Low-pressure hydrocracking process

Abstract

A catalytic process is provided for converting a high boiling point range petroleum stream to distillate range product which includes contacting a petroleum feedstock having a boiling range from about 600° F. to about 1100° F. with a hydrocracking catalyst having a zeolite component with a framework silica to alumina ratio of at least 200:1, preferably 2000:1, and a hydrogenation component. The process is conducted under superatmospheric hydrogen partial pressure to effect at least 20% conversion, with at least 50% of the converted product remaining in the boiling range of about 330 to about 730° F.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A catalytic hydrocracking process for converting a high boiling point range petroleum stream to a distillate range product comprising contacting a petroleum feedstock having a boiling range of from about 600° F. to about 1100° F. with a hydrocracking catalyst comprising a zeolite component with a framework silica to alumina molar ratio of at least 200:1 and a hydrogenation component under superatmospheric hydrogen partial pressure for a residence time sufficient to effect at least 20% conversion, with at least 50% of the converted product remaining in the boiling range of about 330 to about 730° F.  
     
     
         2 . A process according to    claim 1    wherein said feedstock has a 10% boiling point above 650° F. and a nitrogen level of about 200 ppm or less.  
     
     
         3 . A process according to    claim 1    wherein said zeolite component is selected from the group consisting of faujasite, zeolite X, zeolite Y, zeolite USY, ZSM-3, ZSM-20, ENT, ECR-30, CSZ-1.  
     
     
         4 . A process according to    claim 1    wherein said silica to alumina molar ratio is greater than 2000:1 and said superatmospheric hydrogen partial pressure is 1000 psi or less.  
     
     
         5 . A process according to    claim 1    wherein said hydrogenation component is selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, gold, silver, iridium, rhodium, ruthenium, osmium, or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         6 . A process according to    claim 1    which further comprises contacting said feedstock with a dewaxing catalyst before, simultaneous with, or after said contact with said hydrocracking catalyst, wherein the pour point and/or cloud point of the unconverted bottoms fraction is reduced.  
     
     
         7 . A process according to    claim 6    wherein said dewaxing catalyst contains a zeolite selected from the group consisting of zeolite beta, ZSM-5, ZSM-11, ZSM-22, ZSM-23, ZSM-35, ZSM-48, SAPO-11.  
     
     
         8 . A process according to    claim 6    wherein said hydrocracking catalyst contains zeolite USY and said dewaxing catalyst contains zeolite beta.  
     
     
         9 . A process according to    claim 6    wherein said hydrocracking process and said dewaxing process are performed simultaneously having said hydrocracking catalyst and said dewaxing catalyst co-formulated in one extrudate.  
     
     
         10 . A process according to    claim 1    which further comprises contacting the unconverted bottoms fraction produced by said hydrocracking process having a boiling point above approximately 730° F. with a dewaxing catalyst, wherein the pour point and/or cloud point of said unconverted bottoms fraction is reduced.