Patent ID: 6436279
Filing Date: 2002-08-20
Classification: C10G

Abstract:
A process for catalytic ebullated-bed hydrotreating/hydrocracking of heavy vacuum gas oil or deasphalted oil (DAO) feedstocks comprising:a) feeding a fresh heavy vacuum gas oil or DAO feedstock, 80% of said feedstock boiling in the range of 650Â° F. to 1000Â° F., together with hydrogen gas to an ebullated-bed rector, wherein said heavy vacuum gas oil or DAO feedstock is hydrotreated/hydrocracked to produce an effluent containing clean liquid petroleum products and other light hydrocarbons, said ebullated-bed reactor having a length-to-diameter ratio greater than eight and a level indicator to indicate the level of expansion of the catalyst bed contained therein; b) separating the effluent from said ebullated-bed reactor into a gas phase and a liquid phase; and c) recycling said liquid phase to said ebullated-bed reactor at a rate of between 0.67 and 1.5 times the rate of said fresh heavy vacuum gas oil or DAO feedstock; wherein steps a-c are performed so as to control the catalyst bed expansion rate within said ebullated bed reactor of between 15-25% as measured by said level indicator.