Metals-impregnated red mud as a first-stage catalyst in a two- stage, close-coupled thermal catalytic hydroconversion process

摘要

A process for the production of transportation fuels from heavy hydrocarbonaceous feedstock is provided comprising a two-stage, close- coupled process, wherein the first stage comprises a hydrothermal zone into which is introduced a mixture comprising a feedstock and metals- impregnated red mud having coke-suppressing and demetalizing activity, and hydrogen; and the second, close-coupled stage comprises a hydrocatalytic zone into which substantially all the effluent from the first stage is directly passed and processed under hydrocatalytic conditions. The preferred metals for impregnation include transition metals, in particular, nickel and molybdenum.