A method for isomerizing alpha olefins to produce an isomerization mixture comprising branched olefins can comprise contacting an olefinic feed including one or more C.sub.10-C.sub.20 alpha olefins with a catalyst under skeletal isomerization conditions, wherein the catalyst comprises a molecular sieve having an MRE topology; and obtaining an isomerization mixture comprising one or more C.sub.10-C.sub.20 branched olefins.

A method of producing p-xylene comprising the steps of separating the reformate feed in the reformate splitter to produce a benzene stream, a combined heavy stream, a xylene stream, and a toluene stream, converting the C9+ aromatic hydrocarbons in the presence of a dealkylation catalyst in the dealkylation reactor to produce a dealkylation effluent, separating the dealkylation effluent in the dealkylation splitter to produce a C9 stream and a C10+ stream, reacting the C9 stream, the toluene stream, the benzene stream, and the hydrogen stream in the presence of a transalkylation catalyst in the transalkylation reactor to produce a transalkylation effluent, separating the p-xylenes from the xylene stream in the p-xylene separation unit to produce a p-xylene product and a p-xylene depleted stream, converting the m-xylene and o-xylene in the p-xylene depleted stream in the isomerization unit to produce an isomerization effluent.

A method of producing p-xylene comprising the steps of separating the reformate feed in the reformate splitter to produce a benzene stream, a combined heavy stream, a xylene stream, and a toluene stream, converting the C9+ aromatic hydrocarbons in the presence of a dealkylation catalyst in the dealkylation reactor to produce a dealkylation effluent, separating the dealkylation effluent in the dealkylation splitter to produce a C9 stream and a C10+ stream, reacting the C9 stream, the toluene stream, the benzene stream, and the hydrogen stream in the presence of a transalkylation catalyst in the transalkylation reactor to produce a transalkylation effluent, separating the p-xylenes from the xylene stream in the p-xylene separation unit to produce a p-xylene product and a p-xylene depleted stream, converting the m-xylene and o-xylene in the p-xylene depleted stream in the isomerization unit to produce an isomerization effluent.

Processes and apparatuses for producing a C.sub.8 aromatic isomer product are provided. The process comprises introducing a reformate stream comprising aromatic hydrocarbons to a reformate splitter column to provide a plurality of streams. One or more streams comprising at least one stream from the plurality of streams is passed to a reformate upgrading unit to obtain an upgraded reformate stream. The upgraded reformate stream is passed to an aromatics stripper column to provide an aromatics stripper sidedraw stream comprising C.sub.8 aromatic hydrocarbons. The aromatics stripper sidedraw stream is passed to a xylene separation unit to provide the C.sub.8 aromatic isomer product and a raffinate product stream. At least a portion of the raffinate product stream is processed in a liquid phase isomerization unit to obtain an isomerized stream.

Processes and apparatuses for producing a C.sub.8 aromatic isomer product are provided. The process comprises introducing a reformate stream comprising aromatic hydrocarbons to a reformate splitter column to provide a plurality of streams. One or more streams comprising at least one stream from the plurality of streams is passed to a reformate upgrading unit to obtain an upgraded reformate stream. The upgraded reformate stream is passed to an aromatics stripper column to provide an aromatics stripper sidedraw stream comprising C.sub.8 aromatic hydrocarbons. The aromatics stripper sidedraw stream is passed to a xylene separation unit to provide the C.sub.8 aromatic isomer product and a raffinate product stream. At least a portion of the raffinate product stream is processed in a liquid phase isomerization unit to obtain an isomerized stream.

The invention relates to a process for combined ethylbenzene reforming and xylene isomerisation comprising contacting a hydrocarbon feedstock containing ethylbenzene and xylene with a catalyst comprising a catalyst carrier and one or more metal(s) supported on the catalyst carrier, wherein the catalyst carrier is an extrudate comprising (i) a ZSM-48 and/or EU-2 type zeolite and (ii) an alumina binder, the extrudate having a shape with a C/A value of at least 3, where C is the circumference of the extrudate and A is the cross-sectional area of the extrudate. The metal may be platinum and the alumina may be a wide-pore alumina. The process displays high conversion rates whilst maintaining low levels of side-product formation.

The invention relates to a process for combined ethylbenzene reforming and xylene isomerisation comprising contacting a hydrocarbon feedstock containing ethylbenzene and xylene with a catalyst comprising a catalyst carrier and one or more metal(s) supported on the catalyst carrier, wherein the catalyst carrier is an extrudate comprising (i) a ZSM-48 and/or EU-2 type zeolite and (ii) an alumina binder, the extrudate having a shape with a C/A value of at least 3, where C is the circumference of the extrudate and A is the cross-sectional area of the extrudate. The metal may be platinum and the alumina may be a wide-pore alumina. The process displays high conversion rates whilst maintaining low levels of side-product formation.

A process for isomerizing an aromatic cut containing at least one aromatic compound containing eight carbon atoms per molecule is described, comprising bringing said cut into contact with at least one catalyst comprising at least one metal from group VIII of the periodic classification of the elements, at least one zeolitic support comprising a zeolite selected from zeolites with structure type EUO and MOR, used alone or as a mixture, and at least one matrix, such that the specific surface area of the matrix in the zeolitic support of said catalyst is in the range 5 to 200 m.sup.2/g.

The field of this claimed subject matter generally relates to liquid phase isomerization technology. More specification, the field relates to liquid phase isomerization in complete absence of hydrogen which eliminates the need for gas-liquid separation at the reactor outlet. Even in the absence of the hydrogen, the catalyst demonstrates a stable isomerization performance with a paraxylene to xylene ratio of about 23 wt % in the product stream.

The field of this claimed subject matter generally relates to liquid phase isomerization technology. More specification, the field relates to liquid phase isomerization in complete absence of hydrogen which eliminates the need for gas-liquid separation at the reactor outlet. Even in the absence of the hydrogen, the catalyst demonstrates a stable isomerization performance with a paraxylene to xylene ratio of about 23 wt % in the product stream.