (1) and (2) in at least a first tank fitted with a first impeller, wherein the impeller allows an axial velocity>0.4 m/s, a radial velocity>0.65 m/s, and a shear rate>3.5 s.sup.1; and wherein homogenization of (3) is carried out at a mixing power<3 W/kg.

The invention provides a method for enriching diluents with butane so as not to violate pre-defined limits for liquid hydrocarbon fuels with respect to density, volatility and low density hydrocarbon content.

Pitch compositions having controlled pitch composition properties and methods for their production and use. Pitch properties are predicted based on infrared structural parameters and two or more pitch compositions may be blended to achieve desired pitch properties, including softening point, microcarbon residue, hydrogen to carbon ratio, and percent pitch volatiles. Predicting these properties can aid in, among other things, end-use optimization of the production of spinnable pitches for carbon fibers, mesocarbon microbeads, matrixes for carbon/carbon composites, and other pitch-derived carbon products.

The invention relates to road bitumen compositions (variants) and a preparation method of a road bitumen composition. According to the first embodiment, the road bitumen composition comprises oxidized bitumen and tar, wherein the oxidized bitumen is a product of oxidation of a mixture of tar and a residual product from hydrocracking of heavy oil residual feedstock. According to the second embodiment, the road bitumen composition comprises the composition according to the first embodiment, a residual product from hydrocracking of heavy oil residual feedstock, a plasticizer, and a styrene-butadiene copolymer. The method of preparing the road bitumen composition comprises mixing tar and a residual product from hydrocracking of heavy oil residual feedstock to obtain a mixture of tar and the residual product from hydrocracking of heavy oil residual feedstock, oxidizing the obtained mixture in an oxidation plant to obtain oxidized bitumen, mixing the obtained oxidized bitumen with tar to produce a first bitumen composition, and mixing the first bitumen composition with the plasticizer, the residual product from hydrocracking of heavy oil residual feedstock, and the styrene-butadiene copolymer to produce a road bitumen composition. The technical result achievable by this invention is the provision of a road bitumen composition in which a residual product from hydrocracking of heavy oil residual feedstock is used and requisite performance characteristics of the road bitumen composition for use in road construction and maintenance are retained, said characteristics including, but not limited to, proper characteristics of change of mass after aging, shear resistance, fatigue resistance, and cold resistance.

Disclosed are methods for preparing a high-viscosity non-hazardous bitumen composition for transportation in a railcar, wherein the method may include: (a) providing to a fractionator system a low-viscosity bitumen composition previously residing in a pipeline having a first viscosity and comprising a miscible blend of hydrocarbons, which blend was prepared by mixing a first diluent composition with a first bitumen composition; (b) heating the low-viscosity bitumen composition in the fractionator system at an operating temperature of from 170 C to 232 C to provide a first light fraction and a first heavy fraction; (c) removing at least a portion of the first heavy fraction from the fractionator system, wherein the first heavy fraction has a second viscosity that is higher than the first viscosity; (d) forming a high-viscosity non-hazardous bitumen composition from at least a portion of the first heavy fraction; and (e) directing the high-viscosity non-hazardous bitumen composition to a railcar.

Processes are described for the production of a pitch for use in the manufacture of carbon composite materials. The process comprises the steps of providing a purified coal product (PCP), wherein the PCP is in particulate form, and wherein at least about 90% by volume (% v) of the particles are no greater than about 25 m in diameter; wherein the PCP has an ash content of less than about 10% m; and combining the PCP with a feedstock for pitch to create a combined blended mixture suitable for thermal reaction followed by distillation to create a resultant pitch. The combined blended mixture comprises at least around 0.1% m and at most around 90% m PCP. Composite materials that find utility as carbon electrodes, particularly electrolytic baked carbon anodes, can be made from combining the pitch and PCP with a filler material, such as a pet coke.

Disclosed are methods for preparing a high-viscosity non-hazardous bitumen composition for transportation in a railcar, wherein the method may include: (a) providing to a fractionator system a low-viscosity bitumen composition previously residing in a pipeline having a first viscosity and comprising a miscible blend of hydrocarbons, which blend was prepared by mixing a first diluent composition with a first bitumen composition; (b) heating the low-viscosity bitumen composition in the fractionator system to provide a first light fraction and a first heavy fraction; (c) removing at least a portion of the first heavy fraction from the fractionator system, wherein the first heavy fraction has a second viscosity that is higher than the first viscosity; (d) forming a high-viscosity non-hazardous bitumen composition from at least a portion of the first heavy fraction; and (e) directing the high-viscosity non-hazardous bitumen composition to a railcar.

The disclosure relates to a petroleum coke-containing asphalt composition and a method paving a surface using the petroleum coke-containing asphalt composition. A petroleum coke-containing roof coating composition and a method of treating a building surface using the petroleum coke-containing roof coating composition are also disclosed.