Catalytic Upgrading of Vacuum Gas Oil, Waste Tire Pyrolysis Oil and Extra-Heavy Oil using Aquaprocessing Technology.

Abstract

Aquaprocessing (AQP) is a partial upgrading technology based on catalytic steam cracking, where hydrogen is produced in-situ from steam and used for hydrogenation. Thus, during AQP the feedstock is mixed with steam and flowed through a fixed bed reactor usually filled with a catalytic steam cracking and hydrogenating bifunctional catalyst. This work intended to study the partial upgrading of various types of feedstocks using the Aquaprocessing technology and a variety of proprietary catalysts. Vacuum gas oil (VGO) from Athabasca (VGO-JA) and vacuum gas oil from Samaria (VGO-SAM) were partially upgraded using an Mo2C-(NiMg)O-CeO2/γ-Al2O3 (J-21) catalyst. VGO conversion of 15% and 10% at a reaction temperature of 370 °C was achieved for VGO-JA and VGO-SAM, respectively. Thus, important properties such as viscosity, total acidic number (TAN), and sulfur reduction were significantly improved. As well, a Mexican extra-heavy oil was partially upgraded using a catalytic bed formed by three catalysts: bifunctional catalyst J-21, MoO3/γ-Al2O3 (N-2) cracking catalyst, and Mo2C/γ-Al2O3 (M-6) hydrogenating catalyst. The Aquaprocessed product showed a 20% conversion in relation to the vacuum residue fraction, a reduction of 70 % in viscosity when compared to the original feedstock, and a TAN reduction to non-detectable levels. Finally, a Waste Tire Pyrolysis Oil was tested using catalyst J-21 and Aquaprocessing technology. Even though partial upgrading of the original feedstock was not achieved, a pre-treated Tire Pyrolysis Oil with lower sulfur content was partially upgraded under the same operational conditions. For this last sample, a reduction of 6% in the vacuum gas oil was achieved, as well as a 30% reduction in sulfur content and a 50% reduction in relation to viscosity. Finally, a gas product containing 60 % molar composition on hydrogen was produced during the AQP of pre-treated Tire Pyrolysis Oil. Catalysts J-21, N-2 and M-6 showed great stability and catalytic activity during the processing of VGOs and extra-heavy oil feedstocks over 450 h of operation.