Abstract: Heavy petroleum oils, such as vacuum resids, and heavy fractions of tar sands and shale oil, are partially converted to more volatile hydrocarbons by mixing with light aromatic hydrocarbons and treatment of the mixture with a Friedel-Crafts catalyst such as aluminum chloride. It is believed that the conversion found is essentially a transalkylation, i.e. the resid undergoes dealkylation with concurrent alkylation of the light aromatic hydrocarbon.

Abstract: In a process for converting a high boiling hydrocarbon charge fraction to liquid products of lower boiling range which comprises contacting said charge fraction with a crystalline zeolite characterized by a silica/alumina ratio greater than 12, a constraint index between about 1 and about 12 and an acid activity measured by the alpha scale less than 10, said contacting being conducted at 650.degree. to 850.degree. F., space velocity of 0.1 to 5.0 LHSV and a pressure not less than about 200 psi, the improvement which comprises utilizing, as catalyst, a zeolite of the above character that is prepared by steaming followed by base exchange to substantially eliminate its activity for cracking n-hexane.

Abstract: This invention provides a novel catalyst exemplified by cobalt-exchanged ZSM-5. The catalyst has unusual resistance to irreversible steam degradation. After long-term exposure to steam, it may be regenerated by sulfiding. The invention further provides a process for converting, in the presence of steam, compounds subject to catalytic conversion by acidic catalysts, including a process in which steam is inherently produced. The latter conversion is exemplified by the formation of higher carbon-numbered hydrocarbons from the lower alcohols or ethers thereof.

Abstract: Living plants and animals synthesize and often accumulate a wide variety of organic materials having a molecular weight greater than 150. These include different chemical types such as natural hydrocarbons including rubbery substances, natural resins, and natural glycerides such as oils and fats. These substances, formed in the anabolic process, are collectively called "anabolites".This invention provides a process for catalytically converting certain anabolites to liquid hydrocarbons useful for the manufacture of fuels such as gasoline and chemicals such as para-xylene. Crystalline aluminosilicate zeolites having an effective pore size of greater than about 5 Angstrom units are useful catalysts.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for converting an asphalt-free heavy hydrocarbon oil to high V.I. low pour point lube base stock and naphtha. The heavy oil is first catalytically dewaxed with a catalyst such as Ni-ZSM-5 and the dewaxed oil is then hydrocracked, or hydroconverted with a large pore zeolite catalyst such as dealuminized Y or ZSM-20 associated with palladium. The V.I. is controlled by the severity of the hydroconversion step.

Abstract: Gamma-butyrolactones are formed by reacting an olefin with a compound containing a carboxylate moiety having at least one hydrogen atom on the alpha carbon atom in the presence of an ion of manganese, cerium, or vanadium, the ion being in a valency state higher than its lowest valency state.

Abstract: In a process for converting a high boiling hydrocarbon charge fraction to liquid products of lower boiling range which comprises contacting said charge fraction with a crystalline zeolite characterized by a silica/alumina ratio greater than 12, a constraint index between about 1 and about 12 and an acid activity measured by the alpha scale less than 10, said contacting being conducted at 650.degree. to 850.degree. F., space velocity of 0.1 to 5.0 LHSV and a pressure not less than about 200 psi, the improvement which comprises utilizing, as catalyst, a zeolite of the above character that is prepared by steaming followed by base exchange to substantially eliminate its activity for cracking n-hexane.

Abstract: Hydrocracked, low pour lubricating oils of good stability are manufactured by passing a suitable hydrocarbon feed sequentially through a hydrocracking zone, a catalytic dewaxing zone, and a hydrotreating zone, all at high pressure and in that order, and with separation of hydrocrackate from recycle hydrogen prior to dewaxing. Only clean makeup hydrogen is fed to the dewaxer, passed through the hydrotreater, and then on to the hydrocracker, thereby providing an exceptionally efficient process.

Abstract: Hydrocracked, low pour lubricating oils of good stability are manufactured by passing a suitable hydrocarbon feed and hydrogen sequentially through a hydrocracking zone, a catalytic dewaxing zone, and a hydrotreating zone, all at high pressure and in that order, with purification of the hydrogen gas prior to passage to the dewaxing zone. By maintaining all zones at high pressure, the efficiency of the process is augmented.

Abstract: An improved catalytic process wherein trace amounts of a metal of period 5 and 6 of Group VIII or rhenium is added to the total catalyst inventory for cracking of gas oil is disclosed. With this improved process, the yield of gasoline, fuel oil, total cracked products, or predetermined combinations thereof, is maximized for the fluid catalytic cracking of any predetermined feed, usually a gas oil. The process employs a kinetic predictive or a correlative model of the cracking process to identify proper operating conditions, including CO.sub.2 /CO ratio in the effluent from the regenerator, and also requires control of the metal activity to achieve optimal conversion of CO to CO.sub.2 in the regenerator.Also disclosed is an improved method for control of a fluid catalytic process wherein the cracking catalyst comprises trace amounts of a metal selected from the group Pt, Pd, Rh, Ru, Ir, Os and Re.

Abstract: Dewaxed lube base stock oil which forms a wax haze on storage at a temperature above its cloud point is treated by contacting the oil and hydrogen with a zeolite catalyst such as ZSM-5 to eliminate the wax-haze formation. The method may be used to reclaim wax-contaminated lube base stock oils and other wax-contaminated hydrocarbon oils.

Abstract: Dialkyl disulfide waste, such as that formed in a caustic wash process for removing mercaptans from a hydrocarbon stream, is converted to hydrogen sulfide and valuable hydrocarbons by catalytic contact with a highly siliceous zeolite catalyst exemplified by ZSM-5. The hydrogen sulfide in turn is readily converted to marketable sulfur, thus alleviating the waste disposal problem.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for converting waxy or viscous hydrocarbon oils to lower pour point or less viscous oils. By this method, reactive dispersions of zeolites, such as HZSM-5 crystals, are prepared with the oil to be converted, and conversion is effected by heating the dispersion.

Abstract: This invention provides an improved method for manufacturing a slate of lubricant base stocks from a paraffin base or a mixed base crude. In one embodiment of this invention, the bright stock raffinate is catalytically dewaxed with a catalyst comprising ZSM-5, for example, and the neutral oil raffinates are solvent dewaxed. The combined use of solvent and catalytic dewaxing as described herein provides a highly efficient method of manufacture without loss of product quality.

Abstract: Hydrocarbon oils, especially waxy distillate lubricating oil stocks suitable for the preparation, by conventional unit processes, of high V.I., low pour point lubricating oils, are advantageously catalytically dewaxed with synthetic offretite catalyst preferably associated with a hydrogenation metal such as platinum or palladium.

Abstract: Operation of regenerators of commercial equipment for catalytic cracking of hydrocarbon feedstock, such as gas oil, in the absence of added hydrogen is improved considerably by use of a cracking catalyst which contains a minute amount, as low as fractions of a part per million (ppm), of a metal from periods 5 and 6 of Group VIII of the Periodic Table or rhenium. These powerful dehydrogenation metals, in the amounts here used, do not have serious adverse effect on the cracking operation and reduce CO content of flue gases from the regenerator to negligible amounts.

Abstract: Provided herein is a novel method for generating TBP-distillation curves for crude petroleum oils, which curves are free of the large discontinuity in the raw data that is commonly observed when vacuum distillation is begun. The temperature-incremental volume data is accumulated up to a temperature equivalent to about 650.degree. F. at 760 mm. to provide a data bank. The data bank is then used to compute expected yield-temperature values up to a temperature equivalent of 850.degree. F. at 760 mm. The atmospheric residuum is then vacuum distilled and actual yield-temperature datum is compared with expected valves to obtain a deviation. The vacuum is then adjusted to reduce the deviation. Provided also is an automated apparatus for generating such curves.