Abstract: A process for converting solid plastic waste to hydrocarbon oil includes melting a feed comprising solid plastic waste to produce a liquefied plastic stream and visbreaking the liquefied plastic stream in a visbreaker unit having a visbreaker furnace and a soaker vessel. Visbreaking includes heating the liquefied plastic stream in the visbreaker furnace to produce a heated liquefied plastic stream, maintaining the heated liquefied plastic stream at the reaction temperature in the soaker vessel for a residence time to produce a visbreaker effluent, and injecting a stripping gas into the soaker vessel. The stripping gas includes at least one of steam, nitrogen, helium, argon, or combinations of these. The process includes introducing the stripping gas to the liquefied plastic stream upstream of the visbreaker furnace, the heated liquefied plastic stream downstream of the visbreaker furnace, or both. The visbreaker effluent is separated to produce a liquid hydrocarbon oil.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide an aqueous reforming system and a method for upgrading heavy hydrocarbons. A hydrocarbon feed and a surfactant stream are combined to produce a first precursor stream. The first precursor stream and an alkali feed are combined to produce a second precursor stream. The second precursor stream and a transition metal feed are combined to produce a catalytic emulsion stream. The catalytic emulsion stream is heated to produce a catalytic suspension and a decomposition gas, where the decomposition gas is separated by a first separator. The catalytic suspension is combined with a preheated water stream to produce an aqueous reformer feed. The aqueous reformer feed is introduced to an aqueous reformer such that the heavy hydrocarbons undergo conversion reactions to produce an effluent stream. The effluent stream is introduced to a second separator to produce a heavy stream and a light stream.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention relates to a furnace having a heated portion arranged adjacent to an unheated portion. A plurality of straight tubes are formed of a first material and are at least partially disposed in the heated portion. A plurality of return bends are operatively coupled to the plurality of straight tubes. The plurality of return bends are formed of a second material and are at least partially disposed in the unheated portion. The first material exhibits a maximum temperature greater than the second material thereby facilitating increased run time of the furnace. The second material exhibits wear-resistance properties greater than the first material thereby facilitating wear-resistance of the furnace.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention relates to a furnace having a heated portion arranged adjacent to an unheated portion. A plurality of straight tubes are formed of a first material and are at least partially disposed in the heated portion. A plurality of return bends are operatively coupled to the plurality of straight tubes. The plurality of return bends are formed of a second material and are at least partially disposed in the unheated portion. The first material exhibits a maximum temperature greater than the second material thereby facilitating increased run time of the furnace. The second material exhibits wear-resistance properties greater than the first material thereby facilitating wear-resistance of the furnace.

Abstract: Heavy gas oil components, coking process recycle, and heavier hydrocarbons in the delayed coking process are cracked in the coking vessel by injecting a catalytic additive into the vapors above the gas/liquid-solid interface in the coke drum during the coking cycle. The additive comprises cracking catalyst(s) and quenching agent(s), alone or in combination with seeding agent(s), excess reactant(s), carrier fluid(s), or any combination thereof to modify reaction kinetics to preferentially crack these components. The quenching effect of the additive can be effectively used to condense the highest boiling point compounds of the traditional recycle onto the catalyst(s), thereby focusing the catalyst exposure to these target reactants. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention can also provide methods to (1) reduce coke production, (2) reduce fuel gas production, and (3) increase liquids production.

Abstract: Processes for production of olefins from hydrocarbon feedstocks are provided. In one aspect, the processes of the present invention utilize coils passing through a pyrolysis furnace to partially convert a hydrocarbon feedstock to olefins, followed by further conversion of the hydrocarbon feedstock in an adiabatic reactor. A portion of the coils in the pyrolysis furnace carry the hydrocarbon feedstock and the remainder carry steam only. After a selected period of time, the material flowing through the coils is switched. By flowing steam through the coils that had previously contained the hydrocarbon feedstock, on-line decoking can occur. In another aspect, a high temperature reactor is used to convert methane or natural gas to olefins.

Abstract: A process for producing light olefins and aromatics, which comprises reacting a feedstock with a catalytic cracking catalyst in at least two reaction zones, wherein the reaction temperature of at least one reaction zone downstream of the first reaction zone is higher than that of the first reaction zone and its weight hourly space velocity is lower than that of the first reaction zone. The spent catalyst is separated, from the reaction product vapor, regenerated, and then returned to the reactor. The reaction product vapor is separated to obtain the desired products, light olefins and aromatics. This process efficiently produces light olefins such as propylene, ethylene, etc from heavy feedstocks, wherein the yield of propylene exceeds 20% by weight, and produces aromatics such as toluene, xylene, etc at the same time.

Abstract: The present invention describes a process for the production of gasoline in a fluid catalytic cracking unit having at least one principal reactor operating using feeds with a low Conradson Carbon and a high hydrogen content, said process comprising recycling a coking cut either to a side chamber branching off the stripper or within the stripper itself by means of a tubular vessel within said stripper.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for catalytically converting two feed streams. The feed to a first catalytic reactor may be contacted with product from a second catalytic reactor to effect heat exchange between the two streams and to transfer catalyst from the product stream to the feed stream. The feed to the second catalytic reactor may be a portion of the product from the first catalytic reactor.

Abstract: The present invention describes a reaction zone comprising at least two fluidized reactors, a principal reactor for cracking a heavy hydrocarbon cut, the other, additional, reactor for cracking one or more light cuts, the effluents from the two reactors being treated in a common gas-solid separation and quench zone. Performance is enhanced because the thermal degradation reactions in the reaction zone are controlled in an optimum manner.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process and system for cracking hydrocarbon feedstock containing vacuum resid comprising: (a) subjecting a vacuum resid to a first thermal conversion in a thermal conversion reactor (such as delayed coker, fluid coker, Flexicoker™, visbreaker and catalytic hydrovisbreaker) where at least 30 wt % of the vacuum resid is converted to material boiling below 1050° F. (566° C.); (b) introducing said thermally converted resid to a vapor/liquid separator, said separator being integrated into a steam cracking furnace, to form a vapor phase and liquid phase; (c) passing said vapor phase to the radiant furnace in said steam cracking furnace; and (d) recovering at least 30 wt % olefins from the material exiting the radiant furnace (based upon the weight of the total hydrocarbon material exiting the radiant furnace).

Abstract: One exemplary embodiment can be a fluid catalytic cracking unit. The fluid catalytic cracking unit can include a first riser, a second riser, and a disengagement zone. The first riser can be adapted to receive a first feed terminating at a first reaction vessel having a first volume. The second riser may be adapted to receive a second feed terminating at a second reaction vessel having a second volume. Generally, the first volume is greater than the second volume. What is more, the disengagement zone can be for receiving a first mixture including at least one catalyst and one or more products from the first reaction vessel, and a second mixture including at least one catalyst and one or more products from the second reaction vessel. Typically, the first mixture is isolated from the second mixture.

Abstract: Undesirable gas oil components are selectively cracked or coked in a coking vessel by injecting an additive into the vapors of traditional coking processes in the coking vessel prior to fractionation. The additive contains catalyst(s), seeding agent(s), excess reactant(s), quenching agent(s), carrier(s), or any combination thereof to modify reaction kinetics to preferentially crack or coke these undesirable components that typically have a high propensity to coke. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention also provide methods to control the (1) coke crystalline structure and (2) the quantity and quality of volatile combustible materials (VCMs) in the resulting coke. That is, by varying the quantity and quality of the catalyst, seeding agent, and/or excess reactant the process may affect the quality and quantity of the coke produced, particularly with respect to the crystalline structure (or morphology) of the coke and the quantity & quality of the VCMs in the coke.

Abstract: One exemplary embodiment can be a fluid catalytic cracking system. The system can include a reaction zone operating at conditions to facilitate olefin production and including at least one riser. The at least one riser can receive a first feed having a boiling point of about 180-about 800° C., and a second feed having more than about 70%, by weight, of one or more C4+ olefins.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for recovering product from catalytically converted product streams. Gaseous unstabilized naphtha from an overhead receiver from a main fractionation column is compressed in a compressor. Liquid unstabilized naphtha from the overhead receiver and liquid naphtha fraction from the compressor are sent to a naphtha splitter column upstream of a primary absorber. Consequently, less naphtha is circulated in the gas recovery system.

Abstract: A reactor process added to a coking process to modify the quantity or yield of a coking process product and/or modify certain characteristics or properties of coking process products.

Abstract: A process and apparatus are provided for upgrading steam cracker tars from steam crackers. The invention also relates to a steam cracking process and apparatus for reducing yields of tars produced from steam cracking while increasing yields of higher value products by heating steam cracker tar, in the presence of hydrogen donor compounds, e.g., tetralin. The hydrogen donor compounds can be provided in a hydrogen donor-rich hydrocarbon stream, e.g., light cycle oils, or low sulfur vacuum tower bottoms. The treated tar can be separated into gas oil, fuel oil and tar streams.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for contacting feed with mixed catalyst in a secondary reactor that is incorporated into an FCC reactor. The mixed catalyst used in the secondary reactor is regenerated catalyst from a regenerator that regenerates spent catalyst from an FCC reactor that is mixed with spent catalyst from either the FCC reactor or the secondary reactor. The mixing of spent and regenerated catalyst reduces the catalyst temperature and tempers catalyst activity to inhibit both thermal and catalytic cracking reactions.

Abstract: A conversion apparatus for catalytic cracking a hydrocarbon feed to light hydrocarbon comprises at least one riser reactor, a dense bed reactor, a disengager, and a stripper. A dense bed reactor which is separated from disengage, is employed to enforce further cracking hydrocarbon to light olefins, with low methane yield. Moreover, the spent catalysts discharged from the outlet of the dense bed reactor can be introduced into the stripper via a specific catalyst transporting channel, to maintain catalyst concentration in the dense bed reactor that can be advantageous to deeper cracking of the intermediate products to produce more light olefins, particularly propylene.

Abstract: Process for the preparation of C3 and C4 olefins and gasoline by: (a) contacting in a fluidised bed reactor a light hydrocarbon feedstock with a first catalyst inventory comprising a medium pore size zeolite catalyst, wherein the first catalyst inventory is a fresh catalyst inventory; (b) combining at least part of the catalyst inventory as used in step (a) with one or more catalyst streams to form a second catalyst inventory comprising a medium pore size zeolite catalyst and a large pore size zeolite catalyst; (c) contacting a hydrocarbon feedstock with the second catalyst inventory in a reactor riser to form cracked products.

Abstract: A system and process for upgrading hydrocarbons such as heavy oils includes a high temperature plasma reactor apparatus, in one or more vessels, into which the oils are introduced along with water, such as steam, to produce lighter hydrocarbon fractions, along with carbon monoxide and hydrogen, that flows to an additional stage where more hydrocarbons and water are introduced for further fractionating reactions facilitated by reaction of carbon monoxide and water to produce carbon dioxide and nascent, or prompt, free radicals of hydrogen. Heavy hydrocarbons upgraded can include heavy oils in the form of tar sands, oil shale, and oil residuals. The vessel or vessels can each contain a carbonaceous bed facilitating the described reactions and example embodiments include one vessel with the reactions performed in a single bed and, also, two vessels with the reactions performed in a carbonaceous bed portion in each vessel.

Abstract: A method for cracking heavy oil is disclosed. The method uses a first heating stage, a second heating stage, a first cracking stage and a second cracking stage to produce cracked distillates from the residual heavy oil.

Abstract: A process and apparatus are provided for upgrading steam cracked tars. The invention also relates to a steam cracking process and apparatus for reducing the yields of tars produced from steam cracking while increasing yields of higher value products, heating, in the presence of steam, cooled steam cracker tar containing asphaltenes, to a temperature, e.g., above about 300° C., which is sufficient to convert at least a portion of the steam cracked tar to lower boiling molecules. The resulting heat and steam-treated tar can be separated into gas oil, fuel oil and tar streams.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for converting distillate to gasoline-range hydrocarbons using a two-stage catalyst system including a first catalyst containing platinum, palladium, or platinum and palladium, and an acidic support, and a second catalyst containing iridium and an inorganic oxide support, and optionally nickel.

Abstract: A method for thermally cracking a feed composed of whole crude oil and/or natural gas condensate using a partitioned vaporizer to gasify the feed before cracking same.

Abstract: A process for the fluid catalytic cracking of mixed hydrocarbon feeds from different sources is described, such as feeds A and B of different crackability, the process being especially directed to obtaining light fractions such as LPG and comprising injecting feed A in the base of the riser reactive section and feed B, of lower crackability, at a height between 10% and 80% of the riser, with feed B comprising between 5% and 50% of the total processed feed. The process requires that the feeds present differences in the contaminant content, improved dispersion of feeds A and B and feed B injection temperature same or higher than that of feed A.

Abstract: A process for independently and concurrently cracking at least two different hydrocarbon feedstocks to olefins. The process is carried out in a furnace for cracking hydrocarbon feed which has at least a first and second independent radiant cracking zone to produce a first cracked product and second cracked product that are separately withdrawn from the furnace.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for making middle distillate and lower olefins. The process includes catalytically cracking a gas oil feedstock within a riser reactor zone by contacting under suitable catalytic cracking conditions within the riser reactor zone the gas oil feedstock with a middle distillate selective cracking catalyst that comprises amorphous silica alumina and a zeolite to yield a cracked gas oil product and a spent cracking catalyst. The spent cracking catalyst is regenerated to yield a regenerated cracking catalyst. Within an intermediate cracking reactor such as a dense bed reactor zone and under suitable high severity cracking conditions a gasoline feedstock is contacted with the regenerated cracking catalyst to yield a cracked gasoline product and a used regenerated cracking catalyst. The used regenerated cracking catalyst is utilized as the middle distillate selective catalyst.

Abstract: A system and process for upgrading hydrocarbons such as heavy oils includes high temperature plasma reactor apparatus, in one or more vessels, into which the oils are introduced along with water, such as steam, to produce lighter hydrocarbon fractions, along with carbon monoxide and hydrogen, that flows to an additional stage where more hydrocarbons and water are introduced for further fractionating reactions facilitated by reaction of carbon monoxide and water to produce carbon dioxide and nascent, or prompt, free radicals of hydrogen. Heavy hydrocarbons upgraded can include heavy oils in the form of tar sands, oil shale, and oil residuals. The vessel or vessels can each contain a carbonaceous bed facilitating the described reactions and example embodiments include one vessel with the reactions performed in a single bed and, also, two vessels with the reactions performed in a carbonaceous bed portion in each vessel.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing needle coke from heavy atmospheric distillation residues having sulfur no more than 0.7 wt %, which process involves the steps of heating the feedstock to a temperature in the range of 440 to 520° C. for thermal cracking in a soaking column under pressure in the range of 1 to 10 kg/cm2 to separate the easily cokable material, separating the cracked products in a quench column and a distillation column and then subjecting the hydrocarbon fraction from the bottom of the quench column and a hydrocarbon fraction having a boiling point in the range of 380 to 480° C. from the distillation column and/or any other suitable heavier hydrocarbon streams in a definite ratio depending on certain characteristic parameters to thermal cracking in a second soaking column at a temperature of 460 to 540° C.

Abstract: A process for producing lube oil basestocks involving solvent extracting a waxy feed to produce at least a lube oil boiling range raffinate, hydrotreating the lube oil raffinate to produce a hydrotreated raffinate, and dewaxing the hydrotreated raffinate.

Abstract: A device for the fluidized bed cracking of a hydrocarbon charge using two reaction chambers linked together by a cooling particles transferrer, a fractionating column and conduits to supply the hydrocarbonated effluents from each of the two chambers to the fractionating column. The fractionating column has, internally, at least two different areas: a first partitioned fractionating area in the form of two compartments, each of which communicates with a second common fractionating area. The conduits for the supply of effluents from the first and the second reaction chamber terminate, respectively, in the first and second compartment of the partitioned fractionating area. A recycler and an injector are provided for recycling and injecting into one of the reaction chambers of at least one cut drawn off from the partitioned fractionating compartment of the effluents of the other reaction chamber.

Abstract: Process for the work-up of naphtha, wherein a) naphtha or a stream produced from naphtha in a pretreatment step is separated in a membrane unit into a stream A which is depleted in aromatics and a stream B which is enriched in aromatics, with the aromatics concentration in stream A being from 2 to 12% by weight (step a), b) at least part of the substream A is fed to a steam cracker (step b), c) at least part of the substream B is fed to a unit in which it is separated by means of a thermal process into a stream C which has a lower aromatics content than stream B or a plurality of streams C?, C?, C?? . . . which each have lower aromatics contents than stream B and a stream D which has a higher aromatics content than stream B or a plurality of streams D?, D?, D?? . . .

Abstract: A process for selectively producing C2 to C4 olefins from feedstock such as a gas oil or resid. The feedstock is reacted in a first stage comprising a fluid catalytic cracking unit wherein it is converted in the presence of a mixture of conventional large pore zeolitic catalyst and a medium pore zeolitic catalyst to reaction products, including a naphtha boiling range stream. The naphtha boiling range stream is introduced into a second stage where it is contacted with a catalyst containing from about 10 to about 50 wt. % of a crystalline zeolite having an average pore diameter less than about 0.7 nanometers at reaction conditions which include temperatures ranging from about 500 to about 650° C. and a hydrocarbon partial pressure from about 10 to about 40 psia (about 70 to about 280 kPa).

Abstract: A process for producing pitch from pitch precursors, such as wood tar, coal tar or petroleum fractions is disclosed. Direct contact heat exchange of the pitch precursor with molten metal, preferably maintained as a metal continuous bath, heats the pitch precursor to a temperature sufficient to induce thermal polymerization reactions and produce a pitch product.

Abstract: A process for fractionating crude pitch by direct contact heating with molten metal is disclosed. The crude pitch, which may contain water, contaminants and/or distillables is heated by direct contact heat exchange with molten metal, preferably maintained as a metal continuous bath, operating at a temperature of 100 to 600° C. The molten metal heating zone is maintained at a temperature and pressure sufficient to vaporize a desired amount of contaminants or volatile material from crude pitch to produce pitch product having a desired softening point. New pitch materials, having a softening point above those achievable by conventional techniques, are also produced.

Abstract: An apparatus and a process for catalytic cracking of a hydrocarbon feed is described, carried out in at least two reaction zones, one (30) operating in catalyst riser mode, wherein the feed and catalyst from regeneration zone (3) are circulated from bottom to top, the first gases produced are separated from the coked catalyst in a first separation zone (38), the catalyst is stripped (40), a first cracking and stripping effluent (42) is recovered and the coked catalyst is recycled (45) to the regeneration zone. Catalyst (12) from regeneration zone (3) and a hydrocarbon feed (19) are introduced into the upper portion of a dropper reaction zone (16), the catalyst and feed being circulated from top to bottom, the coked catalyst is separated from the second gases produced in a second separation zone (20), the second gases (24) produced are recovered and the coked catalyst is recycled (25) to the regeneration zone.

Abstract: Supercritical conversion of hydrocarbons boiling above 538° C. (1000° F.) with a solvating hydrocarbon at a weight ratio of solvating hydrocarbon to high-boiling hydrocarbons of at least 2:1 and at conditions above the critical temperature and pressure of the high-boiling hydrocarbons-solvent mixture, in the presence of hot fluidized solids. The hydrocarbons are supplied to a reaction zone at a temperature below that of the hot solids supplied thereto, whereby the resulting hydrocarbons-solids suspension has a thermal equilibrium temperature corresponding to the reaction temperature. The conversion has high rates of sulfur, nitrogen and metals removal, nearly complete conversion to lower molecular weight products, high naphtha and distillate selectivity, and low coke formation.

Abstract: A process and apparatus is disclosed for contacting feed with mixed catalyst in a secondary reactor that is incorporated into an FCC reactor. The mixed catalyst used in the secondary reactor is regenerated catalyst from a regenerator that regenerates spent catalyst from an FCC reactor that is mixed with spent catalyst from either the FCC reactor or the secondary reactor. The mixing of spent and regenerated catalyst reduces the catalyst temperature and tempers catalyst activity to inhibit both thermal and catalytic cracking reactions.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for converting cycle oils produced in catalytic cracking reactions into olefin and naphtha. More particularly, the invention relates to a process for hydroprocessing a catalytically cracked light cycle oil, and then re-cracking it in an upstream zone of the primary FCC riser reactor.

Abstract: A process for producing polypropylene from olefins selectively produced from a catalytically cracked or thermally cracked naphtha stream is disclosed herein. The naphtha stream is contacted with a catalyst containing from about 10 to 50 wt. % of a crystalline zeolite having an average pore diameter less than about 0.7 nanometers at reaction conditions which include temperatures from about 500° C. to 650° C. and a hydrocarbon partial pressure from about 10 to 40 psia. The catalyst may be pre-coked with a carbonaceous feed. Alternatively, the carbonaceous feed used to coke the catalyst may be co-fed with the naphtha feed.

Abstract: A novel process for forming hydrocarbon waxes from synthesis gas is disclosed. This invention teaches a process whereby a Fischer-Tropsch wax can be formulated such that the wax softness as defined by ASTM Standard Test Method for Needle Penetration of waxes (ASTM D-1321) can be adjusted to within a region most preferred for end use applications while simultaneously removing undesirable impurities, such as oxygenates (e.g., primary alcohols), olefins, and trace levels of aromatics. In a Fischer-Tropsch reactor, Fischer-Tropsch wax is formed from synthesis gas in a catalyzed reaction. The Fischer Tropsch wax is then subjected to a relatively mild hydroprocessing over a hydroisomerization catalyst under conditions such that essentially no boiling point conversion is obtained, but yet chemical conversions (e.g., hydrogenation and mild isomerization) occur yielding a high purity, hydrocarbon wax product of reduced hardness.

Abstract: A process for cracking, in a fluidized bed, a hydrocarbon charge wherein the cooling particles, which may optionally also be catalytic particles, circulate in two successive reaction chambers (1; 16), in each of which they are brought into contact with at least one cut of hydrocarbons, and the reaction effluents from each of the chambers are directed towards one and the same fractionating unit. The effluents from each of the reaction chambers (1; 16) are fractionated in part separately in one and the same partially partitioned fractionating unit, and at least one cut (12) obtained by separately fractionating the effluents from one of the two reaction chambers (1; 16) is, as a whole or in part, reinjected into the other chamber.

Abstract: An entrained bed or fluidised bed process for catalytic cracking of a hydrocarbon feed in two reaction zones is described, one zone (1) being in catalyst dropper mode, the other (2) being in catalyst riser mode. A feed (102) and catalyst from at least one regeneration zone (302) are introduced into the upper portion of the dropper zone, the feed and catalyst are circulated in accordance with a catalyst to feed weight ratio, C/O, of 5 to 20, the cracked gases are separated from the coked catalyst in a first separation zone (105), the cracked gases are recovered (107), the coked catalyst is introduced (110) into the lower portion of the riser zone (2), the coked catalyst and said feed are circulated in a C/O weight ratio of 4 to 8, the used catalyst is separated from the effluent produced in a second separation zone (203), the catalyst is stripped in a stripping zone (212), the effluent and stripping gases are recovered (206) and the used catalyst is recycled (7) to the regeneration zone.

Abstract: The present invention provides a catalytic cracking reactor system and process in which a riser reactor is configured to have two sections of different radii in order to produced improved selectivity to propene and butenes as products.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for converting cycle oils produced in catalytic cracking reactions into olefinic naphthas. More particularly, the invention relates to a process for hydroprocessing a catalytically cracked light cycle oil, and then re-cracking in an out-board FCC reactor it in order to form a naphthenic blend-stock.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for converting cycle oils produced in catalytic cracking reactions into light olefin, preferably propylene. More particularly, the invention relates to a process for hydroprocessing a catalytically cracked light cycle oil, and then re-cracking in a second FCC reactor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a two-stage catalytic cracking process for converting cycle oils to more valuable products. More particularly, the invention relates to a process that includes interstage hydroprocessing and a tailored catalyst mixture in a second catalytic cracking stage where the hydroprocessed cycle oil is re-cracked.

Abstract: A process for producing a lubricating oil basestock having at least 90 wt. % saturates and a VI of at least 105 by selectively hydroconverting a raffinate from a solvent extraction zone in a two step hydroconversion zone followed by a hydrofinishing zone, and a lubricating oil basestock produced by said process.

Abstract: A two-stage process for converting petroleum residua and other low value oils to high valued gasoline blendstocks and light olefins. The first stage is comprised of a thermal process unit containing a reaction zone comprised of a horizontal moving bed of fluidized hot particles operated at temperatures from about 500 to 600° C. and having a short vapor residence time, and the second stage is comprised of a catalytic conversion zone operated at a temperature of about 525° C. to about 650° C., and also having a short vapor residence time, preferably shorter than that of the first stage reaction zone.