Patent ID: 11866447
Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
Field: Chemical engineering (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC C  B | IPC B  C

Claim 0:
1. A method to convert asphaltenes to partially oxidized asphaltenes, the method comprising the steps of:
increasing a pressure of a feedstock in a feedstock pump to produce a pressurized feedstock, wherein the feedstock comprises greater than 0.1 weight percent of carbon 7-asphaltene (C7-asphaltene) content;
increasing a temperature of the pressurized feedstock in a feedstock heater to produce a heated feedstock;
increasing a pressure of a water stream in a water pump to produce a pressurized water stream;
increasing a temperature of the pressurized water stream in a water heater to produce a supercritical water;
mixing the heated feedstock and the supercritical water in a feed mixer to produce a mixed feed, wherein a temperature of the mixed feed is between 100° C. and 400° C.;
increasing a temperature of the mixed feed in a pre-heater to produce a reactor feed;
treating the reactor feed in a tubular reactor to produce a reactor effluent, wherein the tubular reactor comprises one or more pipes in series, wherein the temperature in the tubular reactor is between 374° C. and 500° C., wherein the pressure is between 220 barg and 330 barg, wherein the residence time is between 0.5 minutes and 30 minutes;
introducing the reactor effluent to a disengagement zone of a vessel reactor, wherein an asphaltene-rich fraction disengages from a non-asphaltene fraction and flows to an asphaltene collection zone of the vessel reactor, wherein the disengagement zone is positioned at a greater elevation than the asphaltene collection zone, wherein the asphaltene-rich fraction comprises asphaltenes;
introducing an oxidizing agent stream to the asphaltene collection zone of the vessel reactor, wherein the oxidizing agent stream comprises an oxidizing agent and water;
reacting the asphaltenes in the asphaltene-rich fraction with oxygen from the oxidizing agent to produce partially oxidized asphaltenes, wherein a temperature in the vessel reactor is in the range between 374° C. and 500° C., wherein a pressure in the vessel reactor is between 220 barg and 330 barg;
withdrawing an upper reactor effluent from the disengagement zone;
withdrawing a bottom reactor effluent from the asphaltene collection zone;
reducing a temperature of the upper reactor effluent in an upper cooler to produce a cooled upper effluent, wherein the temperature of the cooled upper effluent is between 50° C. and 150° C.;
reducing a pressure of the cooled upper effluent in a pressure control unit to produce an upper upgraded stream, wherein the pressure of the upper upgraded stream is between 1 barg and 5 barg;
reducing a temperature of the bottom reactor effluent in a bottom cooler to produce a cooled bottom effluent, wherein the temperature of the cooled bottom effluent is between 70° C. and 150° C.;
reducing a pressure of the cooled bottom effluent in a pressure regulator unit to produce a centrifuge feed, wherein the pressure of the centrifuge feed is between 1 barg and 5 barg;
separating the centrifuge feed in a centrifuge to produce a centrate and a rejected phase, wherein the temperature in the centrifuge is between 20° C. and 90° C., wherein the rejected phase comprises flocculated asphaltenes, wherein the flocculated asphaltenes comprise partially oxidized asphaltenes;
mixing the centrate and the upper upgraded stream in a product mixer to produce a mixed upgraded stream; and
separating the mixed upgraded stream in a three-phase separator to a produce gas product, an upgraded oil product, and a water product.