Patent ID: 6554994
Filing Date: 2003-04-29
Classification: B01J,C10G

Abstract:
A process for reducing metals, carbon residue, and sulfur contaminants in a heavy feedstock comprising the steps of:a) passing the heavy feedstock in the presence of hydrogen generally upwardly into a single reactor containing therein a vertical fixed bed having at least a lower horizontal catalyst layer and an upper horizontal catalyst layer, wherein the catalyst in the lower horizontal catalyst layer is characterized by having lower hydrogenation activity than the catalyst in the upper horizontal catalyst layer; b) distributing the heavy feedstock and hydrogen evenly across each catalyst layer as it passes upward; c) maintaining a sufficiently low rate of flow for the heavy feedstock and hydrogen that the average expansion of the fixed bed does not exceed five percent; d) sequentially contacting under hydrotreating conditions the heavy feedstock with the catalyst in the lower horizontal catalyst layer to remove a significant portion of the metals present followed by contacting the feedstock with the catalyst in the upper horizontal layer to remove a significant portion of the remaining metals and at least a portion of the sulfur and carbon residue; and e) recovering a heavy feedstock product having less metals and a lower content of carbon residue and sulfur as compared to the heavy feedstock.