An integrated refinery process for removing mercaptans from a hydrocarbon stream containing mercaptans and converting by-product disulfide oil to useful products. The process includes introducing the hydrocarbon stream containing mercaptans into an extraction vessel containing an alkaline solution and passing the hydrocarbon stream through an extraction section of the extraction vessel which includes one or more liquid-liquid contacting decks for reaction to convert the mercaptans to alkali metal alkanethiolates. Further, the process includes withdrawing a hydrocarbon product stream free of mercaptans from the extraction vessel and recovering spent caustic containing alkali metal alkanethiolates from the extraction vessel. Additionally, the process includes subjecting the spent caustic containing alkali metal alkanethiolates to air oxidation to produce a by-product stream containing disulfide oils (DSO) and sulfides and processing the by-product stream in a steam cracking unit to produce a DSO free product stream.

A process and apparatus is disclosed for recovering hydrotreating effluent from a hydrotreating unit utilizing a hot stripper and a cold stripper. Only the hot hydrotreating effluent is heated in a fired heater prior to product fractionation, resulting in substantial operating and capital savings. The cold stripped stream from the cold stripper bottoms line may be passed directly to a diesel pool when VGO is hydrotreated in the hydrotreating reactor bypassing the product fractionation column.

In a hydrocracking process, the product from the first stage reactor passes through a steam stripper to remove hydrogen, H.sub.2S, NH.sub.3, light gases (C.sub.1-C.sub.4), naphtha and diesel products. The stripper bottoms are separated from hydrogen, H.sub.2S, NH.sub.3, light gases (C.sub.1-C.sub.4), naphtha, and diesel products and treated in a second stage reactor. The effluent stream from the second stage reactor, along with the stream of separated hydrogen, H.sub.2S, NH.sub.3, light gases (C.sub.1-C.sub.4), naphtha, and diesel products, are passed to a separation stage for separating petroleum fractions. Preferably, the effluent stream from the first stage reactor is passed through a steam generator prior to the steam stripping step. In an alternate embodiment, the effluent stream from the first stage reactor is passed through a vapor/liquid separator stripper vessel prior to the steam stripping step.

Ionic liquid containing compositions may be used in the production, recovery and refining of oil and gas. In addition, they may be used to treat cooling water and/or to inhibit and/or prevent corrosion of metals.

A highly efficient method for the conversion of a natural product into the high density fuel RJ-4 with concomitant evolution of isobutylene for conversion to fuels and polymers, more specifically, embodiments of the invention relate to efficient methods for the conversion of the renewable, linear terpene alcohol, linalool into a drop-in, high density fuel suitable for ramjet or missile propulsion.

Methods for the thermal olefination of a methane feedstream involving the thermal cracking of the methane feedstream at selected temperatures and pressures in the absence of a catalyst, steam or added oxygen. The methane feedstream contains greater than 85 wt % methane, and the thermal cracking produces an effluent stream containing greater than 20 wt % ethylene. Thermal cracking is optionally performed at less than 1,100° C., and in some embodiments at 850-900° C. The methane feedstream optionally contains greater than 95 wt % methane and produces an effluent stream containing greater than 30 wt % olefins. Methane in the effluent stream may be recycled to the methane feedstream.

Embodiments include a method for converting renewable energy source electricity and a hydrocarbon feedstock into a liquid fuel by providing a source of renewable electrical energy in communication with a synthesis gas generation unit and an air separation unit. Oxygen from the air separation unit and a hydrocarbon feedstock is provided to the synthesis gas generation unit, thereby causing partial oxidation reactions in the synthesis gas generation unit in a process that converts the hydrocarbon feedstock into synthesis gas. The synthesis gas is then converted into a liquid fuel.

The present invention relates to a composition comprising lignin and a solvent where the lignin is functionalized with an ether group.

Treatment of hydrocarbon streams, and in one non-limiting embodiment refinery distillates, with high pH aqueous reducing agents, such as borohydride, results in reduction of the sulfur compounds such as disulfides, mercaptans and thioethers that are present to give easily removed sulfides. The treatment converts the original sulfur compounds into hydrogen sulfide or low molecular weight mercaptans that can be extracted from the distillate with caustic solutions, hydrogen sulfide or mercaptan scavengers, solid absorbents such as clay or activated carbon or liquid absorbents such as amine-aldehyde condensates and/or aqueous aldehydes.

The present invention relates to a process for producing mixture of fuel components, which process comprises providing a feed of biological origin; subjecting said feed of biological origin and a hydrogen gas feed to a single step of hydroprocessing in the presence of a catalyst system comprising dewaxing catalyst to form a mixture of fuel components. The present invention relates also to an apparatus for producing a mixture of fuel components from a feed of biological origin. The invention relates also to the use of the fuel components.