A method of upgrading a petroleum feedstock, the method comprising the steps of introducing a disulfide oil, a water feed, and a petroleum feedstock to a supercritical water upgrading unit, and operating the supercritical water upgrading unit to produce a product gas stream, a product oil stream, and a used water stream.

A method of upgrading a petroleum feedstock, the method comprising the steps of introducing a disulfide oil, a water feed, and a petroleum feedstock to a supercritical water upgrading unit, and operating the supercritical water upgrading unit to produce a product gas stream, a product oil stream, and a used water stream.

We disclose a process for purification of hydrocarbons, suitable for a wide range of contexts such as refining bunker fuels to yield low-sulphur fuels, cleaning of waste engine oil (etc) to yield a usable hydrocarbon product, recovery of hydrocarbons from used tyres, recovery of hydrocarbons from thermoplastics etc, as well as the treatment of crude oils, shale oils, and the tailings remaining after fractionation and like processes. The method comprises the steps of heating the hydrocarbon thereby to release a gas phase, contacting the gas with an aqueous persulphate electrolyte within a reaction chamber, and condensing the gas to a liquid or a liquid/gas mixture and removing its aqueous component. It also comprises subjecting the reaction product to an electrical field generated by at least two opposing electrode plates between which the reaction product flows; this electrolytic step regenerates the persulphate electrolyte which can be recirculated within the process. The process is ideally applied in an environment at lower than atmospheric pressure, such as less than 1500 Pa. A wide range of hydrocarbons can be treated in this way. Used hydrocarbons such as engine oils and sulphur-contaminated fuels are prime examples, but there are a wide range of others such as hydrocarbons derived from the pyrolysis of a material having a hydrocarbon content. One such example is a mix of used rubber (such as end-of-life tyres) and used oils (such as engine oils, waste marine oils), which can be pyrolysed together to yield a hydrocarbon liquid which can be treated as above, and a residue that provides a useful solid fuel.

A process for upgrading a pyrolysis oil comprising treating the pyrolysis oil with an upgrading solution to provide a mixture comprising an extract phase and a raffinate phase, wherein the upgrading solution comprises a polar organic solvent, and wherein the pyrolysis oil is a derived from the pyrolysis of plastic or rubber, or a combination thereof, and an upgraded pyrolysis oil prepared by said process.

A process for upgrading a pyrolysis oil comprising treating the pyrolysis oil with an upgrading solution to provide a mixture comprising an extract phase and a raffinate phase, wherein the upgrading solution comprises a polar organic solvent, and wherein the pyrolysis oil is a derived from the pyrolysis of plastic or rubber, or a combination thereof, and an upgraded pyrolysis oil prepared by said process.

Systems and methods for producing one or more olefins using waste plastics and used lubricating oil are disclosed. Mixed waste plastic is processed in a pyrolysis unit to produce plastic derived oil. The plastic derived oil is subsequently blended with used lubricating oil to form a mixture. The mixture is then separated into (1) a light-end stream comprising C1 to C8 hydrocarbons and (2) a heavy hydrocarbon feed stream. The heavy hydrocarbon feed stream is then processed to produce a steam cracking feedstock stream. The light end-stream and/or the steam cracking feedstock stream are then flowed into a cracking unit to produce one or more olefins.

Systems and methods for producing one or more olefins using waste plastics and used lubricating oil are disclosed. Mixed waste plastic is processed in a pyrolysis unit to produce plastic derived oil. The plastic derived oil is subsequently blended with used lubricating oil to form a mixture. The mixture is then separated into (1) a light-end stream comprising C1 to C8 hydrocarbons and (2) a heavy hydrocarbon feed stream. The heavy hydrocarbon feed stream is then processed to produce a steam cracking feedstock stream. The light end-stream and/or the steam cracking feedstock stream are then flowed into a cracking unit to produce one or more olefins.

Corrosion inhibitor compositions and methods for inhibiting corrosion on a metal surface exposed to a hydrocarbon fluid are provided. The corrosion inhibitor composition can comprise 2-aminoterephthalic acid, dimethyl sulfoxide and heavy aromatic naphtha (HAN). In another embodiment, the composition can comprise 4-methylamino benzoic acid or 4-methylsulfonyl benzoic acid, N-methyl pyrrolidone, and HAN. In the method, a corrosion inhibitor composition comprising 2-aminoterephthalic acid, 4-methylamino benzoic acid, or 4-methylsulfonyl benzoic acid can be added to a hydrocarbon fluid exposed to the metal surface. The corrosion can be caused by naphthenic acid.

Improved catalytic reforming processes and systems employ reforming reactors in a more efficient manner and can avoid problems associated with yield loss. Aromatics and isoparaffins are separated prior to passing to a reforming unit. An integrated process for producing gasoline blending components includes: separating a naphtha feedstream into an aromatic-rich stream and an aromatic-lean stream; separating the aromatic-lean stream into an isoparaffin-rich stream and an isoparaffin-lean stream; and catalytically reforming the isoparaffin-lean stream to produce a reformate stream.

Improved catalytic reforming processes and systems employ reforming reactors in a more efficient manner and can avoid problems associated with yield loss. Aromatics and isoparaffins are separated prior to passing to a reforming unit. An integrated process for producing gasoline blending components includes: separating a naphtha feedstream into an aromatic-rich stream and an aromatic-lean stream; separating the aromatic-lean stream into an isoparaffin-rich stream and an isoparaffin-lean stream; and catalytically reforming the isoparaffin-lean stream to produce a reformate stream.