Preparation of components for refinery blending of transportation fuels

Abstract

Disclosed is a process to make environment friendly components for refinery blending of transportation fuels. The process involves contacting a petroleum distillate with an oxygen-containing gas at oxidation conditions in the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst comprising a Group VIII metal on a basic support to oxidize any sulfur and/or nitrogen-containing compounds in the distillate. A portion of these sulfur and/or nitrogen-containing compounds is then removed from the oxidation zone effluent.

1 . A process for reducing the sulfur and/or nitrogen content of a distillate feedstock to produce refinery transportation fuel or blending components for refinery transportation fuel wherein the feedstock contains sulfur-containing and/or nitrogen-containing organic impurities which process comprises: 
 (a) contacting the feedstock with an oxygen-containing gas in an oxidation zone at oxidation conditions in the presence of an oxidation catalyst comprising a Group VIII metal and a basic support to convert the sulfur and/or nitrogen-containing organic impurities to oxidized sulfur and/or nitrogen-containing compounds; and    (b) separating a portion of the oxidized sulfur and/or nitrogen-containing compounds from the oxidation zone effluent to recover a distillate effluent having a reduced amount of the oxidized sulfur and/or nitrogen-containing compounds.    
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the Group VIII metal is cobalt.  
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the basic support is magnesium oxide.  
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the basic support is calcium oxide.  
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the Group VIII metal is present in the oxidation catalyst in an amount ranging from about 0.1 wt. % to about 50 wt. % based on the total weight of the catalyst.  
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the distillate effluent possesses a TAN number of less than about 2.0 mg KOH/g.  
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the Group VIII metal is present in the oxidation catalyst in an amount ranging from about 2 wt. % to about 20 wt. % based on the total weight of the catalyst.  
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the Group VIII metal is present in the oxidation catalyst in an amount ranging from about 4 wt. % to about 12 wt. % based on the total weight of the catalyst.  
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the Group VIII metal is cobalt and the basic support is magnesium oxide.  
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 9  wherein the Group VIII metal is present in an amount ranging from about 4 wt. % to about 12 wt. %.  
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the distillate effluent possesses a sulfur content of less than about less than 5 ppm wt.  
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 1  where in the distillate effluent possesses a nitrogen content of less than about less than 10 ppm wt.