An ebullated bed hydroprocessing system is upgraded using a dual catalyst system that includes a heterogeneous catalyst and dispersed metal sulfide particles to increase rate of production of converted products. The rate of production is achieved by increasing reactor severity, including increasing the operating temperature and at least one of throughput or conversion. The dual catalyst system permits increased reactor severity and provides increased production of converted products without a significant increase in equipment fouling and/or sediment production. In some cases, the rate of production of conversion products can be achieved while decreasing equipment fouling and/or sediment production.

An ebullated bed hydroprocessing system is upgraded using a dual catalyst system that includes a heterogeneous catalyst and dispersed metal sulfide particles to hydroprocess opportunity feedstocks (i.e., lower quality heavy oils or lower quality feedstock blends) while maintaining or increasing the rate of production of converted products. The dual catalyst system improves the ability of the upgraded ebullated bed hydroprocessing system to accommodate and withstand negative effects of periodic use of opportunity feedstocks (e.g., without significantly increasing equipment fouling and/or sediment production). In some cases, an upgraded ebullated bed reactor using the dual catalyst system can hydroprocess opportunity feedstocks while decreasing equipment fouling and/or sediment production.

A system and method for preparing and conditioning a heavy oil feedstock for hydroprocessing in a hydroprocessing system includes forming metal sulfide catalyst particles in situ within the heavy oil feedstock. The metal sulfide catalyst particles are formed in situ by (1) premixing a catalyst precursor with a hydrocarbon diluent to form a diluted precursor mixture, (2) mixing the diluted precursor mixture with the heavy oil feedstock to form a conditioned feedstock, and (3) heating the conditioned feedstock to decompose the catalyst precursor and cause or allow metal from the precursor to react with sulfur in the heavy oil feedstock to form metal sulfide catalyst particles in situ in the heavy oil feedstock. The in situ formed metal sulfide catalyst particles catalyze beneficial upgrading reactions between the heavy oil feedstock and hydrogen and eliminates or reduces formation of coke precursors and sediment.

The invention concerns a purge/sampling system for vessels, particularly for high temperature, high pressure vessels such as hydroconversion reactors used in refinery processes and operated in severe conditions. Such purge/sampling system comprises a purge/sampling line (16) equipped with a connector designed to be connected to the vessel (10), a first (18 and a second (20) flow regulation systems mounted in series on the purge/sampling line, wherein at least one injection line (22) is connected to the purge/sampling line between the first and the second flow regulation systems, said injection line comprising connecting means to a source of cleaning fluid (24) and at least one flow regulation device to control the flow of cleaning fluid through injection line and purge/sampling line The invention also concerns a vessel equipped with such a purge/sampling system, as well as a cleaning method using said purge/sampling system.

The invention concerns a purge/sampling system for vessels, particularly for high temperature, high pressure vessels such as hydroconversion reactors used in refinery processes and operated in severe conditions. Such purge/sampling system comprises a purge/sampling line (16) equipped with a connector designed to be connected to the vessel (10), a first (18 and a second (20) flow regulation systems mounted in series on the purge/sampling line, wherein at least one injection line (22) is connected to the purge/sampling line between the first and the second flow regulation systems, said injection line comprising connecting means to a source of cleaning fluid (24) and at least one flow regulation device to control the flow of cleaning fluid through injection line and purge/sampling line The invention also concerns a vessel equipped with such a purge/sampling system, as well as a cleaning method using said purge/sampling system.

The hydrogenation capacity of an upflow hydrocarbon hydrotreatment reactor is increased by expanding the gas-liquid contact surface.

The hydrogenation capacity of an upflow hydrocarbon hydrotreatment reactor is increased by expanding the gas-liquid contact surface.

A method is disclosed for making a slurry catalyst concentrate. The method includes reducing an average particle size of a first hydrotreating catalyst component to produce a reduced hydrotreating catalyst component having a reduced average particle size, wherein first hydrotreating catalyst component comprises one or more active metal components selected from Group VIB, Group VIII, and Group II metals; and mixing the reduced hydrotreating catalyst with a renewable liquid carrier composition in a mixing vessel to provide a slurry catalyst concentrate comprising 1 to 60 wt. % of the reduced hydrotreating catalyst component in the renewable liquid carrier composition.

A method is disclosed for making a slurry catalyst concentrate. The method includes reducing an average particle size of a first hydrotreating catalyst component to produce a reduced hydrotreating catalyst component having a reduced average particle size, wherein first hydrotreating catalyst component comprises one or more active metal components selected from Group VIB, Group VIII, and Group II metals; and mixing the reduced hydrotreating catalyst with a renewable liquid carrier composition in a mixing vessel to provide a slurry catalyst concentrate comprising 1 to 60 wt. % of the reduced hydrotreating catalyst component in the renewable liquid carrier composition.

System for mixing a catalyst precursor into heavy oil using a high boiling hydrocarbon diluent to form a diluted precursor mixture, which is mixed with the heavy oil to form a conditioned feedstock, which is heated to decompose the precursor and form dispersed metal sulfide catalyst particles in situ. The high boiling hydrocarbon diluent is at a temperature above the decomposition temperature of the catalyst precursor and is first fed through a cooler and/or mixed with a cooler diluent to reduce its temperature and avoid premature decomposition of the catalyst precursor. The high boiling hydrocarbon diluent may include a portion of the heavy oil feedstock, a portion of the conditioned feedstock, a vacuum tower bottoms product, or other high boiling hydrocarbon material having a boiling point higher than 524 C. A portion of the diluent may optionally include a medium boiling hydrocarbon material having a boiling point less than 524 C.