The bitumen from the Whiterocks oil sand deposit in the Uinta Basin of
eastern Utah was hydrotreated in a fixed-bed reactor to determine the
extent of upgrading as a function of operating variables, including p
ressure (11.2-16.7 MPa), temperature (642-712 K) and liquid hourly spa
ce velocity (0.18-0.86 h-1). The hydrogen/oil ratio, 890 m3 m-3, was f
ixed in all experiments. A sulfided Ni-Mo/alumina hydrodenitrogenation
catalyst was used. Deactivation of the catalyst, 0.2 K day-1, was mon
itored by the decline in the API gravity of the total liquid product w
ith time on-stream under standard conditions. The effects of temperatu
re, weight hourly space velocity and pressure on denitrogenation, desu
lfurization and residuum conversion were studied and apparent kinetic
parameters were determined. The effects of process variables on residu
um conversion and Conradson carbon residue reduction were also investi
gated.