Processes for converting the coal-derived heavy-oil fraction of syncrude to polyols are described. The processes involve mixing a feed stream comprising the coal-derived heavy-oil fraction with an alcohol and aqueous sulfuric acid, heating the mixture, reacting the coal-derived heavy-oil fraction with ozone, and reacting the ozonated heavy-oil fraction with glycerin to form the polyol. In some cases, the ozonated heavy-oil fraction can be neutralized before reacting the ozonated heavy-oil fraction with the glycerin.

A process of producing a distillate fuel from lignin includes: preparing a biomass-derived lignin solvent; dissolving the lignin in the biomass-derived solvent; and separating undissolved lignin and mineral matter to produce a syncrude. In certain embodiments, the process further includes subjecting the syncrude to a hydrotreatment/hydrogenation process to produce a distillate fuel. A process to improve direct lignin liquefaction includes: using a non-hydrogenated lipid in a direct lignin liquefaction process to facilitate lignin depolymerization. A process for using a biomass-derived feedstock as a hydrogen donor includes: providing a biomass-derived feedstock; modifying the feedstock to improve its usefulness as a hydrogen donor; and conducting a transfer hydrogenation process using the modified feedstock as a hydrogen donor.

A process of producing a distillate fuel from lignin includes: preparing a biomass-derived lignin solvent; dissolving the lignin in the biomass-derived solvent; and separating undissolved lignin and mineral matter to produce a syncrude. In certain embodiments, the process further includes subjecting the syncrude to a hydrotreatment/hydrogenation process to produce a distillate fuel. A process to improve direct lignin liquefaction includes: using a non-hydrogenated lipid in a direct lignin liquefaction process to facilitate lignin depolymerization. A process for using a biomass-derived feedstock as a hydrogen donor includes: providing a biomass-derived feedstock; modifying the feedstock to improve its usefulness as a hydrogen donor; and conducting a transfer hydrogenation process using the modified feedstock as a hydrogen donor.

Processes herein may be used to thermally crack various hydrocarbon feeds, and may eliminate the refinery altogether while making the crude to chemicals process very flexible in terms of crude. In embodiments herein, crude is progressively separated into at least light and heavy fractions. Depending on the quality of the light and heavy fractions, these are routed to one of three upgrading operations, including a fixed bed hydroconversion unit, a fluidized catalytic conversion unit, or a residue hydrocracking unit that may utilize an ebullated bed reactor. Products from the upgrading operations may be used as feed to a steam cracker.

Processes herein may be used to thermally crack various hydrocarbon feeds, and may eliminate the refinery altogether while making the crude to chemicals process very flexible in terms of crude. In embodiments herein, crude is progressively separated into at least light and heavy fractions. Depending on the quality of the light and heavy fractions, these are routed to one of three upgrading operations, including a fixed bed hydroconversion unit, a fluidized catalytic conversion unit, or a residue hydrocracking unit that may utilize an ebullated bed reactor. Products from the upgrading operations may be used as feed to a steam cracker.

The present application provides systems and methods for producing isononanol and gasoline and diesel blending components. In at least one embodiment of the present systems and methods, a hydrocarbon feed is cracked in a steam cracker to form a first ethylene stream, a first propylene stream, and a C4 stream comprising isobutene and butadiene. The C4 stream is reacted with a methanol stream in a methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) unit to form MTBE and a butadiene-rich C4 stream. The butadiene-rich C4 stream is selectively hydrogenated in a butadiene unit to form a butene-rich C4 stream. The butene-rich C4 stream undergoes a series of reactions in an isononanol unit to produce isononanol and an olefin-rich stream. The olefin-rich stream is then separate, in a separation unit, a C8, C12, and C16 fuel oil streams.

The invention relates to a process configuration for production of light olefins and aromatics from residual hydrocarbon streams. In this configuration a high severity catalytic cracking process is employed for producing higher yields of lighter olefins and various boiling fractions. C4 stream separated from gaseous product is subjected to metathesis and aromatized to form mono aromatics.

A process for hydrodesulfurizing an olefinic naphtha feedstock while retaining a substantial amount of the olefins, which feedstock has a T.sub.95 boiling point below 250° C. and contains at least 50 ppmw of organically bound sulfur and from 5% to 60% olefins, the process including hydrodesulfurizing the feedstock in a sulfur removal stage in the presence of a gas including hydrogen and a hydrodesulfu-rization catalyst, at hydrodesulfurization reaction conditions, to convert at least 60% of the organically bound sulfur to hydrogen sulfide and to produce a desulfurized product stream, with the associated benefit of such a process providing a lower octane loss at all severities above 60% HDS, compared to a process with similar conversion of organic sulfur with a lower gas to oil ratio, as measured by the selectivity slope, while avoiding excessive increase of equipment size by limiting gas to oil ratio.

A process for hydrodesulfurizing an olefinic naphtha feedstock while retaining a substantial amount of the olefins, which feedstock has a T.sub.95 boiling point below 250° C. and contains at least 50 ppmw of organically bound sulfur and from 5% to 60% olefins, the process including hydrodesulfurizing the feedstock in a sulfur removal stage in the presence of a gas including hydrogen and a hydrodesulfu-rization catalyst, at hydrodesulfurization reaction conditions, to convert at least 60% of the organically bound sulfur to hydrogen sulfide and to produce a desulfurized product stream, with the associated benefit of such a process providing a lower octane loss at all severities above 60% HDS, compared to a process with similar conversion of organic sulfur with a lower gas to oil ratio, as measured by the selectivity slope, while avoiding excessive increase of equipment size by limiting gas to oil ratio.

Processes herein may be used to thermally crack various hydrocarbon feeds, and may eliminate the refinery altogether while making the crude to chemicals process very flexible in terms of crude. In embodiments herein, crude is progressively separated into at least light and heavy fractions. Depending on the quality of the light and heavy fractions, these are routed to one of three upgrading operations, including a fixed bed hydroconversion unit, a fluidized catalytic conversion unit, or a residue hydrocracking unit that may utilize an ebullated bed reactor. Products from the upgrading operations may be used as feed to a steam cracker