Abstract:
A MINERAL OIL FEEDSTOCK HAVING AN API GRAVIITY BETWEEN -5* AND 20*, LESS THAN 20 WT. PERCENT BOILING BELOW 600* F., AT LEAST 20 WT. PERCENT BOILING ABOVE 80*F. AND CONTAINING CONDENSED POLYAROMATIC, SULFUR AND NITROGEN COMPOUNDS IS INITIALLY SUBJECTED TO CATALYTIC HYDROFINING FOLLOWED BY HYDROCRACKING AT HIGH PRESSURES WITH A GROUP VI-B AND/OR GROUP VIII METAL PROMOTED, CRYYSTALLINR ZEOLITE CATALYST. THE HYDROCRACKING CONDITIONS ARE CHOSEN TO ACHIEVE 2-20% INCREASE IN HYDROGEN CONTENT OF THE 600* F.+ FRACTIION AND NOT MORE THAN 20 WT. PERCENT CONVERSION OF THE 800* F.+ FRACTIION TO LOWER-BOILING HYDROCARBONS. GASOLINE IS RECOVERED AS PRODUCT WHILE SUBJECTING THE HYDROCRACKED PRODUCT BOILING ABOVE 400* F. TO CATALYTIC CRACKING TO RECOVER A CRACKED GASOLINE PRODUCT, A CYCLE OIL AND HEAVY BOTTOMS, SAID BOTTOMS BEING RECYCLED TO THE HYDROFINING REACTION.