Hydrotreatment of Irati shale oil: behavior of the aromatic fraction

This paper presents the chemical transformations that occur in the aromatic fraction of Irati shale oil under rather drastic hydrotreating conditions, at 400{degrees} C and 125 atm, using a commercial Ni-Mo/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} catalyst in sulfided form. The aromatic fraction was analyzed before and after reaction by gas chromatography/ mass spectrometry. Several compounds were identified by using this method. The main reactions are the partial hydrogenation of the aromatic rings forming hydroaromatic compounds and the cracking of the lateral alkyl chains. Hydrotreatment leads to a more complex aromatic fraction due to the formation of new compounds.