An ebullated bed hydroprocessing system is upgraded and operated at modified conditions using a dual catalyst system to produce less fouling sediment. The less fouling sediment produced by the upgraded ebullated bed reactor reduces the rate of equipment fouling at any given sediment production rate and/or concentration compared to the sediment produced by the ebullated bed reactor prior to upgrading. In some cases, sediment production rate and/or concentration are maintained or increased, after upgrading the ebullated bed reactor, while equipment fouling is reduced. In other cases, sediment production rate and/or concentration are increased, after upgrading the ebullated bed reactor, without increasing equipment fouling. In some cases, sediment production rate and/or concentration are decreased by a given percentage, after upgrading the ebullated bed reactor, and the rate of equipment fouling is decreased by a substantially greater percentage.

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 disclosure relates to a process to perform a catalytic cracking reaction of hydrocarbons having at least four carbons, said process comprising the steps of providing a fluidized bed reactor comprising at least two electrodes and a bed comprising particles, wherein the particles are put in a fluidized state to obtain a fluidized bed; heating said bed to a temperature between 500° C. and 850° C. by passing an electric current through the fluidized bed to conduct the reaction. The process is remarkable in that the particles of the bed comprise electrically conductive particles and particles of a catalytic composition, wherein at least 10 wt. % of the particles are electrically conductive particles and have a resistivity from 0.001 to 500 Ohm.cm at 500° C. and in that the step of heating the fluidized bed is performed by passing an electric current through the fluidized bed.

The disclosure relates to a process to perform a catalytic cracking reaction of hydrocarbons having at least four carbons, said process comprising the steps of providing a fluidized bed reactor comprising at least two electrodes and a bed comprising particles, wherein the particles are put in a fluidized state to obtain a fluidized bed; heating said bed to a temperature between 500° C. and 850° C. by passing an electric current through the fluidized bed to conduct the reaction. The process is remarkable in that the particles of the bed comprise electrically conductive particles and particles of a catalytic composition, wherein at least 10 wt. % of the particles are electrically conductive particles and have a resistivity from 0.001 to 500 Ohm.cm at 500° C. and in that the step of heating the fluidized bed is performed by passing an electric current through the fluidized bed.

According to one more embodiments, presently disclosed are processes for producing petrochemical products from a hydrocarbon material. The process may include separating the hydrocarbon material into at least a lesser boiling point fraction and a greater boiling point fraction, combining steam with the greater boiling point fraction upstream of the cracking of the greater boiling point fraction, cracking at least a portion of the greater boiling point fraction in the presence of a first catalyst to produce a first cracking reaction product, combining steam with the lesser boiling point fraction upstream of the cracking of the lesser boiling point fraction, cracking at least a portion of the lesser boiling point fraction in the presence of a second catalyst to produce a second cracking reaction product, and separating the petrochemical products from one or both of the first cracking reaction product or the second cracking reaction product.

According to one more embodiments, presently disclosed are processes for producing petrochemical products from a hydrocarbon material. The process may include separating the hydrocarbon material into at least a lesser boiling point fraction and a greater boiling point fraction, combining steam with the greater boiling point fraction upstream of the cracking of the greater boiling point fraction, cracking at least a portion of the greater boiling point fraction in the presence of a first catalyst to produce a first cracking reaction product, combining steam with the lesser boiling point fraction upstream of the cracking of the lesser boiling point fraction, cracking at least a portion of the lesser boiling point fraction in the presence of a second catalyst to produce a second cracking reaction product, and separating the petrochemical products from one or both of the first cracking reaction product or the second cracking reaction product.

An ebullated bed hydroprocessing system is upgraded and operated at modified conditions using a dual catalyst system to produce less fouling sediment. The less fouling sediment produced by the upgraded ebullated bed reactor reduces the rate of equipment fouling at any given sediment production rate and/or concentration compared to the sediment produced by the ebullated bed reactor prior to upgrading. In some cases, sediment production rate and/or concentration are maintained or increased, after upgrading the ebullated bed reactor, while equipment fouling is reduced. In other cases, sediment production rate and/or concentration are increased, after upgrading the ebullated bed reactor, without increasing equipment fouling. In some cases, sediment production rate and/or concentration are decreased by a given percentage, after upgrading the ebullated bed reactor, and the rate of equipment fouling is decreased by a substantially greater percentage.

Systems and methods are provided for co-processing of biomass oil in a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) system that include recovering an additional source of H.sub.2 or synthesis gas from the overhead product gas stream. The additional H.sub.2 can be used to partially hydrogenate biomass oil prior to co-processing the biomass oil in the fluid catalytic cracking system. Additionally or alternately, the additional synthesis gas can represent an additional yield of products from the process, such as an additional yield that can be used for synthesis of further liquid products.

Systems and methods are provided for co-processing of biomass oil in a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) system that include recovering an additional source of H.sub.2 or synthesis gas from the overhead product gas stream. The additional H.sub.2 can be used to partially hydrogenate biomass oil prior to co-processing the biomass oil in the fluid catalytic cracking system. Additionally or alternately, the additional synthesis gas can represent an additional yield of products from the process, such as an additional yield that can be used for synthesis of further liquid products.