The present invention provides a process to prepare middle distillates and base oils from a Fischer-Tropsch product, by (a) subjecting the Fischer-Tropsch product to a hydroprocessing step in the presence of a catalyst comprising a molecular sieve with a pore size between 5 and 7 angstrom and a SiO.sub.2/AlO.sub.3 ratio of at least 25, preferably from 50 to 180 and a group VIII metal to obtain a mixture comprising one or more middle distillate fractions and a first residual fraction and a naphtha fraction; (b) separating the mixture as obtained in step (a) by means of atmospheric distillation into one or more middle distillate fractions, a first residual fraction and a naphtha fraction; (c) separating the first residual fraction by means of vacuum distillation into at least a distillate base oil fraction and a second residual fraction.

A structured catalyst for steam reforming of the present disclosure is used for producing reformed gas containing hydrogen from a reforming raw material containing hydrocarbon, and includes a support having a porous structure constituted of a zeolite-type compound, and at least one catalytic substance present inside the support. The support includes channels connecting with each other, and the catalytic substance is metal nanoparticles and present at least in the channels of the support.

Catalyst systems are provided, along with corresponding methods, for single stage conversion of synthesis gas to fuel boiling range products with increased selectivity for either naphtha production (C.sub.5-C.sub.9) or distillate production (C.sub.10-C.sub.20). The increased selectivity for naphtha production or distillate production is provided in conjunction with a reduced selectivity for higher boiling range components (C.sub.21+).

The structured catalyst for oxidation for exhaust gas purification includes a support having a porous structure constituted by a zeolite-type compound, and at least one type of oxidation catalyst that is present in the support and selected from the group consisting of metal and metal oxide, the support having channels that communicate with each other, and the oxidation catalyst being present in at least the channels of the support.

Methods are provided for using a molecular sieve catalyst for dewaxing formed using a synthesis mixture comprising a morphology modifier. The catalyst may be used, for example, for production of a lubricant base stock. For example, ZSM-48 crystals formed using the morphology modifier (and/or formulated catalysts made using such crystals) can have an increased activity and/or can provide an improved yield during catalytic dewaxing of lubricant base stocks.

A process for selectively making hydrocracked n-paraffins from hydrocarbon compositions comprising heavy n-paraffins is disclosed. The process generally comprises the use of a hydrocracking catalyst comprising an unsulfided low acidity noble metal containing zeolite. The invention is useful for making lighter n-paraffin products for various applications, generally including upgrading hydrocarbon feedstocks to produce fuels, solvents, lubricants, chemicals and other hydrocarbonaceous compositions, and more particularly, as feedstocks for ethylene and linear alkyl benzene production and as jet and diesel fuel blend components.

A process for preparing a base oil fraction having a reduced cloud point from a hydrocarbon feed which is derived from a Fischer-Tropsch process is provided. The process comprises: subjecting a hydrocarbon feed which is derived from a Fischer-Tropsch process to a catalytic dewaxing treatment to obtain an at least partially isomerised product; separating at least part of the at least partially isomerised product into one or more light hydrocarbon fractions and one or more heavy base oil fractions; separating at least one of the heavy base oil fractions by means of a first membrane into a first permeate and a first retentate; separating at least part of the first permeate by means of a second membrane into a second permeate and a second retentate; and recovering the second permeate.

A process for reducing haze in a heavy base oil includes: obtaining a first effluent oil by contacting a hydrocarbon feedstock with a first catalyst including a zeolite of the ZSM-12 family; and obtaining a second effluent oil by contacting the first effluent oil with a second catalyst including a zeolite of the ZSM-48 family. A hydroisomerization catalyst system having reduced haze includes: a first catalytic region having a first catalyst disposed therein, the first catalyst including a zeolite of the ZSM-12 family; and a second catalytic region having a second catalyst disposed therein, the second catalyst including a zeolite of the ZSM-48 family. The first catalytic region is disposed upstream of the second catalytic region.

This invention relates to process for producing biphenyl esters, the process comprising: (a) contacting a feed comprising toluene, xylene or mixtures thereof with hydrogen in the presence of a hydroalkylation catalyst to produce a hydroalkylation reaction product comprising (methylcyclohexyl)toluene, wherein the hydroalkylation catalyst comprises: 1) binder present at 40 wt % or less (based upon weight of final catalyst composition), 2) a hydrogenation component present at 0.2 wt % or less (based upon weight of final catalyst composition), and 3) an acidic component comprising a molecular sieve having a twelve membered (or larger) ring pore opening, channel or pocket and a largest pore dimension of 6.0 angstroms or more present at 60 wt % or more, (based upon weight of final catalyst composition); (b) dehydrogenating the hydroalkylation reaction product using a dehydrogenation catalyst to produce a dehydrogenation reaction product comprising a mixture of methyl-substituted biphenyl compounds; (c) contacting at the dehydrogenation reaction product with an oxidizing gas to convert the methyl-substituted biphenyl compounds to biphenyl carboxylic acids; and (d) reacting the biphenyl carboxylic acids with one or more C.sub.1 to C.sub.14 alcohols to produce biphenyl esters.

Disclosed are processes for conversion of a feedstock comprising C.sub.8+ aromatic hydrocarbons to lighter aromatic products in which the feedstock and optionally hydrogen are contacted in the presence of the catalyst composition under conversion conditions effective to dealkylate and transalkylate said C.sub.8+ aromatic hydrocarbons to produce said lighter aromatic products comprising benzene, toluene and xylene. The catalyst composition comprises a zeolite, a first metal, and a second metal, and is treated with a source of sulfur and/or a source of steam.