| HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN IN RIGHT OF CANADA AS REPRESENTED Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
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| 20100155304 | TREATMENT OF HYDROCARBONS CONTAINING ACIDS - The invention relates to a method of treating a liquid hydrocarbon (e.g. heavy oil, bitumen, etc.) containing naphthenic acids or other corrosive acids in order to partially or fully convert such acids into non-corrosive compounds. The method comprises adding an alkylating agent to the hydrocarbon, bringing the hydrocarbon into contact with an aqueous liquid containing an alkaline compound and a phase transfer catalyst to form an immiscible two-phase system, maintaining the contact to allow conversion of the naphthenic acids to non-corrosive oil-soluble esters, and separating the aqueous phase from the liquid hydrocarbon. Naphthenic acids are highly corrosive to plant and equipment and the method enables them to be converted to non-corrosive compounds in an economic manner. | 06-24-2010 |
| 20100032347 | GAS-PHASE HYDROTREATING OF MIDDLE-DISTILLATES HYDROCARBON FEEDSTOCKS - A method of subjecting a middle-distillate hydrocarbon feedstock to a hydrotreating reactions to remove heteroatoms and/or hydrogenate aromatics, and apparatus therefor. The method comprising heating a liquid middle distillates hydrocarbon feedstock to produce a heated feedstock, mixing the heated feedstock with a hydrogen-containing treating gas to produce a mixture, and bringing the mixture into contact with a hydrotreating catalyst at an elevated temperature and an elevated pressure effective for hydrotreating the feedstock. The hydrogen-containing gas is mixed with the heated feedstock in a ratio effective to fully vaporize the liquid feedstock at the elevated temperature and pressure before the feedstock is contacted with said hydrotreating catalyst. Ideally, the mixture is passed through a catalyst bed creating a pressure drop in the gas mixture equal to or less than 0.3 bar/m. Such a catalyst bed may be made of structured catalysts, such as monolithic catalysts. | 02-11-2010 |
