Improvements in Middle Distillates

1,177,170. Hydrogenating oils. ESSO RESEARCH & ENG. CO. 28 Sept., 1967, No. 44238/67. Heading C5E. In a process for lowering the pour point and cloud point of a middle distillate, the said middle distillate is divided into a lighter fraction and a heavier fraction, the said heavier fraction is contacted in the presence of hydrogen with a catalyst at a temperature of at least 800‹ F., said catalyst comprising an acidic support impregnated or otherwise mixed with platinum or palladium, the said lighter and heavier fractions are re-blended subsequent to the contacting of said heavier fraction with the said catalyst and a middle distillate having a substantially reduced pour point and cloud point is thereby recovered. The process results in the hydroisomerization of the C 17+ normal paraffins. Prior to the hydroisomerization reaction, the heavier fraction may be hydro-treated over a cobalt-molybdenum-alumina catalyst to reduce the sulphur content.