HYDROTREATMENT OF BITUMEN FROM THE WHITEROCKS OIL SAND DEPOSIT

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.