A method of producing a fuel additive includes passing a feed stream comprising C4 hydrocarbons through a butadiene extraction unit producing a first process stream; passing the first process stream through a methyl tertiary butyl ether unit producing a second process stream and a methyl tertiary butyl ether product; passing the second process stream through a hydration unit producing the fuel additive and a recycle stream; passing the recycle stream through a hydrogenation unit; and recycling the recycle stream to a steam cracker unit and/or to the feed stream

A method of producing a fuel additive includes passing a feed stream comprising C4 hydrocarbons through a butadiene extraction unit producing a first process stream; passing the first process stream through a methyl tertiary butyl ether unit producing a second process stream and a methyl tertiary butyl ether product; passing the second process stream through a hydration unit producing the fuel additive and a recycle stream; passing the recycle stream through a hydrogenation unit; and recycling the recycle stream to a steam cracker unit and/or to the feed stream

A process for producing an isomerized product comprises sending a feed stream comprising butanes, hydrogen and an organic chloride to a butane isomerization reactor containing an isomerization catalyst to convert a portion of normal butanes in said feed stream to iso-butanes in an isomerized stream. The isomerized stream to a stabilizer column to produce a butane stream containing normal, iso-butanes and C5 hydrocarbons; the butane stream is sent to a column to produce an isomerized upper stream and a bottoms stream comprising a mixture of butanes, C5 hydrocarbons and organic chloride. The bottoms stream is sent to an organic chloride decomposition reactor to produce a mixture of HCl, hydrogen and hydrocarbons.

Paraffin isomerization catalyst comprising of from 0.01 to 5 wt. % of a Group VIII noble metal on a carrier containing alumina and zeolite beta having a silica to alumina molar ratio (SAR) of from 5 to 15 and process employing such catalyst for isomerization of a hydrocarbon feed containing paraffins having of from 4 to 8 carbon atoms.

A process for producing an isomerized product comprises sending a feed stream comprising butanes, hydrogen and an organic chloride to a butane isomerization reactor containing an isomerization catalyst to convert a portion of normal butanes in said feed stream to iso-butanes in an isomerized stream. The isomerized stream to a stabilizer column to produce a butane stream containing normal, iso-butanes and C5 hydrocarbons; the butane stream is sent to a column to produce an isomerized upper stream and a bottoms stream comprising a mixture of butanes, C5 hydrocarbons and organic chloride. The bottoms stream is sent to an organic chloride decomposition reactor to produce a mixture of HCl, hydrogen and hydrocarbons.

A process for upgrading a hydrocarbon feed includes contacting the hydrocarbon feed with hydrogen in the presence of a ring opening catalyst in a naphthene conversion unit, the contacting causing naphthenes in the hydrocarbon feed to react to produce a converted effluent comprising isoparaffins and normal paraffins. The process includes separating the converted effluent in a paraffin separation system to produce an isoparaffin-rich stream and an n-paraffin-rich stream. The process includes contacting the isoparaffin-rich stream with hydrogen in the presence of an isomerization catalyst in a reverse isomerization unit, the contacting causing isomerization to produce an isomerate comprising an equilibrium mixture of normal paraffins and isoparaffins. The process include separating the isomerate in the paraffin separation system to produce the isoparaffin-rich stream and the n-paraffin-rich stream, and passing the n-paraffin-rich stream to a steam cracker to produce a cracker effluent comprising olefins.

A process for upgrading a hydrocarbon feed includes contacting the hydrocarbon feed with hydrogen in the presence of a ring opening catalyst in a naphthene conversion unit, the contacting causing naphthenes in the hydrocarbon feed to react to produce a converted effluent comprising isoparaffins and normal paraffins. The process includes separating the converted effluent in a paraffin separation system to produce an isoparaffin-rich stream and an n-paraffin-rich stream. The process includes contacting the isoparaffin-rich stream with hydrogen in the presence of an isomerization catalyst in a reverse isomerization unit, the contacting causing isomerization to produce an isomerate comprising an equilibrium mixture of normal paraffins and isoparaffins. The process include separating the isomerate in the paraffin separation system to produce the isoparaffin-rich stream and the n-paraffin-rich stream, and passing the n-paraffin-rich stream to a steam cracker to produce a cracker effluent comprising olefins.

Paraffin isomerization catalyst comprising of from 0.01 to 5 wt. % of a Group VIII noble metal on a carrier containing alumina and zeolite beta having a silica to alumina molar ratio (SAR) of from 5 to 15 and process employing such catalyst for isomerization of a hydrocarbon feed containing paraffins having of from 4 to 8 carbon atoms.

A process for upgrading a hydrocarbon feed includes contacting the hydrocarbon feed with hydrogen in the presence of a ring opening catalyst in a naphthene conversion unit, the contacting causing naphthenes in the hydrocarbon feed to react to produce a converted effluent comprising isoparaffins and normal paraffins. The process includes separating the converted effluent in a paraffin separation system to produce an isoparaffin-rich stream and an n-paraffin-rich stream. The process includes contacting the isoparaffin-rich stream with hydrogen in the presence of an isomerization catalyst in a reverse isomerization unit, the contacting causing isomerization to produce an isomerate comprising an equilibrium mixture of normal paraffins and isoparaffins. The process include separating the isomerate in the paraffin separation system to produce the isoparaffin-rich stream and the n-paraffin-rich stream, and passing the n-paraffin-rich stream to a steam cracker to produce a cracker effluent comprising olefins.