Partial upgrading process for heavy oil and bitumen

摘要

A bitumen and heavy oil upgrading process and system is disclosed for the synthesis of hydrocarbons, an example of which is synthetic crude oil (SCO). The process integrates Fischer-Tropsch technology with gasification and hydrogen rich gas stream generation. The hydrogen rich gas generation is conveniently effected using singly or in combination a hydrogen source, a hydrogen rich vapor from hydroprocessing and the Fischer-Tropsch process, a steam methane reformer (SMR) and autothermal reformer (ATR) or a combination of SMR/ATR. The feedstock for upgrading is distilled and the bottoms fraction is gasified and converted in a Fischer-Tropsch reactor. A resultant hydrogen lean syngas is then exposed to the hydrogen rich gas stream to optimize the formation of, for example, the synthetic crude oil. Partial upgrading and the commensurate benefits is detailed as well. A system for effecting the processes is also characterized in the specification.

主权项

1. A process for upgrading heavy oil or bitumen to formulate partially upgraded synthetic crude oil, comprising:
(a) providing a source of heavy oil or bitumen feedstock; (b) treating said feedstock to form one or more distilled fractions and a non-distilled bottom fraction; (c) optionally treating said non-distilled bottom fraction to form a separated fraction and a separated bottom fraction; (d) feeding said non-distilled bottom fraction or said separated bottom fraction to a syngas generating circuit for formulating a hydrogen lean syngas stream via a partial oxidation reaction, and reacting said syngas in a Fischer-Tropsch reactor to formulate synthesized hydrocarbons; (e) adding an external source of hydrogen to said hydrogen lean syngas wherein said external source of hydrogen comprises a hydrogen rich syngas stream produced from a hydrogen rich syngas generator; and (f) blending at least a portion of said synthesized hydrocarbons with said one or more distilled fractions and/or said separated fraction to form the partially upgraded synthetic crude oil.