A process for preparing a catalyst is disclosed. The process generally comprises the steps of: (a) preparing a slurry comprising clay, zeolite, a sodium-free silica source, quasi-crystalline boehmite, and micro-crystalline boehmite, provided that the slurry does not comprise peptized quasi-crystalline boehmite; (b) adding a monovalent acid to the slurry; (c) adjusting the pH of the slurry to a value above about 3, and (d) shaping the slurry to form particles. This process results in attrition resistant catalysts with a good accessibility.

The present invention provides a process for producing liquid hydrocarbon products from a solid biomass feedstock, said process comprising the steps of:

a) providing in a first hydropyrolysis reactor vessel a first hydropyrolysis catalyst composition;
b) contacting the solid biomass feedstock with said first hydropyrolysis catalyst composition and molecular hydrogen in said first hydropyrolysis reactor vessel to produce a product stream comprising partially deoxygenated hydropyrolysis product, H2O, H2, CO2, CO, C1-C3 gases, char and catalyst fines;
c) removing said char and catalyst fines from said product stream;
d) hydroconverting said partially deoxygenated hydropyrolysis product in a hydroconversion reactor vessel in the presence of one or more hydroconversion catalyst and of the H.sub.2O, CO.sub.2, CO, H.sub.2, and C.sub.1-C.sub.3 gas generated in step a), to produce a vapour phase product comprising substantially fully deoxygenated hydrocarbon product, H.sub.2O, CO, CO.sub.2, and C.sub.1-C.sub.3 gases.

The present invention provides a process for producing liquid hydrocarbon products from a solid biomass feedstock, said process comprising the steps of: a) providing in a first hydropyrolysis reactor vessel a first hydropyrolysis catalyst composition; b) contacting the solid biomass feedstock with said first hydropyrolysis catalyst composition and molecular hydrogen in said first hydropyrolysis reactor vessel to produce a product stream comprising partially deoxygenated hydropyrolysis product, H.sub.2O, H.sub.2, CO.sub.2, CO, C.sub.1-C.sub.3 gases, char and catalyst fines; c) removing said char and catalyst fines from said product stream; d) hydroconverting said partially deoxygenated hydropyrolysis product in a hydroconversion reactor vessel in the presence of one or more hydroconversion catalyst and of the H.sub.2O, CO.sub.2, CO, H.sub.2, and C.sub.1-C.sub.3 gas generated in step a), to produce a vapour phase product comprising substantially fully deoxygenated hydrocarbon product, H.sub.2O, CO, CO.sub.2, and C.sub.1-C.sub.3 gases.

Solid base catalysts and their use for the base-catalyzed depolymerization (BCD) of lignin to compounds such as aromatics are presented herein. Exemplary catalysts include layered double hydroxides (LDHs) as recyclable, heterogeneous catalysts for BCD of lignin.

A process for converting organic MSW into liquid fuels or chemical products in almost quantitative yield via catalytic one-pot hydrolytic depolymerization of organic MSW. The organic MSW comprises all organic materials that exists in municipal solid waste, such as paper and paperboard, food scraps, yard trimmings, rubber, leather, textiles, wood, plastics, etc. The process is the first one over the world for resourcing municipal solid waste.

The present invention relates to a solvothermal process for producing high quality fuels and chemicals from a biomass feedstock using lignin containing bioliquor as a solvent for hydrothermal liquefaction. The lignin containing bioliquor of the present invention is obtained as a waste stream from 2G-ethanol manufacturing plants.

Methods for the conversion of lignites, subbituminous coals and other carbonaceous feedstocks into synthetic oils, including oils with properties similar to light weight sweet crude oil using a solvent derived from hydrogenating oil produced by pyrolyzing lignite are set forth herein. Such methods may be conducted, for example, under mild operating conditions with a low cost stoichiometric co-reagent and/or a disposable conversion agent.

A method of obtaining a hydrocarbon material from a mined material comprises forming a colloidal dispersion comprising solid particles and a carrier fluid. The colloidal dispersion is mixed with a mined, hydrocarbon-containing material to form an emulsion stabilized by the solid particles. At least one property of the emulsion is modified to destabilize the emulsion. Additional methods of obtaining a hydrocarbon material from a mined material, and a stabilized emulsion are also described.

A process for hydrotreating recycled or renewable feedstocks with a catalytic microparticle slurry, and a process for manufacturing the catalytic microparticle slurry, are disclosed.

A method of extracting lignin from an aqueous composition by either treating the composition with a solvent and heat, or by acidifying the composition in order to induce phase separation.