Two-stage co-processing of coal/oil feedstocks

Abstract

A process for two-stage catalytic co-processing of coal and heavy petroleum hydrocarbon liquid fractions to produce increased yields of low-boiling hydrocarbon liquid and gas products. In the process, the particulate coal is slurried with a petroleum residuum and optionally with a process-derived hydrocarbon liquid solvent and fed into a first stage catalytic reaction zone operated at relatively mild conditions which promote controlled rate liquefaction of the coal while simultaneously hydrogenating the petroleum and hydrocarbon recycle oils at conditions favoring hydrogenation reactions. The first stage reactor is maintained at 650.degree.-800.degree. F. temperature, 1000-4000 psig hydrogen partial pressure and 10-100 lb/hr/ft.sup.3 space velocity for the total coal and oil feed. From the first stage reaction zone, the partially hydrogenated effluent material is passed directly to the close-coupled second stage catalytic reaction zone maintained at more severe conditions of 750.degree.-900.degree. F. temperature for further catalytic; and hydrogenation and hydroconversion reactions. By this process, the blended coal and petroleum feed materials are successively catalytically hydrogenated and hydroconverted at the selected conditions, which results in significantly increased yields of desirable low-boiling hydrocarbon liquid products and minimal production of undesirable residuum and unconverted coal and hydrocarbon gases, while catalyst life is substantially increased.