The Rime of the Ancient Marine Bunker

Marine bunker is one of the dirtiest fuels around. This is why an ExxonMobil patent describing low sulfur marine bunker is worth examining.

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Low sulfur marine bunker fuels and methods of making same
Inventor:  Christopher E. Robinson, Sara DAWE, Erik Karlsson, Hédi GRATI 
Current Assignee:   ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Co
2018-03-20 US9920270B2 Grant
Abstract
This invention relates to low sulfur marine bunker fuel compositions and methods of making the same. The invention also relates to an uncracked, hydrotreated vacuum resid for use in making the low sulfur marine bunker fuel composition. Contrary to conventional marine/bunker fuel compositions, the low sulfur marine/bunker fuel composition uses mostly uncracked components, including a (cat feed) hydrotreated vacuum resid. The low sulfur marine/bunker fuel composition can also have reduced contents of residual components.
SUMMARY
[0010]
One aspect of the invention relates to a method for making a low sulfur marine bunker fuel composition with a reduced concentration of components that have been cracked, the method comprising: contacting a vacuum resid feed stream having at least about 2000 wppm, for example at least about 2000 wppm, at least about 5000 wppm, at least about 7500, or at least about 10000 wppm sulfur, with a hydrogen-containing gas in the presence of a hydrotreating catalyst under effective hydrotreating conditions in a catalytic feed hydrotreater, such that the product exhibits at most about 5000 wppm, for example at most about 1500 wppm sulfur, a pour point of at least about 20° C., and a kinematic viscosity of at least about 350 cSt at 50° C., without the product being subject to a substantial amount of cracking; and optionally blending at least a portion of the uncracked product with 0-60 vol % of other components, selected from viscosity modifiers, pour point depressants, lubricity modifiers, antioxidants, and combinations thereof, to form a marine bunker fuel composition. The resulting marine bunker fuel composition contains: (1) the uncracked product having at most about 2000 wppm, for example at most about 1500 wppm or at most about 1000 wppm sulfur; (2) no more than about 10 vol % of a first diesel boiling range hydrocarbon stream having no more than about 20 wppm sulfur; and (3) no more than about 50 vol % of a second diesel boiling range hydrocarbon stream having no more than about 10 wppm sulfur.
[0011]
Another aspect of the invention relates to a low sulfur marine bunker fuel composition comprising: 40 vol % to 100 vol % of an uncracked, hydrotreated vacuum resid having at most about 5000 wppm—for example at most about 2000 wppm, at most about 1500 wppm, or at most about 1000 wppm—sulfur; and up to 60 vol % of other components, selected from viscosity modifiers, pour point depressants, lubricity modifiers, antioxidants, and combinations thereof The low sulfur marine bunker fuel composition has: at most about 5000 wppm., for example at most about 1000 wppm sulfur; and at least one of a kinematic viscosity at about 50° C. from about 20 cSt to about 400 cSt, a density at 15° C. from about 800 kg/m3 to about 1000 kg/m3, and a pour point from about 20° C. to about 35° C.
[0012]
Another aspect of the invention relates to a low sulfur, uncracked, hydrotreated vacuum resid having at most about 5000 wppm for example at most about 2000 wppm, at most about 1500 wppm, or at most about 1000 wppm—sulfur, a T50 of at least 600° C., a pour point of at least about 20° C., and a kinematic viscosity of at least around 100 cSt at 50° C.
source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US20160160139A1/en
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