Hydrocracking of heavy petroleum oils over transition metal-loaded Y-type zeolites

Hydrocracking of petroleum heavy oils using transition metal-loaded zeolite catalyst was examined. Deasphalted oil (DAO) derived from vacuum residue o f a mixture of Arabian light and medium crudes was successfully converted t o gasoline fraction, attaining yield of more than 70%, using palladium and nickel co-loaded Y-type zeolite catalyst, at 350 degrees C for 1 h, in H-2 pressurized to 4.9 MPa. The mechanism of this hydrocracking process is disc ussed briefly. The authors also tried hydrocracking of fraction heavier tha n DAO, i.e, maltene, this affording gaseous products (C-2-C-4) and gasoline fraction, 35% and 52%, respectively, under the following conditions: 400 d egrees C, for 3 h, in H-2 pressurized to 6.9 MPa, over the same catalyst.