Patent ID: 7244873

Claim:
A process for oligomerizing light olefins and recovering heavy olefins comprising: a) feeding a reactant stream of light olefins and a non-reactant stream of alcohol modifier with at least three carbons to a reactor containing a solid resin catalyst; b) catalytically oligomerizing said light olefins to heavy olefins in said reactor; c) passing a reactor effluent stream comprising heavy olefins, unreacted light olefins and alcohol modifier to a water wash column; d) washing said reactor effluent stream with water in said water wash column; e) withdrawing a wash effluent hydrocarbon stream comprising heavy olefins and unreacted light olefins from said water wash column; f) withdrawing an extract stream comprising water and alcohol modifier from said water wash column; g) passing said wash effluent hydrocarbon stream to a separation column; h) separating said light olefins from said heavy olefins; and i) recovering heavy olefins from said separation column.