Methods for making higher-octane fuel components from a feed stream of C8+ paraffins, including catalytically cracking the C8+ paraffins using a Zeolite catalyst to produce a reaction product of mid-chain paraffins and olefins and short-chain paraffins and olefins. The reaction product comprises liquid phase paraffins having an increased Octane Value over the feed stream paraffins. The reaction product further comprises a gas phase of short-chain paraffins which are separated from the liquid phase. In embodiments, the short chain olefins are hydrogenated to form mid-chain paraffins and a gas phase containing short-chain paraffins.

Methods for making higher-octane fuel components from a feed stream of C8+ paraffins, including catalytically cracking the C8+ paraffins using a Zeolite catalyst to produce a reaction product of mid-chain paraffins and olefins and short-chain paraffins and olefins. The reaction product comprises liquid phase paraffins having an increased Octane Value over the feed stream paraffins. The reaction product further comprises a gas phase of short-chain paraffins which are separated from the liquid phase. In embodiments, the short chain olefins are hydrogenated to form mid-chain paraffins and a gas phase containing short-chain paraffins.

A novel process/system for flexibly producing chemicals and fuels from a petroleum feed such as crude comprise a flashing drum, a first cracker (e.g., a fluidized bed pyrolysis cracker or an oxidative cracker), and an olefin-to-gasoline reaction zone. The process/system can also include a steam cracker and a hydrotreater. The process/system can convert crude oil into hydrogen, C2-C4 olefins, gas oil and distillates with various amounts by adjusting the cut point of the bottoms effluent exiting the flashing drum.

A novel process/system for flexibly producing chemicals and fuels from a petroleum feed such as crude comprise a flashing drum, a first cracker (e.g., a fluidized bed pyrolysis cracker or an oxidative cracker), and an olefin-to-gasoline reaction zone. The process/system can also include a steam cracker and a hydrotreater. The process/system can convert crude oil into hydrogen, C2-C4 olefins, gas oil and distillates with various amounts by adjusting the cut point of the bottoms effluent exiting the flashing drum.

Process scheme configurations are disclosed that enable deep hydrogenation of middle distillates. The hydrogenated middle distillates are processed in a steam cracker for conversion into light olefins. Feeds to the deep hydrogenation zone include diesel range streams from a diesel hydrotreating zone, a gas oil hydroprocessing zone, and/or a vacuum residue hydrocracking zone. The deep hydrogenation zone operates under conditions effective to reduce aromatic content in a diesel range feedstream from a range of about 10-40 wt % or greater, to a hydrogenated distillate range intermediate product having an aromatic content of less than about 5-0.5 wt %.

Process scheme configurations are disclosed that enable deep hydrogenation of middle distillates. The hydrogenated middle distillates are processed in a steam cracker for conversion into light olefins. Feeds to the deep hydrogenation zone include diesel range streams from a diesel hydrotreating zone, a gas oil hydroprocessing zone, and/or a vacuum residue hydrocracking zone. The deep hydrogenation zone operates under conditions effective to reduce aromatic content in a diesel range feedstream from a range of about 10-40 wt % or greater, to a hydrogenated distillate range intermediate product having an aromatic content of less than about 5-0.5 wt %.

A process for treatment of PFO from a steam cracking zone includes selectively hydrogenating PFO or a portion thereof for conversion of polyaromatics compounds contained in the PFO into aromatic compounds with one benzene ring to produce a selectively hydrogenated stream. The selectively hydrogenated stream is reacted in the absence of added hydrogen for selective ring opening and dealkylation to produce a dealkylated BTX+ stream. In addition, a naphtha reformer is integrated, so that the dealkylated BTX+ stream and a reformate stream are separated into BTX compounds. Optionally the PFO is separated into a first stream containing C9+ aromatics compounds with one benzene ring, and a second stream containing C10+ aromatic compounds, whereby the first stream containing C9+ aromatics compounds with one benzene ring is passed to the ring opening step, and the feed to the selective hydrogenation step comprises all or a portion of the second stream containing C10+ aromatic compounds.

A feedstock is processed in an FCC unit to produce at least light olefins, FCC naphtha, light cycle oil and heavy cycle oil. Light cycle oil, and in certain embodiments hydrotreated light cycle oil, is subjected to deep hydrogenation to produce a deeply hydrogenated middle distillate fraction. All or a portion of the deeply hydrogenated middle distillate fraction is used as feed to the stream cracking zone to produce light olefins.

Systems and methods are provided for refining crude oils and/or other broad boiling range feedstocks to form fuels. A flash separation can be used to separate the feed into a lower boiling fraction and a higher boiling fraction. After the flash separation, the higher boiling portion is passed into a pyrolysis reactor for conversion of higher boiling compounds and formation of light olefins. The lower boiling fraction can be combined with the resulting pyrolysis effluent as a quench stream. The combined, partially pyrolyzed stream can then be passed into an olefin oligomerization process to convert the olefins formed during pyrolysis into naphtha and/or diesel boiling range compounds. After the olefin oligomerization process, one or more separations can be performed to generate various fractions, including but not limited to a naphtha fraction, a distillate fuel fraction, a fuel oil fraction, a light hydrocarbon recycle stream, and a CO.sub.2-containing stream. Optionally, the naphtha fraction, the distillate fraction, and/or the fuel oil fraction can be hydrotreated.

Systems and methods are provided for refining crude oils and/or other broad boiling range feedstocks to form fuels. A flash separation can be used to separate the feed into a lower boiling fraction and a higher boiling fraction. After the flash separation, the higher boiling portion is passed into a pyrolysis reactor for conversion of higher boiling compounds and formation of light olefins. The lower boiling fraction can be combined with the resulting pyrolysis effluent as a quench stream. The combined, partially pyrolyzed stream can then be passed into an olefin oligomerization process to convert the olefins formed during pyrolysis into naphtha and/or diesel boiling range compounds. After the olefin oligomerization process, one or more separations can be performed to generate various fractions, including but not limited to a naphtha fraction, a distillate fuel fraction, a fuel oil fraction, a light hydrocarbon recycle stream, and a CO.sub.2-containing stream. Optionally, the naphtha fraction, the distillate fraction, and/or the fuel oil fraction can be hydrotreated.