Hydrodenitrogenation, hydrodesulfurization and resid conversion data f
or the Whiterocks bitumen and bitumen-derived liquid were analysed usi
ng a modified power rate law model. The data were obtained with a fixe
d-bed reactor in the upflow mode. A space velocity (WHSV(alpha)) term
was included to account for deviations from plug flow behaviour. The u
pflow mode was preferred to the trickle-bed mode to ensure complete we
tting of the catalyst and nearly isothermal operation. The apparent ki
netic parameters were obtained by combined non-linear regression and O
DE solver techniques for the analysis of laboratory data. A simple nth
-order power rate law expression for hydrodenitrogenation and hydrodes
ulfurization was examined. The higher than first-order kinetics for hy
drodenitrogenation and hydrodesulfurization of the bitumen and bitumen
-derived liquids were explained by invoking two parallel first-order r
eactions for the facile and refractory fractions or lumps. Parallel an
d consecutive reaction schemes were used to examine the extent of conv
ersion of the resid fraction to middle distillate, gas oil and naphtha
. The apparent kinetic parameters were also determined.