Patent ID: 11225617

Abstract:
In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, a continuous catalytic deasphalting process includes introducing a feed comprising crude oil and solvent to a first reactor to deasphalt the feed, producing polymerized asphaltene adsorbed to the catalyst and deasphalted oil; introducing solvent to a second reactor to regenerate catalyst in the second reactor while the deasphalting step is performed in the first reactor; introducing a wash solvent to the first reactor after deasphalting to remove the polymerized asphaltene, thereby regenerating the catalyst in the first reactor and producing a mixture comprising solvent and polymerized asphaltene; passing the mixture to a separator downstream of the reactor system to separate the wash solvent from the polymerized asphaltenes; and reintroducing at least a portion of the separated wash solvent to at least one of the first and second reactors.