Improvement of heavy crude oil via catalytic cracking process for refining into valuable blending stocks

Abstract

In this study, it was aimed to obtain the conversion of the heavy crude oil with 12.2 degrees API gravity into the liquid fuel-like condensate fractions having different boiling points of gasoline (initial boiling point-180), kerosene (180-240 degrees C), light diesel or distillate (240-290 degrees C), and gas oil (290-360 degrees C). A series of catalytic cracking runs were carried out on the pre-upgraded oil with using the molasses soil catalyst in different ratios of 0.0-10.0wt.%. The catalytic condensate and coke yields were found as 94.81wt.% and 2.42wt.%, respectively, for the optimal catalyst ratio of 2.5wt.%. The optimal cracking condensate and its fractions were characterized via spectroscopic and analytical test methods. The results revealed that the catalytic condensate was more rich in view of n-paraffinic hydrocarbons with lower carbon number of C-10-C-12 found in diesel fuel.