GB940146A - Process for upgrading heavy hydrocarbon oils - Google Patents

Abstract

Heavy hydrocarbon oils containing metal compounds and/or heteroatomic compounds of sulphur and nitrogen as contaminants are upgraded in a process which comprises contacting the oil in the liquid phase at temperatures within the range of the temperature of incipient cracking and the temperature at which extensive thermal decomposition (as defined) would occur, but in any case in the range 375-475 DEG C., for a contact time of at least 1 minute and at a pressure of at least 14 kg/cm.2 gauge, with a magma, the essential component of which is sodium and/or potassium hydroxide containing not more than 30% wt. of water, the weight ratio of alkali metal hydroxide to hydrocarbon oil being at least 0.025 : 1, and separating from the resulting mixture an oil phase having a substantially reduced content of contaminants. A preferred magma comprises the carbonate, sulphide, and hydroxide of sodium and/or potassium. A preferred process comprises the steps of (1) mixing the oil and magma, (2) cooling to above the solidification temperature of the magma, (3) adding water, (4) recovering from the mixture a vaporous phase comprising normally gaseous oil reaction product, an upper liquid phase comprising normally liquid reaction product, a lower liquid phase comprising reacted magma and water, and possibly a layer of emulsion of magma and oil reaction product, from between the interfaces of the two other liquid layers, which emulsion is recycled to step (1), (5) mixing the recovered upper liquid layer with water, and (6) recovering from this mixture a lower liquid layer of water containing magma removed from the reaction product, which may be recycled to step (3) of the process, and an upper liquid phase comprising the oil freed from magma and having a substantially reduced content of contaminants.