IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,667,831
Granted Patent B2
US 12,667,831 · App. 18/181,648 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Processes and bimetallic cracking additives for steam enhanced catalytic cracking of crude oil to produce light olefins and aromatics

Inventors: Aaron Chi Akah (Dhahran, SA); Musaed Salem Al-Ghrami (Dammam, SA); Abdullah Mohammed Aitani (Khobar, SA); Ziyauddin Qureshi (Dhahran, SA); Mohammed Abdul Bari Siddiqui (Dhahran, SA)
Assignees: Saudi Arabian Oil Company; King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
B01J29/48B01J29/405B01J29/44B01J29/46B01J37/04B01J37/08C10G11/05B01J2229/18C10G2300/1033C10G2300/308C10G2300/70C10G2400/20C10G2400/30
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,667,831
App. No.
18/181,648
Granted
Jun 30, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A process for upgrading a hydrocarbon feed comprises contacting the hydrocarbon feed with steam in the presence of a cracking catalyst composition at reaction conditions sufficient to cause at least a portion of hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon feed to undergo one or more cracking reactions to produce a steam catalytic cracking effluent comprising light olefins, light aromatic compounds, or both, where: the cracking catalyst composition comprises a cracking additive comprising a ZSM-5 zeolite, a first metal species, and a second metal species, where the first metal species and the second metal species are impregnated onto the ZSM-5 zeolite, the first metal species comprises a metal or metal oxide comprising a first metal, the second metal species comprises a metal or metal oxide comprising a second metal, and the second metal is different from the first metal.

Claims (23)

1 . A process for upgrading a hydrocarbon feed, the process comprising: contacting the hydrocarbon feed with steam in the presence of a cracking catalyst composition at reaction conditions sufficient to cause at least a portion of hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon feed to undergo one or more cracking reactions to produce a steam catalytic cracking effluent comprising light olefins, light aromatic compounds, or both, where:

the hydrocarbon feed is a whole crude oil having an API gravity between 25 and 50;

the cracking catalyst composition comprises a cracking additive;

the cracking additive comprises a ZSM-5 zeolite, a first metal species, and a second metal species;

the first metal species and the second metal species are impregnated onto the ZSM-5 zeolite;

the first metal species comprises a metal or metal oxide comprising cerium;

the second metal species comprises a metal or metal oxide comprising iron; and

the cracking additive is essentially free of phosphorus.

2 . The process of claim 1 , where the ZSM-5 zeolite has a molar ratio of silica to alumina of from 20 to 80.

3 . The process of claim 1 , where a concentration of the first metal species in the cracking additive is from 0.1 weight percent (wt. %) to 10 wt. % based on the total weight of the cracking additive.

4 . The process of claim 1 , where a concentration of the second metal species in the cracking additive is from 0.1 wt. % to 10 wt. % based on the total weight of the cracking additive.

5 . The process of claim 1 , where the cracking additive comprises cerium oxide and iron oxide impregnated on the ZSM-5 zeolite the ZSM-5 zeolite has a molar ratio of silica to alumina of 30.

6 . A process for upgrading a hydrocarbon feed, the process comprising: contacting the hydrocarbon feed with steam in the presence of a cracking catalyst composition at reaction conditions sufficient to cause at least a portion of hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon feed to undergo one or more cracking reactions to produce a steam catalytic cracking effluent comprising light olefins, light aromatic compounds, or both, where:

the hydrocarbon feed is a whole crude oil having an API gravity between 25 and 50;

the cracking catalyst composition comprises a cracking additive; and

the cracking additive consists of cerium oxide and iron oxide impregnated on a ZSM-5 zeolite.

7 . The process of claim 1 , where an amount of the cracking additive in the cracking catalyst composition is from 20 wt. % to 30 wt. % based on the cracking catalyst composition.

8 . The process of claim 1 , where the cracking catalyst composition further comprises an equilibrium catalyst.

9 . The process of claim 8 , where an amount of the equilibrium catalyst in the cracking catalyst composition is from 70 wt. % to 80 wt. % based on the cracking catalyst composition.

10 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon feed has not undergone any substantial separation before being contacted with steam in the presence of the cracking catalyst composition.

11 . The process of claim 1 , wherein a concentration of the first metal species in the cracking additive is from 1 weight percent (wt. %) to 2 wt. % based on the total weight of the cracking additive.

12 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the cracking additive comprises less than or equal to 0.1 wt. % phosphorus based on the total weight of the cracking additive.

13 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the cracking additive comprises less than or equal to 0.01 wt. % phosphorus based on the total weight of the cracking additive.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY KING FAHD UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM AND MINERALS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 63033 FRAME 830. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Feb 16, 2026
From: AITANI, ABDULLAH MOHAMMED; QURESHI, ZIYAUDDIN; SIDDIQUI, MOHAMMED ABDUL BARI
To: KING FAHD UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM AND MINERALS
Reel/Frame 074868/0113 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 20, 2023
From: AKAH, AARON CHI; AL-GHRAMI, MUSAED SALEM
To: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
Reel/Frame 063033/0758 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 20, 2023
From: AITANI, ABDULLAH MOHAMMED; QURESHI, ZIYAUDDIN; SIDDIQUI, MOHAMMED ABDUL BARI
To: SIDDIQUI, MOHAMMED AB
Reel/Frame 063033/0830 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240299916A1 · Sep 12, 2024
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