A process for the refining of crude oil, comprising a separation unit of the crude oil, consisting of at least one atmospheric distillation unit for separating the various fractions, a unit for the conversion of the heavy fractions obtained, a unit for improving the quality of some of the fractions obtained by actions on the chemical composition of their constituents, and units for the removal of undesired components, characterized in that the heaviest fraction, the atmospheric distillation residue, is sent to the conversion unit comprising a hydroconversion reactor in slurry phase or of the ebullated bed type, into which hydrogen or a mixture of hydrogen and S is introduced in the presence of a suitable nanodispersed hydrogenation catalyst.

A process for the refining of crude oil, comprising a separation unit of the crude oil, consisting of at least one atmospheric distillation unit for separating the various fractions, a unit for the conversion of the heavy fractions obtained, a unit for improving the quality of some of the fractions obtained by actions on the chemical composition of their constituents, and units for the removal of undesired components, characterized in that the heaviest fraction, the atmospheric distillation residue, is sent to the conversion unit comprising a hydroconversion reactor in slurry phase or of the ebullated bed type, into which hydrogen or a mixture of hydrogen and S is introduced in the presence of a suitable nanodispersed hydrogenation catalyst.

Process and plant for producing a gasoline product from an oxygenate feed stream comprising the steps of: conducting the oxygenate feed stream to an oxygenate-to-gasoline reactor, suitably a methanol-to-gasoline (MTG) reactor, under the presence of a fixed bed of catalyst active for converting oxygenates in the oxygenate feed stream to a raw gasoline stream comprising C3-C4 paraffins and C5+ hydrocarbons; separating from the raw gasoline stream a gasoline product stream comprising the C5+ hydrocarbons and a stream comprising C3-C4 paraffins; conducting the entire stream comprising C3-C4 paraffins or a portion thereof to an upgrading reactor under the presence of a catalyst active for converting the C3-C4 paraffins into an aromatic stream such as an aromatic stream comprising benzene, toluene and xylene (BTX); and combining the entire aromatic stream or a portion thereof with the oxygenate feed stream.

A process to produce olefinic products suitable for use as or conversion to oilfield hydrocarbons includes separating an olefins-containing Fischer-Tropsch condensate into a light fraction, an intermediate fraction and a heavy fraction, oligomerising at least a portion of the light fraction to produce a first olefinic product which includes branched internal olefins, and carrying out either one or both of the steps of (i) dehydrogenating at least a portion of the intermediate fraction to produce an intermediate product which includes internal olefins and alpha-olefins, and synthesising higher olefins from the intermediate product which includes internal olefins and alpha-olefins to produce a second olefinic product, and (ii) dimerising at least a portion of the intermediate fraction to produce a second olefinic product. At least a portion of the heavy fraction is dehydrogenated to produce a third olefinic product which includes internal olefins. Also provided is a process to produce paraffinic products suitable for use as or conversion to oilfield hydrocarbons which includes separating a Fischer-Tropsch wax into at least a lighter fraction and a heavier fraction, hydrocracking the heavier fraction to provide a cracked intermediate, and separating the cracked intermediate into at least a naphtha fraction, a heavier than naphtha paraffinic distillate fraction suitable for use as or conversion to oilfield hydrocarbons, and a bottoms fraction which is heavier than the paraffinic distillate fraction.

A process to produce olefinic products suitable for use as or conversion to oilfield hydrocarbons includes separating an olefins-containing Fischer-Tropsch condensate into a light fraction, an intermediate fraction and a heavy fraction, oligomerising at least a portion of the light fraction to produce a first olefinic product which includes branched internal olefins, and carrying out either one or both of the steps of (i) dehydrogenating at least a portion of the intermediate fraction to produce an intermediate product which includes internal olefins and alpha-olefins, and synthesising higher olefins from the intermediate product which includes internal olefins and alpha-olefins to produce a second olefinic product, and (ii) dimerising at least a portion of the intermediate fraction to produce a second olefinic product. At least a portion of the heavy fraction is dehydrogenated to produce a third olefinic product which includes internal olefins. Also provided is a process to produce paraffinic products suitable for use as or conversion to oilfield hydrocarbons which includes separating a Fischer-Tropsch wax into at least a lighter fraction and a heavier fraction, hydrocracking the heavier fraction to provide a cracked intermediate, and separating the cracked intermediate into at least a naphtha fraction, a heavier than naphtha paraffinic distillate fraction suitable for use as or conversion to oilfield hydrocarbons, and a bottoms fraction which is heavier than the paraffinic distillate fraction.

A process and apparatus provides alternative hydrotreating reactor trains for hydrotreating a hydrocarbon stream. One hydrotreating reactor train is smaller than the other and the smaller train comes on stream to allow replacement or regeneration of catalyst in the larger train. A sulfide system also sulfides the catalyst volume in the reactor train that is off stream to prepare it for renewed hydroprocessing of feed when back on stream. The process and apparatus can be used to keep hydroprocessing reactors on stream to continuously provide feed to an FCC unit which has a longer period before shut down.

Systems and methods are provided for co-processing of renewable distillate fractions with mineral fractions to produce at least a jet (or kerosene) boiling range product and a diesel boiling range product. A combination of a jet boiling range product fraction and a diesel boiling range product fraction with unexpected properties can be formed by first blending i) a distillate boiling range feed fraction containing a renewable distillate component with ii) a mineral feed fraction (possibly corresponding to a whole or partial crude oil) that includes diesel boiling range compounds to form a blended composition. The blended composition can then be fractionated to form a jet boiling range product fraction and a diesel boiling range product fraction. Optionally, the resulting jet boiling range product fraction and/or diesel boiling range product fraction can be exposed to further processing, such as hydroprocessing or catalytic cracking.

Systems and methods are provided for co-processing of renewable distillate fractions with mineral fractions to produce at least a jet (or kerosene) boiling range product and a diesel boiling range product. A combination of a jet boiling range product fraction and a diesel boiling range product fraction with unexpected properties can be formed by first blending i) a distillate boiling range feed fraction containing a renewable distillate component with ii) a mineral feed fraction (possibly corresponding to a whole or partial crude oil) that includes diesel boiling range compounds to form a blended composition. The blended composition can then be fractionated to form a jet boiling range product fraction and a diesel boiling range product fraction. Optionally, the resulting jet boiling range product fraction and/or diesel boiling range product fraction can be exposed to further processing, such as hydroprocessing or catalytic cracking.

A process for upgrading residuum hydrocarbons and decreasing tendency of the resulting products toward asphaltenic sediment formation in downstream processes is disclosed. The process may include: contacting a residuum hydrocarbon fraction and hydrogen with a hydroconversion catalyst in a hydrocracking reaction zone to convert at least a portion of the residuum hydrocarbon fraction to lighter hydrocarbons; recovering an effluent from the hydrocracking reaction zone; contacting hydrogen and at least a portion of the effluent with a resid hydrotreating catalyst; and separating the effluent to recover two or more hydrocarbon fractions.

A process for upgrading residuum hydrocarbons and decreasing tendency of the resulting products toward asphaltenic sediment formation in downstream processes is disclosed. The process may include: contacting a residuum hydrocarbon fraction and hydrogen with a hydroconversion catalyst in a hydrocracking reaction zone to convert at least a portion of the residuum hydrocarbon fraction to lighter hydrocarbons; recovering an effluent from the hydrocracking reaction zone; contacting hydrogen and at least a portion of the effluent with a resid hydrotreating catalyst; and separating the effluent to recover two or more hydrocarbon fractions.