An ebullated bed process for the hydroconversion of heavy hydrocarbon feedstocks that provides for high conversion of the heavy hydrocarbon with a low sediment yield. The process uses for its catalyst bed small particles of a specifically defined shaped hydroprocessing catalyst which is contacted with the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock under hydroconversion conditions and yields a hydrocarbon conversion having a relatively low sediment content.

A process is provided to partially upgrade heavy oil using two or more reaction zones connected in series, each reaction zone being a continuous stirred tank maintained at hydrocracking conditions. The heavy oil feedstock and a solid particulate catalyst are stirred to form pumpable slurry which is heated to a target hydrocracking temperature and then continuously fed to the first reaction zone. Hydrogen is continuously introduced to the reaction zone to achieve hydrocracking and to produce a volatile vapour stream carried upwardly by the hydrogen to produce an overhead vapour stream. The hydrocracked heavy oil slurry from one reaction zone is fed to a next reaction zone also maintained under hydrocracking conditions with a continuous hydrogen feed to produce a volatile vapour stream. The overhead vapour stream from each reactor zone is continuously removed, and the hydrocracked heavy oil slurry from the last of the reaction zones is removed.

This disclosure relates to new crystalline microporous solids (including silicate- and aluminosilicate-based solids), the compositions comprising 8 and 10 membered inorganic rings, particularly those having IWV topologies having a range of Si:Al ratios, methods of preparing these and known crystalline microporous solids using certain quaternized imidazolium cation templates.

This disclosure relates to new crystalline microporous solids (including silicate- and aluminosilicate-based solids), the compositions comprising 8 and 10 membered inorganic rings, particularly those having IWV topologies having a range of Si:Al ratios, methods of preparing these and known crystalline microporous solids using certain quaternized imidazolium cation templates.

A process and apparatus is disclosed for converting heavy hydrocarbon feed into lighter hydrocarbon products. The heavy hydrocarbon feed is slurried with a catalyst comprising iron oxide and alumina to form a heavy hydrocarbon slurry and hydrocracked to produce lighter hydrocarbons. The slurry hydrocracking reaction can be controlled by measuring the production of mesophase using X-ray diffraction. Upon a mesophase yield fraction reaching a predetermined level, reaction conditions should be moderated to avoid excessive coke production.

A process and apparatus is disclosed for converting heavy hydrocarbon feed into lighter hydrocarbon products. The heavy hydrocarbon feed is slurried with a catalyst comprising iron oxide and alumina to form a heavy hydrocarbon slurry and hydrocracked to produce lighter hydrocarbons. The slurry hydrocracking reaction can be controlled by measuring the production of mesophase using X-ray diffraction. Upon a mesophase yield fraction reaching a predetermined level, reaction conditions should be moderated to avoid excessive coke production.

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.

A method of producing olefins by catalytic cracking of hydrocarbons is disclosed. The method may include catalytic cracking hydrocarbons in a feed stream that includes the hydrocarbons and the dry gas diluent. The catalytic cracking may be carried out in a process using a train of fixed bed reactors while one or more other trains of fixed bed reactors are being regenerated or are on standby after being regenerated. When the train of fixed bed reactors being used needs regenerating, it is taken out of service and the one or more other trains of fixed bed reactors put in service to carry out the catalytic cracking process. Dry gas instead of steam may be used to reduce the partial pressure of hydrocarbons.

A method of producing olefins by catalytic cracking of hydrocarbons is disclosed. The method may include catalytic cracking hydrocarbons in a feed stream that includes the hydrocarbons and the dry gas diluent. The catalytic cracking may be carried out in a process using a train of fixed bed reactors while one or more other trains of fixed bed reactors are being regenerated or are on standby after being regenerated. When the train of fixed bed reactors being used needs regenerating, it is taken out of service and the one or more other trains of fixed bed reactors put in service to carry out the catalytic cracking process. Dry gas instead of steam may be used to reduce the partial pressure of hydrocarbons.

The invention relates to systems and methods for ultrasonic oxidative desulfurization of heavy fuel oils. In various embodiments, the methods include combinations of ultrasonic sulfone decomposition processes and/or catalytic decomposition processes.