Hydrogenation process employing a zinc promoted catalyst

A process for the hydrodesulfurization of a sulfur-containing gas oil feed which comprises contacting said gas oil with hydrogen and a catalyst consisting essentially of a Group VI-B metal and nickel supported on alumina, said catalyst being promoted with from about 0.25 to about 5 weight percent of zinc, said Group VI-B metal and nickel being in the sulfided form, said contacting being conducted at a temperature from about 600.degree. F. to about 780.degree. F., at a pressure from about 400 to about 1500 psig, at a liquid hourly space velocity from about 0.7 to about 5.0 volumes of the gas oil feed per volume of catalyst per hour and at a hydrogen feed rate from about 500 to about 2,000 standard cubic feet of hydrogen per barrel of gas oil feed, and recovering therefrom a desulfurized gas oil product.

A process for the hydrodesulfurization of a sulfur-containing residual hydrocarbon feed which comprises contacting said residual hydrocarbon feed with hydrogen and a catalyst consisting essentially of a Group VI-B metal and nickel, the Group VI-B metal and nickel being in the sulfided form, supported on alumina, said catalyst being promoted with from about 0.65 to about 5 weight percent of zinc, said contacting being conducted at a temperature in the range of 600.degree. to 800.degree. F., at a pressure from about 500 to 2,500 psig, at a liquid hourly space velocity from about 0.3 to about 5 volumes of residual hydrocarbon feed per volume of catalyst per hour and at a hydrogen circulation rate from about 1,000 to about 8,000 standard cubic feet of hydrogen per barrel of residual hydrocarbon feed, and recovering therefrom a desulfurized residual hydrocarbon product.