A method for producing a catalyst or catalyst precursor is described including: applying a slurry of a particulate catalyst compound in a carrier fluid to an additive layer manufactured support structure to form a slurry-impregnated support, and drying and optionally calcining the slurry-impregnated support to form a catalyst or catalyst precursor. The mean particle size (D50) of the particulate catalyst compound in the slurry is in the range 1-50 m and the support structure has a porosity 0.02 ml/g.

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

A process for steam cracking a whole crude including a volatilization step performed to maintain a relatively large hydrocarbon droplet size. The process may include contacting a whole crude with steam to volatilize a portion of the hydrocarbons, wherein the contacting of the hydrocarbon feedstock and steam is conducted at an initial relative velocity of less than 30 m/s, for example. The resulting vapor phase, including volatilized hydrocarbons and steam may then be separated from a liquid phase comprising unvaporized hydrocarbons. The hydrocarbons in the vapor phase may then be forwarded to a steam pyrolysis reactor for steam cracking of the hydrocarbons in the vapor phase.

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.

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.

Embodiments for an integrated hydrotreating and steam pyrolysis process for the processing of crude oil comprising recycling the higher boiling point fraction of the upgraded crude oil to increase the yield of petrochemicals such as olefins and aromatics.

Asphaltene may be effectively broken into smaller molecules by first elucidating the structure of the asphaltene and then developing a catalyst system based on the elucidated structure. The structure may be determined based on a series of analytical techniques including NMR, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, XPS, and LDI. The most probable structure is determined using computational methods based on quantum mechanics and classical molecular dynamics and the catalyst system is developed for the most probable structure.

Asphaltene may be effectively broken into smaller molecules by first elucidating the structure of the asphaltene and then developing a catalyst system based on the elucidated structure. The structure may be determined based on a series of analytical techniques including NMR, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, XPS, and LDI. The most probable structure is determined using computational methods based on quantum mechanics and classical molecular dynamics and the catalyst system is developed for the most probable structure.