FLUIDIZED CATALYTIC CRACKING OF RETORTED KEROGEN AND OTHER OILS

The disclosed technology is a fundamental improvement to existing art for producing valuable products from kerogen ore (oil shale). The disclosure teaches the techniques and benefits of integrating a pyrolysis process with a fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) unit. Preferred embodiments are based on the use of pyrolysis products from a pyrolysis reactor as feedstock to an FCC unit; within the FCC unit a mixture of high-purity oxygen and carbon dioxide replaces air for coke combustion. To continuously regenerate the FCC catalyst, a coke-oxidation gas contains from 9 mol % to 35 mol % oxygen and from 50 mol % to 90 mol % carbon dioxide. In various embodiments, carbon dioxide is used in place of nitrogen, or used in place of steam, or both of these replacements. Several process configurations are shown, utilizing different recycle schemes and different distillation strategies, among other options. Many valuable co-products are described, including fuels and chemicals.