Hydrocracking of vacuum gas and other oils using a post-treatment reactive distillation system

A method of hydrocracking and hydrotreating a hydrocracking feedstock oil selected from the group consisting of vacuum gas oil, light cycle oil, coker gas oil, visbreaker gas oil, deasphalted oil and mixtures thereof containing sulfur and nitrogen and aromatics for the production of distillates comprising diesel oil, kerosene and naphtha comprising the steps of:

• a. providing a first reactor containing a hydrogenating catalyst;
• b. heating said hydrocracking feedstock oil to a desired catalytic hydrotreating and hydrocracking temperature;
• c. passing said heated hydrocracking feedstock oil and a quantity of hydrogen down through said first reactor under conditions whereby said hydrocracking feedstock oil is hydrodesulfurized and hydrodenitrified and said aromatics are substantially saturated and whereby the first reactor effluent bottoms contains both hydrocracked oil and uncracked heavy oil;
• d. flashing said first reactor effluent bottoms thereby producing hydrocracked oil vapors and liquid uncracked heavy oil;
• e. separating said hydrocracked oil vapors from said liquid uncracked heavy oil;
• f. cooling said hydrocracked oil vapors and forming a mixture of hydrocracked oil vapors and hydrocracked oil condensate;
• g. providing a second reactor which is a catalytic distillation reactor containing at least one hydrogenating catalyst bed;
• h. introducing said mixture and additional hydrogen into said second reactor and into contact with said catalyst bed whereby said hydrocracked oil is further hydrotreated to form said distillates;
• and
• i. removing a hydrogen-rich gas stream from said distillate and recycling said hydrogen-rich gas stream to said first reactor.