Process for the preparation of low pour point lubricating oils

Claim 2

A process for the preparation of low pour point lubricating oils from heavy naphthenic Cold Lake crude oil feedstocks without the need for solvent extracting and dewaxing procedures which process consists essentially of the sequential steps of: i. vacuum distilling, in a distillation zone, a heavy naphthenic crude oil feedstock containing from about 2 to 10 weight % of sulfur based on the weight of the feedstock, said feedstock exhibiting a specific gravity ranging from about 5° to 20° API to obtain at least one distillate cut exhibiting a boiling range of from about 500° to 1000° F and a specific gravity ranging from about 10° to 25° API; ii. passing said distillate cut from said distillation zone directly to at least one hydrocracking zone wherein said distillate cut is contacted with a hydrocracking catalyst at a temperature from about 650° to 850° F, a hydrogen partial pressure of about 500 to 5000 psig and a space velocity of from about 0.1 to 2.0 V/V/Hr; iii. removing the low boiling light ends from the hydrocrackate; and iv. recovering a low pour point lubricating oil.

Claim 3

Process as defined in claim 1 wherein the crude oil feedstock contains from about 2.5 to 6 wt. % sulfur.

Claim 4

Process as defined in claim 1 wherein the crude oil feedstock has a wax content of less than about 0.5% by weight based on the weight of the total feedstock.

Claim 5

Process as defined in claim 1 wherein the hydrogen partial pressure within the hydrocracking zone ranges from about 1000 to 2500 psig.

Claim 6

Process as defined in claim 1 wherein the gas rate within the hydrocracking zone ranges from about 1000 to 10,000 SCF H 2 /B.

Claim 7

Process as defined in claim 1 wherein the temperature range within the hydrocracking zone is maintained at from about 675° to 750° F whereby a naphthenic type lubricating oil is obtained.

Claim 8

Process as defined in claim 1 wherein the temperature within the hydrocracking zone is maintained at from about 750° to about 825° F whereby a paraffinic type lubricating oil is obtained.

Claim 9

Process as defined in claim 6 wherein the space velocity through the hydrocracking zone ranges from about 0.2 to 1.5 V/V/Hr.

Claim 10

Process as defined in claim 7 wherein the space velocity through the hydrocracking zone ranges from about 0.1 to 0.75 V/V/Hr.

Claim 11

A process for preparing naphthenic and paraffinic type lubricating oils from a high sulfur, heavy naphthenic Cold Lake crude without the need for solvent extracting and dewaxing procedures which process consists essentially of the sequential steps of: i. vacuum distilling, in a distillation zone, a heavy naphthenic crude oil feedstock containing from about 2 to 10 weight % of sulfur based on the weight of the feedstock, said feedstock exhibiting a specific gravity ranging from about 5° to 20° API to obtain at least one distillate cut exhibiting a boiling range of from about 500° to 1000° F and a speciific gravity ranging from about 10° to 25° API; ii. passing said distillate cut directly from the distillation zone to at least one hydrocracking zone wherein said distillate cut is contacted with hydrocracking catalyst at a temperature from about 650° to 850° F, a hydrogen partial pressure of about 500° to 5000 psig and at a space velocity of from about 0.1 to 2.0 V/V/Hr, said temperature being maintained between 750° and 825° F to obtain a lubricating oil predominantly paraffinic in nature, said lubricating oil being characterized by exhibiting a viscosity index of at least 80 and containing at least 5% by weight paraffins, and said temperature being maintained between about 675° and 750° F to obtain a lubricating oil predominantly naphthenic in nature, said naphthenic lubricating oil being characterized by exhibiting a viscosity index less than 80 and containing less than 5% by weight paraffins; iii. removing the low boiling light ends from the hydrocrackate; and iv. recovering at least one low pour point lubricating oil.

Claim 12

A process for preparing naphthenic and paraffinic type lubricating oils from a high sulfur, heavy naphthenic Cold Lake crude without the need for solvent extracting and dewaxing procedures which process consists essentially of the sequential steps of: i. vacuum distilling, in a distillation zone, a heavy naphthenic crude oil feedstock containing from about 2 to 10 weight % of sulfur based on the weight of the feedstock, said feedstock exhibiting a specific gravity ranging from about 5° to 20° API to obtain at least one distillate cut exhibiting a boiling range of from about 500° to 1000° F and a speciific gravity ranging from about 10° to 25° API; ii. passing said distillate cut directly from the distillation zone to at least one hydrocracking zone wherein said distillate cut is contacted with hydrocracking catalyst at a temperature from about 650° to 850° F, a hydrogen partial pressure of about 500° to 5000 psig and at a space velocity of from about 0.1 to 2.0 V/V/Hr, said temperature being maintained between 750° and 825° F to obtain a lubricating oil predominantly paraffinic in nature, said lubricating oil being characterized by exhibiting a viscosity index of at least 80 and containing at least 5% by weight paraffins, and said temperature being maintained between about 675° and 750° F to obtain a lubricating oil predominantly naphthenic in nature, said naphthenic lubricating oil being characterized by exhibiting a viscosity index less than 80 and containing less than 5% by weight paraffins; iii. removing the low boiling light ends from the hydrocrackate; and iv. recovering at least one low pour point lubricating oil.

Claim 13

A process as defined in claim 10 wherein a portion of said distillate cut is fed to a hydrocracking zone wherein said distillate cut contacts a hydrocracking catalyst at a temperature from about 675° to 750° F and a space velocity ranging from about 0.2 to 1.5 V/V/Hr. to obtain a naphthenic type lubricating oil and another portion of said distillate cut is fed to another hydrocracking zone wherein said distillate cut contacts a hydrocracking catalyst at a temperature from about 750° to about 825° F and a space velocity ranging from about 0.1 to 0.75 V/V/Hr. to obtain a paraffinic type lubricating oil.