Asphalt residual treating process

A number of refiners have processed residue containing feedstocks in commercial FCC units. Feeds with as much as 5.1%w RCR ( 6.5%w CCR) and 85 ppm Ni + V have been processed in Phillips Borger Refinery.(4) Ashland has processed feedstocks of up to 7.1%w RCR ( 8.5%w CCR) and 85 ppm Ni + V in their RCC (Reduced Crude Conversion) process.(5,6) A commercial scale ART (Asphalt Residual Treating) unit has processed residues containing levels of contaminants as high as 13.5%w RCR and 300 ppm Ni + V (7,8). However, in typical day-to-day operation of residue cat crackers, feedstock quality is not as extreme as those illustrated above. 

Obviously to remove large amounts of asphaltic materials, substantial quantities of clay would be required in both the percolation and hot contacting methods, and the adsorption process then may become uneconomical in the treating of raw residua. With the exception of residual oils containing low concentrations of asphalts, oils to be treated with clay generally receive some pretreatment—for example, with sulfuric acid followed by neutralization of the acid oil, or selective solvent extraction. 

Metallic chlorides are effective in removing asphaltic materials, and one plant was installed about 1934 for treatment of lubricating oils by the Alchlor process using aluminum chloride (51). It is reported that after such treatment, residual oils are free from resinous and asphaltic materials. Although aluminum chloride treating of lubricating oils is in commercial operation, the process apparently has not been extended beyond the one installation. 

This type of process can theoretigally be used to treat any gaseous, liquid or solid feed. In practice, however, it is reserved for the conversion of the cheapest raw materials such as hea 7 hydrocarbons (especially fuel oilX and possibly, in the future, petroleum residues (asphalts), coal and biomass (wood). In this case, moreover, the conversion is usually called "gasification. ... 

Hydrotreating is being employed extensively in the petroleum industry for processing a variety of feedstocks. Both straight-run and cracked petroleum products such as naphthas, kerosenes, middle distillates, gas oils (atmospheric and heavy vacuum types), cycle stocks, residues, asphalts, crudes, and shale oils may be so treated. The process primarily is employed as a pretreat previous to catalytic reforming or catal3d ic cracking. 

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