Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for producing an improved product slate during hydrocracking of a feedstock that results in production of naphtha and distillate fuels. The methods can include use of stacked beds and/or sequential reactors so that a feedstock is exposed to suitable catalysts under hydrocracking conditions and aromatic saturation conditions. The catalyst for performing the aromatic saturation process can be a catalyst including a Group VIII noble metal, such as Pt, Pd, or a combination thereof, while the hydrocracking catalyst can include Group VIB and Group VIII non-noble metals.

Abstract: The stability of distillate type jet fuels is improved by cathodic hydrogenation in an electrolytic cell with a proton permeable membrane separating cathode and anode compartments; a source of hydrogen is oxidized in the anode compartment to form protons which permeate the membrane to effect a cathodic reduction of the nitrogenous components of the fuel in the cathode compartment.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for characterizing kerosene fractions in order to determine whether the fractions will satisfy a desired thermal breakpoint specification. Additionally, hydrotreating conditions can be determined that will result in a hydrotreated kerosene fraction that satisfies the desired thermal breakpoint specification. The hydrotreating conditions can be determined based on a model constructed from data corresponding to a plurality of reference samples. The model can include data for compositional groups within the reference samples. The data for compositional groups can be derived from Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry data or from another suitable characterization technique.

Abstract: This invention provides low sulfur fuels, particularly low sulfur bunker fuels, comprising hydroprocessed pyrolysis oil. The hydroprocessed pyrolysis oil can be produced using a catalyst suited to processing pyrolysis oils that may be relatively high in water content and under relatively low severity conditions to limit water formation, while making the hydroprocessed pyrolysis oil more stable than prior to hydroprocessing. The pyrolysis oil can be converted to a more stable hydroprocessed product, e.g., by converting at least a majority of the aldehydes, ketones, and/or carboxylic acids in the pyrolysis oil to more highly stable compounds, such as alcohols. The hydroprocessed product can be particularly suited as a blend component for producing a variety of reduced sulfur fuels.

Abstract: A method is provided for removing sulfur from an effluent produced by hydrotreating a hydrocarbon feed, said effluent having a heavy fraction containing polyaromatic sulfur compounds and a lighter fraction, said method comprising contacting the effluent with a noble metal containing hydrodearomatization catalyst on a support under super-atmospheric hydrogen pressure and reaction conditions sufficient to hydrogenate at least one ring of said polyaromatic sulfur compounds and thereby produce a product with a reduced sulfur content.

Abstract: Nitrogenous compounds especially bases such as ammonia vapor are used to control the operation of a hydrocracker or catalytic dewaxer. Catalyst activity and selectivity may be controlled by addition of the base to the feed, for example, to control the balance between isomerization and hydrocracking in an operation using a zeolite beta catalyst. Runaway conditions may be controlled by the addition of nitrogenous compounds to regulate the temperature profile within the reactor.

Abstract: Nitrogenous compounds especially bases such as ammonia vapor are used to control the operation of a hydrocracker or catalytic dewaxer. Catalyst activity and selectivity may be controlled by addition of the base to the feed, for example, to control the balance between isomerization and hydrocracking in an operation using a zeolite beta catalyst. Runaway conditions may be controlled by the addition of nitrogenous compounds to regulate the temperature profile within the reactor.

Abstract: Nitrogenous compounds especially bases such as amines are used to control the operation of a hydrocracker. Catalyst activity and selectivity may be controlled by addition of the base to the feed, for example, to control the balance between isomerization and conversion in an operation using a zeolite beta catalyst. Runaway conditions may be controlled by the addition of nitrogenous compounds and if they are added at intermediate points along the length of the reactor, the temperature profile within the reactor can be effectively regulated.

Abstract: A process for removing oxygenated impurities from a hydrocarbon stream includes extracting said oxygenates by a heavy organic polar solvent, water scrubbing the extracted hydrocarbon to recover dissolved solvent and combining the solvent phase from the extractor and the water phase from the scrubber and distilling to recover the solvent.

Abstract: A process for preparing alpha-olefins is provided which comprises:(a) converting a feed containing one or more lower olefins in the presence of a medium pore crystalline silicate zeolite catalyst under reaction conditions providing a mixture of higher olefinic products;(b) contacting at least a part of the mixture of higher olefinic products resulting from step (a) with an alpha-olefin in the presence of a metathesis catalyst under olefin metathesis conditions to provide a mixture of alpha-olefins having a different carbon number than the feed olefin;(c) separating the alpha-olefin product of step (b) into at least two fractions, one fraction containing predominantly lower alpha-olefin hydrocarbons and the other fraction containing predominantly higher alpha-olefin hydrocarbons; and,(d) recycling at least a part of the lower alpha-olefin hydrocarbon fraction resulting from step (c) as feed for step (a).

Abstract: A process for upgrading a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock employing an alumina-based catalyst at least a portion of which is in the alpha phase. The catalyst has at least 25% of its pore volume in pores from 300-1,000 .ANG. in diameter, has no more than 10% macropores, and has a surface area of less that 100 m.sup.2 /g.