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.

Subject of the invention is a process for producing a biofuel from fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) obtained by transesterification of vegetable oils, comprising the steps of (a) ethenolysis of the fatty acid methyl esters in the presence of ethylene and an ethenolysis catalyst, and (b) isomerizing metathesis in the presence of an isomerization catalyst and a metathesis catalyst.

The invention also relates to biofuels obtainable by the inventive process and to uses of ethylene for adjusting and optimizing biofuels.

Process embodiments for producing high grade coke and fuel grade coke from residual oil comprises: introducing the residual oil and a first paraffinic solvent having a carbon number C.sub.n to a first solvent deasphalting unit to produce a high quality deasphalted oil (HQDAO) fraction and a first asphalt fraction; passing the HQDAO fraction to a delayed coker to produce green coke; passing at least a portion of the first asphalt fraction and a second paraffinic solvent carbon number of C.sub.n+1 to a second solvent deasphalting unit to produce a low quality deasphalted oil (LQDAO) fraction and a second asphalt fraction; and passing the LQDAO fraction to the delayed coker to produce the fuel grade coke.

Systems and methods of producing a solid fuel composition are disclosed. In particular, systems and methods for producing a solid fuel composition by heating and mixing a solid waste mixture to a maximum temperature sufficient to melt the mixed plastics within the solid waste mixture is disclosed.

Membrane-based method of washing and deacidification of oils, wherein a stream of oil is conveyed from an oil reservoir along one side of porous hydrophobic membrane, and washing aqueous solution is conveyed along another side of this membrane. The membranes form hollow fibers, and their total surface area and porosity are large enough for efficient removal of fatty acids, water, ions and hydrophilic organic impurities from oil. Membrane pore size is small enough, so that hydrodynamic mixing of oil and aqueous solution does not take place. Additional stabilization of oil/water meniscus in the pores is achieved by transmembrane pressure difference.

The present invention is provided with a step for preheating coal, a step for heating an extraction solvent, a step for mixing the preheated coal and the extraction solvent heated to a higher temperature than the preheated coal and thereby heating the coal, a step for separating a solution in which a coal component is dissolved from the mixture of the coal and the extraction solvent, and a step for evaporating and separating the extraction solvent from the solution.

There is described a process and an apparatus for purifying a mixture and related products. In particular, there is described a process and an apparatus for purifying a mixture comprising fats, oils and greases as are typically found in sewer waste. The process involves heating, acidifying and separating the mixture. The apparatus used includes a heating and separation device for separating into a solid fraction, an organic liquid fraction and an aqueous liquid fraction. Apparatus such as a three phase separation unit and a rotary vacuum filter may also be used.

A process for production of biofuels from algae can include cultivating an oil-producing algae by promoting sequential photoautotrophic and heterotrophic growth. The method can further include producing oil by heterotrophic growth of algae wherein the heterotrophic algae growth is achieved by introducing a sugar feed to the oil-producing algae. An algal oil can be extracted from the oil-producing algae, and can be converted to form biodiesel.

Methods are provided to prepare a low sulfur fuel from hydrocarbon sources, such as light tight oil and high sulfur fuel oil, often less desired by conventional refiners, who split crude into a wide range of differing products and may prefer presence of wide ranges (C3 or C5 to C20 or higher) of hydrocarbons. These fuels can be produced by separating feeds into untreated and treated streams, and then recombining them. Such fuels can also be formulated by combinations of light, middle and heavy range constituents in a selected manner as claimed. Not only low in sulfur, the fuels of this invention are also low in nitrogen and essentially metals free. Fuel use applications include on-board large marine transport vessels but also on-shore for large land based combustion gas turbines, boilers, fired heaters and transport vehicles and trains.

Methods are provided to prepare a low sulfur fuel from hydrocarbon sources, such as light tight oil and high sulfur fuel oil, often less desired by conventional refiners, who split crude into a wide range of differing products and may prefer presence of wide ranges (C3 or C5 to C20 or higher) of hydrocarbons. These fuels can be produced by separating feeds into untreated and treated streams, and then recombining them. Such fuels can also be formulated by combinations of light, middle and heavy range constituents in a selected manner as claimed. Not only low in sulfur, the fuels of this invention are also low in nitrogen and essentially metals free. Fuel use applications include on-board large marine transport vessels but also on-shore for large land based combustion gas turbines, boilers, fired heaters and transport vehicles and trains.