An olefin or a slack wax of 10 to 100 carbon atoms is oxidized by mixing said wax with a salt of an alkaline earth metal in an amount to provide 0.001 to 0.03 weight percent of the alkaline earth metal, the anion of the salt comprising 4 to 36 carbon atoms; heating the mixture to 100 to 180° C.; and supplying to the heated mixture a molecular oxygen-containing gas. The oxidation is conducted in the substantial absence of manganese or cobalt compounds. The oxidized wax may be esterified by reaction with an alcohol. The oxidized wax may be used in a coating composition.

An olefin or a slack wax of 10 to 100 carbon atoms is oxidized by mixing said wax with a salt of an alkaline earth metal in an amount to provide 0.001 to 0.03 weight percent of the alkaline earth metal, the anion of the salt comprising 4 to 36 carbon atoms; heating the mixture to 100 to 180° C.; and supplying to the heated mixture a molecular oxygen-containing gas. The oxidation is conducted in the substantial absence of manganese or cobalt compounds. The oxidized wax may be esterified by reaction with an alcohol. The oxidized wax may be used in a coating composition.

The present invention relates to a method for fractionating a crude mixture comprising at least one oil and at least one wax, which comprises the following method steps: (a) carrying out a pre-fractionation stage as a layer crystallization (i) with a crude mixture comprising at least one oil and at least one wax or (ii) with a crude solvent mixture obtained by adding prior to the pre-fractionation stage at most 100% by weight of solvent relative to the weight of the crude mixture, to prepare a first fraction containing low waxy oil and a second fraction containing low oily wax, (b) carrying out a first crystallization stage including (b1) a first suspension crystallization sub-stage with the first fraction containing low waxy oil to prepare a third fraction containing dewaxed oil and a fourth fraction and (b2) after the first suspension crystallization sub-stage, a second suspension crystallization sub-stage with a mixture of the fourth fraction obtained in method step (b1) and the second fraction containing low oily wax obtained in the pre-fractionation stage of method step (a) to prepare a fifth fraction containing slack wax and a sixth fraction.

A process for in-situ upgrading of a heavy hydrocarbon includes positioning a well in a reservoir containing a heavy hydrocarbon having an initial API gravity no greater than about 20, an n-heptane asphaltene content at least about 1 wt. %, and a viscosity at 35 C. greater than about 350 centistokes; injecting hydrocarbon solvent(s) and asphaltene precipitant additive(s) into the well at a ratio by volume of the solvent to the heavy hydrocarbon of about 0.1:1 to about 20:1 under reservoir conditions so as to provide an upgraded hydrocarbon in the reservoir having an improved API gravity, a reduced asphaltene content, and a lower viscosity; and producing the upgraded hydrocarbon from the well. The process of the present invention can be also carried out at higher temperatures such as by injecting steam with the one or more hydrocarbon solvents and the one or more asphaltene precipitant additives into the well.

A process for in-situ upgrading of a heavy hydrocarbon includes positioning a well in a reservoir containing a heavy hydrocarbon having an initial API gravity no greater than about 20, an n-heptane asphaltene content at least about 1 wt. %, and a viscosity at 35 C. greater than about 350 centistokes; injecting hydrocarbon solvent(s) and asphaltene precipitant additive(s) into the well at a ratio by volume of the solvent to the heavy hydrocarbon of about 0.1:1 to about 20:1 under reservoir conditions so as to provide an upgraded hydrocarbon in the reservoir having an improved API gravity, a reduced asphaltene content, and a lower viscosity; and producing the upgraded hydrocarbon from the well. The process of the present invention can be also carried out at higher temperatures such as by injecting steam with the one or more hydrocarbon solvents and the one or more asphaltene precipitant additives into the well.

An integrated process for producing naphtha fuel, diesel fuel and/or lubricant base oils from feedstocks under sour conditions is provided. The ability to process feedstocks under higher sulfur and/or nitrogen conditions allows for reduced cost processing and increases the flexibility in selecting a suitable feedstock. The sour feed can be delivered to a catalytic dewaxing step without any separation of sulfur and nitrogen contaminants. The integrated process includes an initial dewaxing of a feed under sour conditions, optional hydrocracking of the dewaxed feed, and a separation to form a first diesel product and a bottoms fraction. The bottoms fraction is then exposed to additional hydrocracking and dewaxing to form a second diesel product and optionally a lubricant base oil product. Alternatively, a feedstock can be hydrotreated, fractionated, dewaxed, and then hydrocracked to form a diesel fuel and a dewaxed, hydrocracked bottoms fraction that is optionally suitable for use as a lubricant base oil.