The invention relates to a process for producing benzene, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a hydrocracking feed stream comprising C5-C12 hydrocarbons, (b) contacting the hydrocracking feed stream in the presence of hydrogen with a hydrocracking catalyst comprising 0.01-1 wt-% hydrogenation metal in relation to the total catalyst weight and a zeolite having a pore size of 5-8 A and a silica (SiO2) to alumina (Al.sub.2O.sub.3) molar ratio of 5-200 under process conditions including a temperature of 425-580? C., a pressure of 300-5000 kPa gauge and a Weight Hourly Space Velocity of 0.1-15 h.sup.?1 to produce a hydrocracking product stream comprising benzene, toluene and C8+ hydrocarbons, (c) separating benzene, toluene and the C8+ hydrocarbons from the hydrocracking product stream and (d) selectively recycling back at least part of the toluene from the separated products of step (c) to be included in the hydrocracking feed stream process for producing benzene from a c5-c12 hydrocarbon mixture

A hydrocracking catalyst having a support of a composite of mesoporous materials, molecular sieves and alumina, is used in the last bed of a multi-bed system for treating heavy crude oils and residues and is designed to increase the production of intermediate distillates having boiling points in a temperature range of 204? C. to 538? C., decrease the production of the heavy fraction (>538? C.), and increase the production of gasoline fraction (<204? C.). The feedstock to be processed in the last bed contains low amounts of metals and is lighter than the feedstock that is fed to the first catalytic bed.

A hydrocracking catalyst having a support of a composite of mesoporous materials, molecular sieves and alumina, is used in the last bed of a multi-bed system for treating heavy crude oils and residues and is designed to increase the production of intermediate distillates having boiling points in a temperature range of 204? C. to 538? C., decrease the production of the heavy fraction (>538? C.), and increase the production of gasoline fraction (<204? C.). The feedstock to be processed in the last bed contains low amounts of metals and is lighter than the feedstock that is fed to the first catalytic bed.

Zn-promoted and/or Ga-promoted cracking catalysts, such as cracking catalysts comprising an MSE framework zeolite or an MFI framework zeolite can provide unexpectedly superior conversion of branched paraffins when used as part of a catalyst during reforming of a hydrocarbon fuel stream. The conversion and reforming of the hydrocarbon fuel stream can occur, for example, in an internal combustion engine. The conversion and reforming can allow for formation of higher octane compounds from the branched paraffins.

A process for the hydroprocessing of heavy oils and/or oil residues, the process comprising the step of contacting the heavy oils and/or oil residues with a non-metallised carbonaceous additive in the presence of a hydrogen-containing gas at a temperature of from 250 C. to 600 C., wherein at least 80% of the cumulative pore volume of the non-metallised carbonaceous additive arises from pores having a pore size of at least 2 nm, wherein at least 50% of the cumulative pore volume of the non-metallised carbonaceous additive arises from pores having a pore size of at least 5 nm, and/or wherein at least 30% of the cumulative pore volume of the non-metallised carbonaceous additive arises from pores having a pore size of at least 10 nm.

A hydrocracking catalyst having a support of a composite of mesoporous materials, molecular sieves and alumina, is used in the last bed of a multi-bed system for treating heavy crude oils and residues and is designed to increase the production of intermediate distillates having boiling points in a temperature range of 204? C. to 538? C., decrease the production of the heavy fraction (>538? C.), and increase the production of gasoline fraction (<204? C.). The feedstock to be processed in the last bed contains low amounts of metals and is lighter than the feedstock that is fed to the first catalytic bed.

A process for preparing a hydrocarbon conversion catalyst that comprises a specially made silica-alumina composition and a metal or metal compound selected from Group VIB and Group VIII metals. The silica-alumina composition is made by preparing an aqueous mixture containing aluminum sulfate followed by adding alkali metal aluminate to the mixture to enhance the pH to within specified range and then adding aluminum sulfate to the mixture to lower the pH. Then alkali metal silicate is added followed by several other pH swings to provide a mixture containing silica-alumina. The resulting mixture is treated with an alkaline solution to provide a precipitate solid that is recovered to obtain a silica-alumina composition containing of from 30 to 70% wt silica and of from 70 to 30% wt of alumina.

A process for preparing a hydrocarbon conversion catalyst that comprises a specially made silica-alumina composition and a metal or metal compound selected from Group VIB and Group VIII metals. The silica-alumina composition is made by preparing an aqueous mixture containing aluminum sulfate followed by adding alkali metal aluminate to the mixture to enhance the pH to within specified range and then adding aluminum sulfate to the mixture to lower the pH. Then alkali metal silicate is added followed by several other pH swings to provide a mixture containing silica-alumina. The resulting mixture is treated with an alkaline solution to provide a precipitate solid that is recovered to obtain a silica-alumina composition containing of from 30 to 70% wt silica and of from 70 to 30% wt of alumina.

A process plant and a process for production of a hydrocarbon fraction suitable for use as jet fuel from a feedstock being a renewable feedstock or an oxygenate feedstock, including combining the feedstock with an amount of a hydrocracked intermediate product and optionally an additional liquid diluent, to form a combined feedstock, directing the combined feedstock to contact a material catalytically active in hydrodeoxygenation under hydrotreating conditions to provide a hydrodeoxygenated intermediate product, separating the hydrodeoxygenated intermediate product in at least two fractions; a vapor fraction and a liquid fraction, directing at least an amount of the liquid fraction to contact a material catalytically active in isomerization under isomerization conditions to provide an isomerized intermediate product, fractionating said isomerized intermediate product to provide at least a hydrocarbon suitable for use as jet fuel and a bottom fraction, hydrocracking the bottom fraction to provide the hydrocracked intermediate product.

A process plant and a process for production of a hydrocarbon fraction suitable for use as jet fuel from a feedstock being a renewable feedstock or an oxygenate feedstock, including combining the feedstock with an amount of a hydrocracked intermediate product and optionally an additional liquid diluent, to form a combined feedstock, directing the combined feedstock to contact a material catalytically active in hydrodeoxygenation under hydrotreating conditions to provide a hydrodeoxygenated intermediate product, separating the hydrodeoxygenated intermediate product in at least two fractions; a vapor fraction and a liquid fraction, directing at least an amount of the liquid fraction to contact a material catalytically active in isomerization under isomerization conditions to provide an isomerized intermediate product, fractionating said isomerized intermediate product to provide at least a hydrocarbon suitable for use as jet fuel and a bottom fraction, hydrocracking the bottom fraction to provide the hydrocracked intermediate product.