Patent ID: 7507326

Claim:
An integrated hydroconversion process for the treatment of Fischer-Tropsch products including a first hydrocarbon stream comprising a wax and a second hydrocarbon stream comprising a condensate, the process having at least two stages, a hydrocracking stage and a hydrotreating stage, each stage possessing at least one reaction zone, wherein the process comprises the following steps: (a) combining a first hydrocarbon stream with a first hydrogen-rich gaseous stream to form a first feedstock; (b) passing the first feedstock of step (a) to a hydrocracking reaction zone, which is maintained at hydrocracking conditions, to form a hydrocracking zone effluent comprising normally liquid phase components and normally gaseous phase components; (c) passing the hydrocracking zone effluent of step (b) to a heat exchanger or series of exchangers, where it is cooled; (d) separating the components of the cooled effluent of step (c) into a vapor stream and a liquid stream; (e) combining the vapor stream of step (d) with the second hydrocarbon stream to form a second feedstock, the liquid stream of step (d) being passed to lubricant production or to further processing for manufacture of fuel and diesel products; (f) passing the second feedstock of step (e) to a hydrotreating zone, which is maintained at conditions sufficient for reducing the content of sulfur, nitrogen, oxygenates and unsaturates present in the second hydrocarbon stream, to form a hydrotreating zone effluent; (g) separating the hydrotreating zone effluent of step (f) into a liquid stream comprising products and a second hydrogen-rich gaseous stream; (h) passing the liquid stream of step (g) to further processing, and passing the hydrogen-rich gaseous stream of step (g) to further separation into a light hydrogen-rich gaseous stream, and a stream comprising liquid products; and (i) recycling at least a portion of the hydrogen-rich gaseous stream of step (h) to the hydrocracking zone and hydrotreating zones.