Jet fuels having superior thermal stability

1. A jet fuel composition comprising:

(a) a total aromatics content of from 2 vol. % to no more than about 25 vol. %;

(b) a net heat of combustion of at least about 128,000 Btu/gal;

(c) a concentration of less than about 5 vol. % of hydrocarbons having a boiling point greater than or equal to about 550° F., as determined by ASTM D 2887;

(d) a Jet Fuel Thermal Oxidation Test (JFTOT) thermal stability characterized by a filter pressure drop of no more than 25 mm Hg, a breakpoint temperature greater than or equal to about 300° C., and an overall tube deposit rating less than 3, as determined by ASTM D 3241;

(e) a cycloparaffin content of from about 22 vol. % to about 35 vol. %, based on the total weight of the total paraffin content;

(f) a normal paraffin content of from about 20 vol. % to about 35 vol. %, based on the total weight of the total paraffin content; and

(g) an iso-paraffin content of from about 22 vol. % to about 35 vol. %, based on the total weight of the total paraffin content,

wherein jet fuel composition is derived from a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock selected from the group consisting of one or more producing wells in fluid communication with a subterranean oil reservoir and a highly aromatic refinery stream.

2. The jet fuel composition of claim 1 , further comprising:

a total paraffin content of at least about 75 vol. %.

3. The jet fuel composition of claim 1 , wherein the total aromatics content is from 2 vol. % to no more than about 5 vol. %.

4. The jet fuel composition of claim 1 , wherein the total aromatics content includes a mono-aromatic content which is greater than the polycyclic aromatic content.

5. The jet fuel composition of claim 1 , comprising:

(a) a total aromatics content of from 2 vol. % to no more than about 5 vol. %;

(b) a net heat of combustion of at least about 128,000 Btu/gal;

(c) a concentration of less than about 3 vol. % of hydrocarbons having a boiling point greater than or equal to about 550° F., as determined by ASTM D 2887; and

(d) a JFTOT thermal stability characterized by a filter pressure drop of no more than 25 mm Hg, a breakpoint temperature greater than or equal to about 330° C., and an overall tube deposit rating less than 3, as determined by ASTM D 3241;

(e) a cycloparaffin content of from about 22 vol. % to about 35 vol. %, based on the total weight of the total paraffin content;

(f) a normal paraffin content of from about 20 vol. % to about 35 vol. %, based on the total weight of the total paraffin content; and

(g) an iso-paraffin content of from about 22 vol. % to about 35 vol. %, based on the total weight of the total paraffin content.

6. The jet fuel composition of claim 1 , comprising:

(a) a total aromatics content of from 2 vol. % to no more than about 5 vol. %;

(b) a net heat of combustion of at least about 128,000 Btu/gal;

(c) a concentration of less than about 1.5 vol. % of hydrocarbons having a boiling point greater than or equal to about 550° F., as determined by ASTM D 2887; and

(d) a JFTOT thermal stability characterized by a filter pressure drop of no more than 25 mm Hg, a breakpoint temperature greater than or equal to about 360° C., and an overall tube deposit rating less than 3, as determined by ASTM D 3241;

(e) a cycloparaffin content of from about 22 vol. % to about 35 vol. %, based on the total weight of the total paraffin content;

(f) a normal paraffin content of from about 20 vol. % to about 35 vol. %, based on the total weight of the total paraffin content; and

(g) an iso-paraffin content of from about 22 vol. % to about 35 vol. %, based on the total weight of the total paraffin content.

7. The jet fuel composition of claim 1 , comprising a smoke point above about 19 mm, as determined by ASTM D 1322.

8. The jet fuel composition of claim 1 , comprising a freeze point below about −41° C., as determined by ASTM D 2386.

9. The jet fuel composition of claim 1 , comprising:

(a) a total aromatics content of from 2 vol. % to no more than about 5 vol. %;

(b) a net heat of combustion of at least about 128,000 Btu/gal;

(c) a concentration of less than about 5 vol. % of hydrocarbons having a boiling point greater than or equal to about 550° F., as determined by ASTM D 2887;

(d) a JFTOT thermal stability characterized by a filter pressure drop of no more than 25 mm Hg, a breakpoint temperature greater than or equal to about 300° C., and an overall tube deposit rating less than 3, as determined by ASTM D 3241;

(e) a cycloparaffin content of from about 22 vol. % to about 35 vol. %, based on the total weight of the total paraffin content;

(f) a normal paraffin content of from about 20 vol. % to about 35 vol. %, based on the total weight of the total paraffin content; and

(g) an iso-paraffin content of from about 22 vol. % to about 35 vol. %, based on the total weight of the total paraffin content.

10. The jet fuel composition of claim 9 , further comprising:

a smoke point above about 19 mm, as determined by ASTM D 1322; and

a freeze point below about −41° C., as determined by ASTM D 2386.

11. A method of making a jet fuel composition, which comprises:

(a) providing a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock comprising at least about 40 vol. % total aromatics, wherein the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock is selected from the group consisting of one or more producing wells in fluid communication with a subterranean oil reservoir and a highly aromatic refinery stream; and

(b) subjecting at least a portion of the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock to hydrogenation under catalytic hydrogenating conditions to form a jet fuel composition comprising:

(i) a total aromatics content of from 2 vol. % to no more than about 25 vol. %;

(ii) a net heat of combustion of at least about 128,000 Btu/gal;

(iii) a concentration of less than about 5 vol. % of hydrocarbons having a boiling point greater than or equal to about 550° F., as determined by ASTM D 2887;

(iv) a JFTOT thermal stability characterized by a filter pressure drop of no more than 25 mm Hg, a breakpoint temperature greater than or equal to about 300° C., and an overall tube deposit rating less than 3, as determined by ASTM D 3241;

(v) a cycloparaffin content of from about 22 vol. % to about 35 vol. %, based on the total weight of the total paraffin content;

(vi) a normal paraffin content of from about 20 vol. % to about 35 vol. %, based on the total weight of the total paraffin content; and

(vii) an iso-paraffin content of from about 22 vol. % to about 35 vol. %, based on the total weight of the total paraffin content.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of hydrogenating comprises contacting the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock with a hydrogenation catalyst in the presence of hydrogen-containing gas in a reaction zone and under effective catalytic hydrogenating conditions.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the hydrogenation catalyst comprises one or more catalytic metals on the surface of a catalyst support.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more catalytic metals include metals, oxides and sulfides of metals selected from the group consisting of Group VI-B metals, Group VII metals, Group VIII metals and combinations thereof and the catalyst support includes an alumina catalyst support, silica-alumina catalyst support, silica catalyst support, titania catalyst support, or magnesia catalyst support.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the catalytic hydrogenating conditions include a temperature ranging from about 316° C. to about 413° C., a pressure ranging from about 1000 to about 3500 pounds per square inch absolute (psia), a space velocity ranging from about 0.5 to about 3.0 liquid hourly space velocity (LHSV), and a gas flow ranging from about 3500 to about 10,000 Standard cubic feet per barrel (SCFB) of hydrogen of at least about 75% purity.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the catalytic hydrogenating conditions include a temperature ranging from about 360° C. to about 399° C., a pressure ranging from about 1500 to about 2850 psia, a space velocity ranging from about 1.0 to about 2.0 LHSV, and a gas flow ranging from about 5000 to about 8000 SCFB of hydrogen of at least about 80% purity.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising the step of subjecting the hydrogenated hydrocarbonaceous feedstock to distillation to separate from the hydrogenated hydrocarbonaceous feedstock any hydrocarbons, if present, having a boiling point greater than or equal to about 550° F.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the jet fuel composition further comprises:

a smoke point above about 19 mm, as determined by ASTM D 1322; and a freeze point below about −41° C., as determined by ASTM D 2386.

19. A method of making a jet fuel composition, which comprises:

(a) providing a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock comprising:

(i) a total aromatics content of from 2 vol. % to no more than about 25 vol. %; and

(ii) a cycloparaffin content of at least about 60 vol. %, wherein the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock is selected from the group consisting of one or more producing wells in fluid communication with a subterranean oil reservoir and a highly aromatic refinery stream;

(b) blending a sufficient amount of iso-paraffins and normal paraffins to reduce the cycloparaffin content to about 22 to about 35 vol. %; and

(c) separating from the blended hydrocarbonaceous feedstock any hydrocarbons having a boiling point greater than or equal to about 550° F., as determined by ASTM D 2887, by distillation to form a jet fuel composition comprising:

(i) a total aromatics content of from 2 vol. % to no more than about 25 vol. %;

(ii) a net heat of combustion of at least about 128,000 Btu/gal;

(iii) a concentration of less than about 5 vol. % of hydrocarbons having a boiling point greater than or equal to about 550° F., as determined by ASTM D 2887;

(iv) a JFTOT thermal stability characterized by a filter pressure drop of no more than 25 mm Hg, a breakpoint temperature greater than or equal to about 300° C., and an overall tube deposit rating less than 3, as determined by ASTM D 3241;

(v) a cycloparaffin content of from about 22 to about 35 vol. %;

(vi) a normal paraffin content of from about 20 vol. % to about 35 vol. %, based on the total weight of the total paraffin content; and

(vii) an iso-paraffin content of from about 22 vol. % to about 35 vol. %, based on the total weight of the total paraffin content.