Methods of processing, transporting, or both, of hydrogen
A method for transporting hydrogen may comprise, at a first hydrocarbon processing facility, passing a heavy naphtha stream, a C9+ aromatic compounds-containing stream, and an input hydrogen-containing stream to a hydrotreater to form a hydrotreated effluent stream; passing the hydrotreated effluent stream to a separation unit to form a naphthenics-containing stream and a separation unit effluent stream; transporting the naphthenic stream to a second hydrocarbon processing facility; and at the second hydrocarbon processing facility, passing at least a portion of the naphthenic stream to a dehydrogenation unit to form a hydrogen product stream. The first hydrocarbon processing facility and the second hydrocarbon processing facility may be separated by a distance of at least 100 km. Further disclosed herein are methods of processing hydrogen which produce aromatic compounds, including C9+ aromatic compounds containing streams.
1 . A method for transporting hydrogen, the method comprising:
at a first hydrocarbon processing facility:
passing a heavy naphtha stream, a C9+ aromatic compounds-containing stream comprising at least 60 wt. % C9+ aromatic compounds, and an input hydrogen-containing stream to a hydrotreater to form a hydrotreated effluent stream, wherein:
the heavy naphtha stream has an initial boiling point of from 80° C. to 100° C. and a final boiling point of from 180° C. to 220° C.; and
the hydrotreated effluent stream comprises hydrotreated naphtha and one or more saturated cyclic C9+ compounds;
passing the hydrotreated effluent stream to a separation unit to form a naphthenics-containing stream and a separation unit effluent stream, wherein:
the naphthenics-containing stream comprises at least 50 wt. % saturated cyclic C9+ compounds; and
the separation unit effluent stream comprises at least 50 wt. % of hydrotreated naphtha;
transporting the naphthenics-containing stream to a second hydrocarbon processing facility, wherein the first hydrocarbon processing facility and the second hydrocarbon processing facility are separated by a distance of at least 100 km; and
at the second hydrocarbon processing facility, passing at least a portion of the naphthenics-containing stream to a dehydrogenation unit to form a dehydrogenated hydrocarbon stream and a hydrogen product stream.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the dehydrogenation unit is a catalytic reformer.
3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising passing a second facility hydrotreated naphtha stream to the dehydrogenation unit, wherein the second facility hydrotreated naphtha stream has an initial boiling point of from 80° C. to 100° C. and a final boiling point of from 180° C. to 220° C.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the heavy naphtha stream is a crude oil cut having an initial boiling point of from 88° C. to 92° C. and a final boiling point of from 195° C. to 205° C.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second hydrocarbon processing facility is an oil refinery.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein transporting the naphthenic stream comprises moving the naphthenic stream by truck, train, or ship.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
passing the separation unit effluent stream to a catalytic reformer to form a reformate stream;
passing the reformate stream to an extraction unit to form an aromatic stream;
passing the aromatic stream to an aromatics complex to form the C9+ aromatic compounds containing stream; and
recycling the C9+ aromatic compounds containing stream to the hydrotreater.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein passing the aromatics containing stream to the aromatics complex comprises:
passing the aromatics containing stream to a clay treater to form a clay treated stream;
passing the clay treated stream to a benzene extraction unit to form a de-benzened stream and a benzene stream;
passing the de-benzened stream to a toluene extraction unit to form a de-toluened stream and a toluene stream; and
passing the de-toluened stream to a xylene extraction unit to form the C9+ aromatic compounds containing stream and a mixed xylenes stream, such that the C9+ aromatic compounds containing stream is recycled back to the hydrotreater.
9 . The method of claim 1 , the hydrotreater is operated at reaction conditions of from 50° C. to 700° C.; a pressure of from 10 to 300 bar; and a liquid hourly space velocity (LHSV) of from 0.5 h −1 to 5 h −1 .
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the naphthenic stream comprises at least 80 wt. % of saturated cyclic C9+ compounds.
11 . A method for processing hydrogen, the method comprising:
passing a heavy naphtha stream, a C9+ aromatic compounds containing stream comprising at least 60 wt. % C9+ aromatic compounds, and an input hydrogen-containing stream to a hydrotreater to form a hydrotreated effluent stream, wherein:
the heavy naphtha stream has an initial boiling point of from 80° C. to 100° C. and a final boiling point of from 180° C. to 220° C.; and
the hydrotreated effluent stream comprises hydrotreated naphtha and one or more saturated cyclic C9+ compounds;
passing the hydrotreated effluent stream to a separator to form a naphthenic stream and a separation unit effluent stream, wherein:
the naphthenic stream comprises at least 50 wt. % saturated cyclic C9+ compounds; and
the separation unit effluent stream comprises at least 50 wt. % of hydrotreated naphtha;
passing the separation unit effluent stream to a catalytic reformer to form a reformate stream;
passing the reformate stream to an aromatics separation unit to form an aromatics containing stream and a non-aromatics containing stream, wherein the aromatics containing stream comprises at least 50 wt. % of aromatic compounds and the non-aromatics containing stream comprises at least 50 wt. % of non-aromatic compounds;
passing the aromatics containing stream to an aromatics complex to form the C9+ aromatic compounds containing stream; and
recycling the C9+ aromatic compounds containing stream to the hydrotreater.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the hydrotreater, the separation unit, the catalytic reformer, the aromatics separation unit, and the aromatics complex are positioned within a first hydrocarbon processing facility, the process further comprising:
transporting the naphthenic stream to a second hydrocarbon processing facility; and
at the second hydrocarbon processing facility, passing the naphthenic stream to a dehydrogenation unit to form a dehydrogenated hydrocarbon stream and a hydrogen product stream, wherein the first hydrocarbon processing facility and the second hydrocarbon processing facility are separated by a distance at least 100 km.
13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein passing the aromatics containing stream to the aromatics complex comprises:
passing the aromatics containing stream to a clay treater to form a clay treated stream;
passing the clay treated stream to a benzene extraction unit to form a de-benzened stream and a benzene stream;
passing the de-benzened stream to a toluene extraction unit to form a de-toluened stream and a toluene stream; and
passing the de-toluened stream to a xylene extraction unit to form the C9+ aromatic compounds containing stream and a mixed xylenes stream, such that the C9+ aromatic compounds containing stream is recycled back to the hydrotreater.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein:
the clay treater contacts the aromatics containing stream with a Lewis acid clay; and
the clay treated stream comprises less than 1 wt. % of non-aromatic olefin compounds.
15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein transporting the naphthenic stream comprises moving the naphthenic stream by truck, train, or ship.
16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the second hydrocarbon processing facility is an oil refinery.
17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the naphthenic stream comprises at least 80 wt. % of saturated cyclic C9+ compounds.
18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the hydrotreater is operated at reaction conditions of from 50° C. to 700° C., a pressure of from 10 to 300 bar, and a liquid hourly space velocity of from 0.5 h −1 to 5 h −1 .
19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the separation unit comprises is an extractive separation unit.
20 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the heavy naphtha stream is a crude oil cut.