Shale-Oil Denitrification by Acid Treating

摘要

The shale oil produced from retorts that are current commercialization candidates is not a suitable feedstock for a conventional refinery. The main reason is that the relatively large amounts of nitrogen act as a catalyst poison in some of the major process units. The nitrogen is normally removed from the oil by severe hydrotreating. This report examines the economics of using a mild hydrotreating step, followed by an acid-treating step, to remove the nitrogen. Four acid-treating scenarios were simulated and examined. A high-nitrogen oil from a surface retort was treated with both phosphoric and sulfuric acid after a mild hydrotreating step. A lower nitrogen oil from a modified in situ retort was also treated with both phosphoric and sulfuric acid after a mild hydrotreating step. It was concluded that the severe hydrotreating case is probably the most economical for both oils. (ERA citation 07:052757)