Patent ID: 9145523
Filing Date: 2015-09-29
Classification: C10G

Abstract:
1. A method for upgrading a hydrocarbon feedstock, the method comprising the steps of: supplying a low grade first hydrocarbon feedstock to a first reactor selected from the group consisting of a hydrocracker, a coker, a visbreaker, a hydrotreater, and a catalytic cracker, wherein said first reactor configured for the upgrading of the low grade first hydrocarbon feedstock; recovering an intermediate hydrocarbon stream from the first reactor; separating the intermediate hydrocarbon stream into a light hydrocarbon stream and a bottoms stream, the bottoms stream comprises a hydrogen donating composition, wherein the hydrogen donating composition is selected from the group consisting of tetralin, alkylated tetralin, and combinations of the same; pre-heating the bottoms stream to a temperature of at least about 120° C. for a period of at least about 10 minutes to produce a pre-heated bottoms stream; mixing said pre-heated bottoms stream, a hydrocarbon feedstock, and water to form a reaction mixture; supplying the reaction mixture to a main hydrothermal reactor maintained at a temperature greater than about 374° C. and a pressure greater than about 22.06 MPa for a residence time in the main hydrothermal reactor of between about 30 seconds and 60 minutes to produce a modified stream comprising upgraded hydrocarbons, wherein the main hydrothermal reactor does not include a catalyst; withdrawing the modified stream; separating the modified stream into a gaseous phase and a liquid phase; and separating the liquid phase into a water stream and an upgraded hydrocarbon stream, wherein the upgraded hydrocarbon stream has at least one improved physical property as compared with the hydrocarbon feedstock, the physical properties selected from sulfur content, nitrogen content, metal content, coke content, and API gravity.