Integrated processes for upgrading crude shale-derived oils, such as those produced by oil shale retorting or by in situ extraction or combinations thereof. Processes disclosed provide for a split-flow processing scheme to upgrade whole shale oil. The split flow concepts described herein, i.e., naphtha and kerosene hydrotreating in one or more stages and gas oil hydrotreating in one or more stages, requires additional equipment as compared to the alternative approach of whole oil hydrotreating. While contrary to conventional wisdom as requiring more capital equipment to achieve the same final product specifications, the operating efficiency vis a vis on-stream time efficiency and product quality resulting from the split flow concept far exceed in value the somewhat incrementally higher capital expenditure costs.

The invention relates to a process for adding an organic compound to a porous solid wherein the porous solid and the organic compound in the liquid state are brought together simultaneously, without physical contact between the solid and the organic compound in the liquid state, at a temperature below the boiling point of the organic compound and under pressure and time conditions such that a fraction of said organic compound is transferred gaseously to the porous solid.

Multi-metallic bulk catalysts and methods for synthesizing the same are provided. The multi-metallic bulk catalysts contain nickel, molybdenum tungsten, copper, and optionally, titanium and/or niobium. The catalysts are useful for hydroprocessing, particularly hydrodesulfurization and hydrodenitrogenation, of hydrocarbon feedstocks.

Catalytic system which can be used in processes for the hydroconversion of heavy oils by means of hydrotreatment in slurry phase, characterized in that it comprises: a catalyst, having the function of hydrogenating agent, containing MoS.sub.2 or WS.sub.2 or mixtures thereof in lamellar form or an oil-soluble precursor thereof; a co-catalyst, having nanometric or micronic particle-sizes, selected from cracking and/or denitrogenation catalysts. The co-catalyst preferably consists of zeolites having small-sized crystals and with a low aggregation degree between the primary particles, and/or oxides or sulfides or precursors of sulfides of Ni and/or Co in a mixture with Mo and/or W.

Catalytic system which can be used in processes for the hydroconversion of heavy oils by means of hydrotreatment in slurry phase, characterized in that it comprises: a catalyst, having the function of hydrogenating agent, containing MoS.sub.2 or WS.sub.2 or mixtures thereof in lamellar form or an oil-soluble precursor thereof; a co-catalyst, having nanometric or micronic particle-sizes, selected from cracking and/or denitrogenation catalysts. The co-catalyst preferably consists of zeolites having small-sized crystals and with a low aggregation degree between the primary particles, and/or oxides or sulfides or precursors of sulfides of Ni and/or Co in a mixture with Mo and/or W.

A catalyst which comprises an amorphous support based on alumina, a C1-C4 dialkyl succinate, citric acid and optionally acetic acid, phosphorus and a hydrodehydrogenating function comprising at least one element from group VIII and at least one element from group VIB; the most intense bands comprised in the Raman spectrum of the catalyst are characteristic of Keggin heteropolyanions (974 and/or 990 cm.sup.−1), C1-C4 dialkyl succinate and citric acid (in particular 785 and 956 cm.sup.−1). Also a process for preparing said catalyst in which a catalytic precursor in the dried, calcined or regenerated state containing the elements of the hydrodehydrogenating function, and optionally phosphorus, is impregnated with an impregnation solution comprising at least one C1-C4 dialkyl succinate, citric acid and optionally at least one compound of phosphorus and optionally acetic acid, and is then dried. Further, the use of said catalyst in any hydrotreatment process.

A catalyst which comprises an amorphous support based on alumina, a C1-C4 dialkyl succinate, citric acid and optionally acetic acid, phosphorus and a hydrodehydrogenating function comprising at least one element from group VIII and at least one element from group VIB; the most intense bands comprised in the Raman spectrum of the catalyst are characteristic of Keggin heteropolyanions (974 and/or 990 cm.sup.−1), C1-C4 dialkyl succinate and citric acid (in particular 785 and 956 cm.sup.−1). Also a process for preparing said catalyst in which a catalytic precursor in the dried, calcined or regenerated state containing the elements of the hydrodehydrogenating function, and optionally phosphorus, is impregnated with an impregnation solution comprising at least one C1-C4 dialkyl succinate, citric acid and optionally at least one compound of phosphorus and optionally acetic acid, and is then dried. Further, the use of said catalyst in any hydrotreatment process.

The present invention relates to the use, in a method for in-situ activation of at least one hydrotreating, in particular hydrocracking, catalyst, of at least one nitrogen compound having at least one of the following characteristics: a) a nitrogen content by weight in the range from 15 to 35 wt %, relative to the total weight of the nitrogen compound; b) a number of nitrogen atoms in the range from 2 to 20; c) a boiling point in the range from 140° C. to 300° C.; and d) said nitrogen compound being in liquid form at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. The present invention also relates to the method for in-situ activation of at least one hydrotreating catalyst comprising at least one step of sulphiding said hydrotreating catalyst in the presence of a sulphiding agent, and a step of passivation of said hydrotreating catalyst in the presence of said at least one nitrogen compound.

The present invention relates to the use, in a method for in-situ activation of at least one hydrotreating, in particular hydrocracking, catalyst, of at least one nitrogen compound having at least one of the following characteristics: a) a nitrogen content by weight in the range from 15 to 35 wt %, relative to the total weight of the nitrogen compound; b) a number of nitrogen atoms in the range from 2 to 20; c) a boiling point in the range from 140° C. to 300° C.; and d) said nitrogen compound being in liquid form at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. The present invention also relates to the method for in-situ activation of at least one hydrotreating catalyst comprising at least one step of sulphiding said hydrotreating catalyst in the presence of a sulphiding agent, and a step of passivation of said hydrotreating catalyst in the presence of said at least one nitrogen compound.

A method for producing aromatic compounds from pyrolysis oil comprises: upgrading the pyrolysis oil to pyrolysis gasoline in a multi-stage reactor comprising a slurry-phase reactor and a fixed-bed reactor, wherein the slurry-phase reactor comprises a mixed metal oxide catalyst, and the fixed-bed reactor comprises a mesoporous zeolite-supported metal catalyst; aromatizing the pyrolysis gasoline in an aromatization unit; hydrodealkylating and transalkylating a product from the aromatization unit in a hydrodealkylation-transalkylation unit, thereby producing an aromatic stream; and processing the aromatic stream in an aromatics recovery complex to produce the aromatic compounds comprising benzene, toluene, and xylenes (BTX).