Fixed-bed/moving-bed two stage catalytic reforming with interstage aromatics removal

A process for catalytically reforming a gasoline boiling range hydrocarbon reactant stream in the presence of hydrogen in a reforming process unit comprised of a plurality of serially connected reforming zones, wherein each of the reforming zones contains a reforming catalyst comprised of at least one Group VIII noble metal on a refractory support, which process comprises:

• (a) conducting the reforming in two stages wherein the first stage is comprised on one or more reforming zones, each of which is operated in a fixed-bed mode, and wherein the second stage is comprised of one or more reforming zones each of which is operated in a moving-bed mode;
• (b) separating three stream between reforming stages, (i) a C.sub.9.sup.+ aroatics-rich stream, (ii) a C.sub.5.sup.- stream, and (iii) a remaining fraction, wherein the separation of said aromatics is accomplished by a technique selected from the group consisting of extractive distillation, distiallation, and flashing;
• (c) passing at least a portion of said remaining fraction to the second reforming stage and collecting the C.sub.9.sup.+ aromatics-rich stream and the C.sub.5.sup.- stream;
• and
• (d) conducting the reforming of the second stage in a moving-bed continuous catalyst regeneration mode wherein the catalyst descends through the reforming zone, exits, and is passed to a regeneration zone where at least a portion of the accumulated carbon is burned-off, and where the regenerated catalyst is recycled to the reforming zones of said second reforming stage, said catalyst comprised of at least one Group VIII noble metal on a substantially sperical refractory support, and wherein the second stage reforming is conducted at a pressure of at least about 25 psig lower than the first stage.