Abstract
Current processes for upgrading bitumen from Athabasca oil sands produce synthetic crudes which are high in aromatics and deficient in hydrogen. As a consequence, middle distillate fractions derived from these syncrudes produce diesel fuels of low cetane number and jet fuels which are hydrogen deficient. Results obtained from bench-scale hydrotreating experiments indicate that quality fuels may be produced from Athabasca syncrudes. Middle distillate fractions from this source were subjected to high severity hydroprocessing in a continuous-flow reactor unit using conventional hydrotreating catalysts which were pre-sulphided by a mixture of H2/H2S. Aromatic hydrogenation at high temperatures and pressures was affected by the approach to thermodynamic equilibrium, however, at lower temperatures, in some cases virtually 100 percent saturation was achieved and treated fractions were found to meet cetane number and jet fuel smoke point requirements. Data treatment in the present study includes a model for the hydrogenation kinetics and correlations between aromatic carbon content and fuel combustion properties.
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