Process scheme for sequentially hydrotreating-hydrocracking diesel and vacuum gas oil

A process for upgrading a vacuum residue feed, comprising:

• mixing said vacuum residue feed with a vacuum residue hydrocracking catalyst so as to provide a VR reaction feedstock;
• subjecting said VR reaction feedstock to hydrocracking conditions so as to produce a VR product containing vacuum gas oil, kerosene, naphtha, Diesel, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, C1-C4 gas phase compounds, vacuum residue and said catalyst at a VR pressure;
• providing a stripping gas;
• providing a washing feed;
• feeding said VR product, said stripping gas and said washing feed to a stripping and washing zone so as to obtain a gas phase containing said hydrogen sulfide, said ammonia, said C1-C4 gas phase compounds, said naphtha, said kerosene, said Diesel and said vacuum gas oil, and a liquid phase containing said vacuum residue and said catalyst, said gas phase being at a gas phase pressure within about 80 psig of said VR pressure;
• feeding said gas phase at said gas phase pressure to a further hydrotreating-hydrocracking zone so as to produce a product stream having upgraded kerosene, naphtha and Diesel fractions;
• and
• feeding said vacuum residue and said catalyst to a vacuum residue upgrading process.