The invention relates to a process for dehydration of a mono-alcohol, or of a mixture of at least two mono-alcohols, having at least 2 carbon atoms and at most 7 carbon atoms into olefins having the same number of carbons, wherein the process uses a catalyst composition that comprises a modified crystalline aluminosilicate has an acidity between 350 and 500 mol/g that comprises, and further wherein the catalyst composition is obtained by a process comprising the steps of providing a crystalline aluminosilicate having a Si/Al framework molar ratio greater than 10; and steaming said crystalline aluminosilicate, or said shaped and/or calcined crystalline aluminosilicate at a temperature ranging from 100 C. to 380 C.; and under a gas phase atmosphere, without liquid, containing from 5 wt % to 100 wt % of steam; at a pressure ranging from 2 to 200 bars; at a partial pressure of H.sub.2O from 2 bars to 200 bars; and said steaming being performed during at least 30 min and up to 144 h.

The invention relates to a process for dehydration of a mono-alcohol, or of a mixture of at least two mono-alcohols, having at least 2 carbon atoms and at most 7 carbon atoms into olefins having the same number of carbons, wherein the process uses a catalyst composition that comprises a modified crystalline aluminosilicate has an acidity between 350 and 500 mol/g that comprises, and further wherein the catalyst composition is obtained by a process comprising the steps of providing a crystalline aluminosilicate having a Si/Al framework molar ratio greater than 10; and steaming said crystalline aluminosilicate, or said shaped and/or calcined crystalline aluminosilicate at a temperature ranging from 100 C. to 380 C.; and under a gas phase atmosphere, without liquid, containing from 5 wt % to 100 wt % of steam; at a pressure ranging from 2 to 200 bars; at a partial pressure of H.sub.2O from 2 bars to 200 bars; and said steaming being performed during at least 30 min and up to 144 h.

Processes for producing liquid transportation fuels by converting a hydrocarbon feed stream comprising both isopentane and n-pentane. The hydrocarbon feed stream is separated into a first fraction that predominantly comprises isopentane and a second fraction that predominantly comprises n-pentane and some C6 paraffins. The first fraction is catalytically activated to an activation effluent comprising olefins and aromatics, while the second fraction is isomerized to convert at least a portion of the n-pentane to isopentane, then combined with the hydrocarbon feed stream to allow the newly-produced isopentane to be separated into the first fraction. The process yields products that are suitable for use as a blend component of liquid transportation fuels.

Ebullated bed reactors may be used to synthesize olefin compositions exhibiting low sediment toxicity and favorable pour points. The olefin compositions are formed by isomerizing linear alpha olefins (LAOs) into linear internal olefins (LIOs), skeletal isomerized branched olefins, or any combination thereof. Methods for preparing olefin compositions comprising LIOs and, optionally, branched olefins may comprise: providing an olefinic feed comprising one or more LAOs, and interacting the olefinic feed with a plurality of catalyst particulates in an ebullated bed reactor to form an isomerized product. The catalyst particulates are effective to isomerize the one or more LAOs into one or more of LIOs, skeletal isomerized branched olefins, or combinations thereof. The isomerized product may be incorporated in drilling fluids, particularly those intended for subsea use, due to their favorable environmental profile and low pour points. Some catalyst particulates may produce no more branching than that present in the LAOs.

Ebullated bed reactors may be used to synthesize olefin compositions exhibiting low sediment toxicity and favorable pour points. The olefin compositions are formed by isomerizing linear alpha olefins (LAOs) into linear internal olefins (LIOs), skeletal isomerized branched olefins, or any combination thereof. Methods for preparing olefin compositions comprising LIOs and, optionally, branched olefins may comprise: providing an olefinic feed comprising one or more LAOs, and interacting the olefinic feed with a plurality of catalyst particulates in an ebullated bed reactor to form an isomerized product. The catalyst particulates are effective to isomerize the one or more LAOs into one or more of LIOs, skeletal isomerized branched olefins, or combinations thereof. The isomerized product may be incorporated in drilling fluids, particularly those intended for subsea use, due to their favorable environmental profile and low pour points. Some catalyst particulates may produce no more branching than that present in the LAOs.

The invention relates to a process for the manufacture of diesel range hydrocarbons wherein a feed is hydrotreated in a hydrotreating step and isomerised in an isomerisation step, and a feed comprising fresh feed containing more than 5 wt % of free fatty acids and at least one diluting agent is hydrotreated at a reaction temperature of 200-400 C., in a hydrotreating reactor in the presence of catalyst, and the ratio of the diluting agent/fresh feed is 5-30:1.

The present invention relates to a method for converting a feed mixture comprising an aromatic C8 mixture of xylenes and ethylbenzene in which the para-xylene content of the xylene portion of the feed is less than equilibrium to produce a product mixture of reduced ethylbenzene content and a greater amount of para-xylene, which method comprises contacting the feed mixture at conversion conditions with a first catalyst having activity for the conversion of ethylbenzene, and with a second catalyst having activity for the isomerization of a xylene.

The present invention relates to a catalyst composition comprising a modified crystalline aluminosilicate of the Framework Type FER having Si/Al framework molar/ratio greater than 20 characterized in that in said modified crystalline aluminosilicate the ratio between the strong acid sites and the weak acid sites, S/W, is lower than 1.0 and having the extra framework aluminum (EFAL) content lowered to less than 10 wt % preferably 5 wt % even more preferably less than 2 wt % measured by 27Al MAS NMR. The present invention further relates to a process for producing olefins from alcohols in presence of said catalyst composition.

The present invention relates to a catalyst composition comprising a modified crystalline aluminosilicate of the Framework Type FER having Si/Al framework molar/ratio greater than 20 characterized in that in said modified crystalline aluminosilicate the ratio between the strong acid sites and the weak acid sites, S/W, is lower than 1.0 and having the extra framework aluminum (EFAL) content lowered to less than 10 wt % preferably 5 wt % even more preferably less than 2 wt % measured by 27Al MAS NMR. The present invention further relates to a process for producing olefins from alcohols in presence of said catalyst composition.

Para-xylene is separated from a mixture of xylenes and ethylbenzene by a separation process. An ortho-selective adsorbent is used to reduce the ortho-xylene concentration of the xylenes, prior to contact of the xylenes and ethylbenzene with a para-selective adsorbent. The stream rich in ortho-xylene may be isomerized in the liquid phase to increase the amount of para-xylene therein. The para-xylene-depleted stream may be treated in the vapor phase to remove the ethylbenzene and then subjected to isomerization in the liquid phase to produce a stream having a higher than equilibrium amount of para-xylene.