The invention relates to a method (100) for the recovery of a separation product which contains predominantly hydrocarbons with two carbon atoms, with the use of a separation feedstock which contains predominantly methane, hydrogen and hydrocarbons with two carbon atoms, wherein the methane content of the separation feedstock is up to 20%, and the separation feedstock is provided in a gaseous state. It is provided that, at a first pressure level, the separation feedstock is partially condensed in a single step by cooling from a first temperature level to a second temperature level, thereby obtaining precisely one first liquid fraction and precisely one first gaseous fraction; at least one part of the first gaseous fraction is partially condensed in a single step through further cooling from the second temperature level to a third temperature level, thereby obtaining precisely one second liquid fraction and precisely one second gaseous fraction; at least one part of the second gaseous fraction at the second pressure level is subjected to a contraflow absorption in the contraflow to an absorption liquid containing predominantly methane, thereby obtaining precisely one third liquid fraction and precisely one third gaseous fraction; the first, the second and the third liquid fraction are at least partially combined and, at least partially, at a second pressure level above the first pressure level, subjected to a low-temperature rectification, thereby obtaining a sump liquid and an overhead gas; at least one part of the overhead gas at the second pressure level is partially condensed in a single step through further cooling from the second temperature level to the third temperature level, thereby obtaining a fourth liquid fraction and a fourth gaseous fraction; and the absorption liquid containing predominantly methane is formed through further cooling of at least a part of the fourth gaseous fraction to a fourth temperature level. A corresponding plant also forms the subject matter of the invention.

Relatively low value disulfide oil (DSO) compounds produced as by-products of the mercaptan oxidation (MEROX) processing of refinery hydrocarbon streams, and oxidized disulfide oils (ODSO), are economically converted to value-added light olefins by introducing the DSO and/or ODSO compounds as the feed to a fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) unit and recovering the light olefins, namely, ethylene and propylene, and in some embodiments a minor amount of butylenes which is then recovered and introduced as the feedstream to a metathesis process for the production and recovery of propylene.

Relatively low value disulfide oil (DSO) compounds produced as by-products of the mercaptan oxidation (MEROX) processing of refinery hydrocarbon streams, and oxidized disulfide oils (ODSO), are economically converted to value-added light olefins by introducing the DSO and/or ODSO compounds as the feed to a fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) unit and recovering the light olefins, namely, ethylene and propylene, and in some embodiments a minor amount of butylenes which is then recovered and introduced as the feedstream to a metathesis process for the production and recovery of propylene.

Processes for producing olefins include passing a hydrocarbon feed to a hydrocarbon cracking unit that cracks the hydrocarbon feed to produce a cracker effluent, passing the cracker effluent to a cracker effluent separation system that separates the cracker effluent to produce at least a cracking C4 effluent including 1-butene, 1,3-butadiene, and isobutene, passing the cracking C4 effluent to an SHIU that contacts the cracking C4 effluent with hydrogen in the presence of a selective hydrogenation catalyst to produce a hydrogenation effluent having a 2-butenes concentration greater than or equal to the sum of the concentrations of 1-butene and isobutene. The processes include passing the hydrogenation effluent to a metathesis unit that contacts the hydrogenation effluent with a metathesis catalyst and a cracking catalyst downstream of the metathesis catalyst to produce a metathesis reaction effluent comprising at least propene.

Processes for producing olefins include passing a hydrocarbon feed to a hydrocarbon cracking unit that cracks the hydrocarbon feed to produce a cracker effluent, passing the cracker effluent to a cracker effluent separation system that separates the cracker effluent to produce at least a cracking C4 effluent including 1-butene, 1,3-butadiene, and isobutene, passing the cracking C4 effluent to an SHIU that contacts the cracking C4 effluent with hydrogen in the presence of a selective hydrogenation catalyst to produce a hydrogenation effluent having a 2-butenes concentration greater than or equal to the sum of the concentrations of 1-butene and isobutene. The processes include passing the hydrogenation effluent to a metathesis unit that contacts the hydrogenation effluent with a metathesis catalyst and a cracking catalyst downstream of the metathesis catalyst to produce a metathesis reaction effluent comprising at least propene.

A process and related system for producing para-xylene (PX). In an embodiment, the process includes (a) separating a feed stream comprising C.sub.6+ aromatic hydrocarbons into a toluene containing stream and a C.sub.8+ hydrocarbon containing stream and (b) contacting at least part of the toluene containing stream with a methylating agent in a methylation unit to convert toluene to xylenes and produce a methylated effluent stream. In addition, the process includes (c) recovering PX from the methylated effluent stream in (b) to produce a PX depleted stream and (d) transalkylating the PX depleted stream to produce a transalkylation effluent stream. The transalkylation effluent stream includes a higher concentration of toluene than the PX depleted stream. Further, the process includes (e) converting at least some ethylbenzene (EB) within the C.sub.8+ hydrocarbon containing stream into toluene and (f) flowing the toluene converted in (e) to the contacting in (b).

A process and related system for producing para-xylene (PX). In an embodiment, the process includes (a) separating a feed stream comprising C.sub.6+ aromatic hydrocarbons into a toluene containing stream and a C.sub.8+ hydrocarbon containing stream and (b) contacting at least part of the toluene containing stream with a methylating agent in a methylation unit to convert toluene to xylenes and produce a methylated effluent stream. In addition, the process includes (c) recovering PX from the methylated effluent stream in (b) to produce a PX depleted stream and (d) transalkylating the PX depleted stream to produce a transalkylation effluent stream. The transalkylation effluent stream includes a higher concentration of toluene than the PX depleted stream. Further, the process includes (e) converting at least some ethylbenzene (EB) within the C.sub.8+ hydrocarbon containing stream into toluene and (f) flowing the toluene converted in (e) to the contacting in (b).

Relatively low value disulfide oil (DSO) compounds produced as by-products of the mercaptan oxidation (MEROX) processing of refinery hydrocarbon streams, and oxidized disulfide oils (ODSO), are economically converted to value-added light olefins by introducing the DSO and/or ODSO compounds as the feed to a fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) unit and recovering the light olefins, namely, ethylene and propylene, and in some embodiments a minor amount of butylenes which is then recovered and introduced as the feedstream to a metathesis process for the production and recovery of propylene.

Relatively low value disulfide oil (DSO) compounds produced as by-products of the mercaptan oxidation (MEROX) processing of refinery hydrocarbon streams, and oxidized disulfide oils (ODSO), are economically converted to value-added light olefins by introducing the DSO and/or ODSO compounds as the feed to a fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) unit and recovering the light olefins, namely, ethylene and propylene, and in some embodiments a minor amount of butylenes which is then recovered and introduced as the feedstream to a metathesis process for the production and recovery of propylene.

Disclosed herein are processes for producing neopentane. The processes generally relate to demethylating diisobutylene to produce neopentane. The diisobutylene may be provided by the dimerization of isobutylene.