A hydrocarbon conversion catalyst composition which comprises ZSM-48 and/or EU-2 zeolite particles and refractory oxide binder essentially free of alumina in which the average aluminium concentration of the ZSM-48 and/or EU-2 zeolite particles is at least 1.3 times the aluminium concentration at the surface of the particles, processes for preparing such catalyst compositions and processes for converting hydrocarbon feedstock with the help of such compositions.

A syngas generator is disclosed as an exothermic gas generator that is configured to accommodate high combustion temperatures of a natural gas/oxygen flame. The generator consists of four sections: a heavily insulated combustion chamber, a catalyst chamber, a spray chamber, and a heat exchanger. In an example embodiment, these four sections are arranged in series and are tightly bolted together to form a gas tight system. Natural gas, oxygen and steam are supplied to a burner at the inlet end of the combustion chamber. This mixture is ignited and the resulting hot process gas is then fed into a catalyst bed where it reacts with the steam and is converted to carbon monoxide and hydrogen (syngas). The syngas is fed to a Fischer-Tropsch unit to create liquid fuel.

The invention concerns a catalyst containing an active cobalt phase deposited on a support comprising alumina, silica or silica-alumina, said support containing a mixed oxide phase containing cobalt and/or nickel, said catalyst being prepared by introducing at least one organic compound comprising at least one ester function. The invention also concerns its use in the field of Fischer-Tropsch synthesis processes.

A method of producing normally solid, normally liquid and optionally normally gaseous hydrocarbons involves contacting a gas mixture comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide with a catalyst under elevated temperature and pressure, to convert at least part of the hydrogen and carbon monoxide into hydrocarbons. An effluent is withdrawn from the reactor and subjected to a separation step to form at least a heavy fraction and a light fraction. The heavy fraction comprises normally solid hydrocarbons, while the light fraction comprises unconverted syngas and normally liquid and optionally normally gaseous hydrocarbons. The light fraction is sent to a light ends stripper operating at a temperature of maximally 200 C. to obtain a hydrocarbons fraction comprising normally liquid hydrocarbons. The heavy fraction is subjected to flash evaporation or steam stripping to obtain a hydrocarbon stream of normally solid hydrocarbons (comprising mainly C10+ hydrocarbons).

The disclosure deals with a slurry bubble column reactor for converting a gas mixture comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen into liquid hydrocarbons. The slurry bubble column reactor features a slurry bed of catalyst particles, an inlet conduit for feeding the gas mixture into the slurry bed, a filtration zone for separating the liquid hydrocarbons from the catalyst particles and a liquid outlet conduit for withdrawing the separated hydrocarbons from the filtration zone. The filtration zone is situated in the slurry bubble column reactor such that the slurry bed is found in a first and a second heat exchange zone with the filtration zone arranged between the first and the second heat exchange zone.

A broad aspect of the disclosure relates to a process for hydroprocessing of a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock stream comprising the steps of directing said hydrocarbonaceous feedstock stream to contact a material catalytically active in hydroprocessing thus providing a hydroprocessed stream separating said hydroprocessed stream in a purified hydrocarbon stream, sour water and a separation off-gas, separating said sour water in a purified water stream and sour stream, directing said sour stream as a liquid sour recycle stream either to contact said material catalytically active in hydroprocessing or to be combined with said hydroprocessed stream prior to step b, said material catalytically active in hydroprocessing comprising at least one base metal from Group 5, 8, 9 or 10 of the periodic table in sulfided state.

This has the benefit of minimizing or even avoiding the need for addition of sulfur to keep the catalytically active material in the active sulfided state.

A hydrocarbon conversion catalyst composition which comprises ZSM-48 and/or EU-2 zeolite particles and refractory oxide binder essentially free of alumina in which the average aluminium concentration of the ZSM-48 and/or EU-2 zeolite particles is at least 1.3 times the aluminium concentration at the surface of the particles, processes for preparing such catalyst compositions and processes for converting hydrocarbon feedstock with the help of such compositions.

A process is described for producing middle distillates from a paraffinic feedstock produced by Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and divided into a light fraction (cold condensate) and a heavy fraction (waxes). The process involves fractionation of the waxes to obtain a light fraction, the final boiling point of which is between 350 C. and 400 C., and a heavy fraction which boils above the light fraction. The light fraction is mixed with at least one portion of the cold condensate. The resultant mixture is hydrotreated in the presence of a hydrotreatment catalyst of at least one portion of the resultant effluent is hydroisomerized in the presence of a catalyst comprising at least one noble metal from Group VIII and at least one zeolite IZM-2. At least one portion of the heavy fraction is subjected to hydrocracking and hydroisomerization in the presence of a hydrocracking catalyst. The resultant effluents are fractionated to obtain at least one middle distillates fraction.

Process for the production of olefins and of middle distillates from a paraffinic feedstock, in which: a) a paraffinic feedstock resulting from a Fischer-Tropsch unit is recovered, the said feedstock containing a light fraction and a heavy fraction; b) the light fraction is sent to a catalytic cracking unit; c) the effluent resulting from the catalytic cracking unit is separated in a fractionation unit in order to obtain a fraction of light hydrocarbons, an olefinic fraction and a residual liquid fraction; d) the heavy fraction is sent to a hydrocracking/hydroisomerization unit; e) the effluent resulting from the hydrocracking/hydroisomerization unit is separated in a fractionation unit in order to obtain a middle distillates fraction, a naphtha cut having a maximum boiling point of less than 180 C. and an unconverted heavy fraction; f) a part of the naphtha cut resulting from the fractionation unit is sent to the catalytic cracking unit.

Process for the production of middle distillates from a paraffinic feedstock produced by Fischer-Tropsch synthesis comprising at least one light fraction, known as condensate, and a heavy fraction, known as waxes, in which: the said light fraction is stored in a vessel (B) maintained under an inert atmosphere and in which the temperature inside the vessel is maintained at a value of less than 20 C.; the said heavy fraction is stored in a vessel (C) maintained under an inert atmosphere and in which the temperature inside the vessel is maintained at a value of between 80 and 230 C.