Background to the Invention The applicant is aware that presently in order to produce diesel from a hydrocarbon feed including a fraction having a boiling point in excess of the diesel boiling range by hydrocracking a high recirculation ratio is required thereby leading to reduced viability of the production of said diesel. The high recirculation ratio is necessitated, for amongst other reasons, by the relatively low conversions and yields to the desired products The applicant is further aware that diesel for commercial use should preferably have good cold flow properties, a low cloud point, and a cetane number in excess of 40.

The applicant is also aware that existing hydrocracking catalysts used presently for the production of diesel from a hydrocarbon feed having a fraction having a boiling point above the diesel boiling range include commercially available amorphous Ni/W/OaSiOs catalysts as well as Ni/Mo/AI203SiO2 catalysts which require a high recirculation ratio as described above and amorphous PV Al203SiO2 which is a hydrocracking and dewaxing catalyst which also requires a high recirculation ratio as described above in order to produce said diesel.

The applicant is also aware of an article by S Rajagopal, J. A. Marzari and R Miranda entitled Silica-Alumina-Supported Mo Oxide Catalysts:"Genesis and Demise of Bronsted-Lewis Acidity", which article was published in the Journal of Catalysis 151,192-203 (1995). The entire article is incorporated in this specification by reference as if specifically reproduced here.

In the aforementioned article the authors summarise that the ratio of Brönsted to Lewis acid sites concentration (B/L) increases with Si02 content in the support and reaches a maximum for SiO2 : AI203 of 3: 1 by weight. For alumina rich supports B/L increases continuously with MoO3 loading because of the generation of new Brönsted acid sites and decrease of Lewis acid sites, up to a theoretical maximum of 12 wt% MoO3. The article does not propose the manufacture of a catalyst of the type of this invention nor would the results set out in the article lead a man skilled in the art to conclude that a catalyst in accordance with this invention could be manufactured.

In this specification, unless the context clearly indicates to the contrary, the term conversion is used to indicate the conversion of the hydrocarbon feed to reaction products on a single pass through the reactor i. e. without recycle of reactor bottoms.

Thus, after prolonged and laborious experimentation and development work on diesel production the applicant now proposes a new catalyst and a new diesel production process in accordance with the invention.

Summary of the Invention The invention provides an amorphous hydrocracking catalyst for conversion of at least a portion of a hydrocarbon feed having a fraction above the diesel boiling range to diesel, said catalyst including: -a Al203-SiO2 support; -a noble catalytically active metal which is active at least for the hydrocracking of a hydrocarbon above the diesel boiling range; and -a transition metal oxide wherein the transition metal is selected from Group V, Group Vi and Group Vil transition metals.

The ratio Of Si02 to A1203 in the support may be between 1: 4 and 4: 1.

The ratio of Si02 to Al203 in the support may be between 1: 2 and 7: 2.

The ratio of Si02 to Al203 in the support may be between 2: 4 and 7: 2.

The ratio of SiO2to Al203in the support may be about 3: 1.

The catalytically active noble metal may be Pt, Pd, Ir, or Rh.

The catalytically active noble metal is typically Pt.

The catalytically active noble metal may be present at between 0.1% to 5% of the weight of the catalyst.

The catalytically active noble metal is typically present at between 0.5% to 1.5% of the weight of the catalyst.

The catalytically active noble metal is usually about 1.2% of the weight of the catalyst.

The transition metal oxide is typically a Group VI transition metal oxide, for example, MoO3.

The transition metal oxide may be between about 0.5% and 15% of the catalyst weight.

The transition metal oxide may be between about 1.5% and 12% of the catalyst weight.

Typically the transition metal oxide is about 2% of the catalyst weight.

In one embodiment the catalyst is Pt/MoO3/AI203SiO2 having about 1. 2wt% Pt and about 2wt% MoO3, and a Si02 to Al203 weight ratio of about 3: 1.

The catalyst is a non-sulphided catalyst.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided an amorphous hydrocracking catalyst for conversion of at least a portion of a hydrocarbon feed having a fraction above the diesel boiling range to diesel, said catalyst having an acidity of between 0.1 and 0.9 mmol NH/g catalyst.

Typically, said catalyst has an acidity of between 0.25 and 0.6 mmol NH3/g catalyst.

Typically, said catalyst has an acidity when freshly prepared of 0.38 mmol NH3/g catalyst Typically, said catalyst has an acidity when used (spent) of 0.45 mmol NH3/g catalyst The catalyst may have a Bronsted/Lewis ratio (B/L) of between 0.3 and 1.2.

Typically, said catalyst may have a Bronsted/Lewis ratio of 0.44.

The applicant believes that the B/L ratio of the support of the catalyst, which is substantially higher than some prior art hydrocracking catalysts, results in the catalyst of the invention favouring a tertiary to tertiary cracking mechanism, also called a Type A cracking mechanism, which cracking mechanism is substantially faster than the Type B1 and B2 cracking mechanisms.

It is believed that a high B/L content on the amorphous support is important as the alkene receives a proton from the support, then transforms into a carbocation.

Isomerization is an important step in the hydrocracking mechanism as a linear paraffin molecule has typically to be isomerized three times before the dominant A-type hydrocracking takes place.

Over bifunctional catalysts, it has been found that type A hydrocracking is by far the fastest reaction; 375 times faster than type B1 and 1050 times faster than type B2 hydrocracking

The applicant further believes that the non-sulphided nature of the catalyst of the invention is advantageous in a hydrocarbon processing stream where sulphur levels are very low or absent, such as a Fischer-Tropsch process in which there is typically no or little sulphur in the feedstream and thus sulphur removal is not provided for.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a process for conversion of at least a portion of a hydrocarbon feed having a component above the diesel boiling range to diesel, said process including contacting under conversion temperatures and pressures said hydrocarbon feed with a catalyst including: -a AI203-SiO2 support; -a noble catalytically active metal which is active at least for the hydrocracking of a hydrocarbon above the diesel boiling range; and -a transition metal oxide wherein the transition metal is selected from Group V, Group VI and Group Vll transition metals.

The ratio of Si02to Al203in the support may be between 1: 4 and 4: 1.

The ratio Of Si02 to A1203 in the support may be between 1: 2 and 7: 2.

The ratio of SiO2 to Al203 in the support may be between 2: 4 and 7: 2.

The ratio of Si02 to A1203 in the support may be about 3: 1.

The catalytically active noble metal may be Pt, Pd, Ir, or Rh.

The catalytically active noble metal is typically Pt.

The catalytically active noble metal may be present at between 0.1% to 5% of the weight of the catalyst.

The catalytically active noble metal is typically present at between 0.5% to 1.5% of the weight of the catalyst.

The catalytically active noble metal is usually about 1.2% of the weight of the catalyst.

The transition metal oxide may be any Group VI b (Group 6) oxide, typically MoO3 The transition metal oxide may be between about 0.5% and 15% of the catalyst weight.

The transition metal oxide may be between about 1.5% and 12% of the catalyst weight.

Typically the transition metal oxide is about 2% of the catalyst weight.

In one embodiment the catalyst is Pt/MoO3/AI203SiO2 having about 1.2wt% Pt and about 2wt% MoO3, and an SiO2 to Al203 weight ratio of about 3: 1.

The catalyst is a non-sulphided catalyst.

The process may be carried out at a temperature of between 250°C and 450°C.

The process may be carried out at a temperature of between 330°C and 390°C.

The process may be carried out at temperature of between about 350°C and 380°C.

Typically the process is carried out at between 360°C to 370°, usually 370°C.

The process may be carried out a pressure of between 10 and 200 Bar, although a typical range is between 15 and 70 Bar.

The process may be carried out at 70 Bar where a high diesel to naphtha ratio of above 6 is required at a conversion rate of above 60%.

The process may be carried out at a pressure of about 70 Bar and at a temperature of about 370°C to give a diesel to naphtha ratio of about 6.4 at a conversion of about 70%, said diesel having a cloud point of about-19°C.

The process may be carried out without recycle of a bottoms fraction.

The process may be carried out with a recycle ratio of bottoms fraction from the reactor to fresh hydrocarbon feed of from 4: 1 to 1: 9 (20%-90% conversion) The process may be carried out with a volumetric Ha to hydrocarbon feed ratio of between 800: 1 and 3000: 1, typically 1000: 1 to 1500: 1.

The process may be carried out with a weight hourly space velocity (whsv) of between 0.25h-1 and 1.5 h-1, typically 0.5h~1 and 1h 1.

The diesel and naphtha products of the process may be produced at a ratio of at least 6: 1, typically 6.4: 1.

The conversion to diesel may be at least 60%, typically 70% and even as high as 80%.

In one embodiment, the diesel to naphtha ratio is about 6.4: 1 at a conversion to diesel of 70% when the process is carried out at 370°C and a pressure of 70 Bar.

Typically the hydrocarbon feed is predominantly a wax feed, for example a Fischer-Tropsch wax.

According to yet a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a process for conversion of at least a portion of a hydrocarbon feed having a component above the diesel boiling range to diesel, said process including contacting under conversion temperatures and pressures said hydrocarbon feed with a conversion catalyst, wherein product fractions of the process include: -a naphtha fraction; -a diesel fraction; and -a bottoms fraction which predominantly contains hydrocarbons having a boiling range above the diesel boiling range; wherein the diesel to naphtha ratio is at least 6 when the conversion of hydrocarbon feed is at least 60%.

The diesel to naphtha ratio may be between 6 and 7, typically 6.4 at a conversion of 70% when the process is carried out at 370°C and at a pressure of 70 Bar.

The process may include the recycling of the bottoms fraction wherein the recycle ratio of bottoms fraction to fresh hydrocarbon feed is less than 4: 1, typically less than 3: 7.

In one embodiment there is no recycling of the bottoms fraction.

The conversion catalyst may include: -a AI203-SiO2 support; -a noble catalytically active metal which is active at least for the hydrocracking of a hydrocarbon above the diesel boiling range; and -a transition metal oxide wherein the transition metal is selected from Group V, Group Vi and Group VII transition metals.

The ratio of SiO2to Al203in the support may be between 1: 4 and 4: 1.

The ratio Of Si02 to A1203 in the support may be between 1: 2 and 7: 2.

The ratio Of Si02 to A1203 in the support may be between 2: 4 and 7: 2.

The ratio of Si02to Al203 in the support may be about 3: 1.

The catalytically active noble metal may be Pt, Pd, Ir, or Rh.

The catalytically active noble metal is typically Pt.

The catalytically active noble metal may be present at between 0.1 % to 5% of the weight of the catalyst.

The catalytically active noble metal is typically present at between 0.5% to 1.5% of the weight of the catalyst.

The catalytically active noble metal is usually about 1.2% of the weight of the catalyst.

The transition metal oxide may be any Group 6 oxide, typically MoO3.

The transition metal oxide may be between about 0.5% and 15% of the catalyst weight.

The transition metal oxide may be between about 1.5% and 12% of the catalyst weight.

Typically the transition metal oxide is about 2% of the catalyst weight.

In one embodiment the catalyst is Pt/MoO3/AI203SiO2 having about 1.2wt% Pt and about 2wt% MoO3, and a Si02 to Al203 weight ratio of about 3: 1.

The catalyst is a non-sulphided catalyst.

The process may be carried out at a temperature of between 250°C and 450°C.

The process may be carried out at a temperature of between 330°C and 390°C.

The process may be carried out at temperature of between about 350°C and 380°C.

Typically the process is carried out at between 360°C to 370°, usually 370°C.

The process may be carried out a pressure of between 10 and 200 Bar, although a typical range is between 15 and 70 Bar.

The process may be carried out at 70 Bar where a high diesel to naphtha ratio of above 6 is required at a conversion rate of above 60%.

The process may be carried out at a pressure of about 70 Bar and at a temperature of about 370°C to give a diesel to naphtha ratio of about 6.4 at a conversion of about 70%, said diesel having a cloud point of about-19°C.

The process may be carried out with a volumetric H2 to hydrocarbon feed ratio of between 800: 1 and 3000: 1, typically 1000: 1 to 1500: 1.

The process may be carried out with a weight hourly space velocity (whsv) of between 0.25h-1 and 1.5 h-, typically 0. 5h-1 and 1 h-1.

The conversion to diesel may be at least 60%, typically 70% and even as high as 80%.

Typically the hydrocarbon feed is predominantly a wax feed, for example a Fischer-Tropsch wax.

The Fischer-Tropsch wax may be selected from a Group including -a primary FT reactor product; -wax A, or distillation fractions thereof ; -wax B; -wax C wherein waxes A, B and C have characteristics as set out in the table below.

Wax Characteristics : Wax Type Congealing point (°C) Substantial carbon distribution <BR> <BR> A 83-103, typically 93 C5-Czo<BR> <BR> B 49-69, typically 59 C17-C45<BR> <BR> C 71-91, typically 81 C30-C85 The invention extends to a diesel produced by the process of the invention, the diesel having a cetane number in excess of 40.

The diesel may have a cetane number between 65 and 75, typically 70.

The diesel may have a cloud point below-19°C.

Typically the diesel has a cloud point below-25°C.

Specific Description of the Invention Catalyst Example 1 A non-sulphided Pt/MoO3/AI203-SiO2 catalyst was prepared in which the support was amorphous. The particle size of the catalyst was 1/8".

Catalyst preparation.

75% Degussa silica (300 grams), 25% Degussa alumina (100 grams) and HN03 55% (100 ml) were introduced into a mixer. While mixing, distilled water was added drop wise until a stiff dough was obtained. The paste was kneaded for about 3 hours.

At the end of the reaction, the mixture was placed in an oven at 120°C for 10 hours in order to ensure proper drying, then pelletised to 3000 and 6000 micrometers.

Following this, the support was calcined in air at 550°C for 3 hours.

100 grams of the support was impregnated with 100 ml of (NH4) 6Mo7024. 4H20 (2.4525 grams) solution until a 2.2% MoO3 content was loaded. The mixture was calcined in air at 400°C for 4 hours. Then 100 grams of the mixture was impregnated with 100 ml of [Pt (NH3) 4] (NO3) 2 (1.9846 grams) solution until a 1.2% Pt content was loaded ; then the catalyst was calcined at 400°C in air for 4 hours in order to eliminate all the NHs and to obtain the desired oxide MoOs.

Reduction of the catalyst The catalyst was reduced in-situ in a fixed bed at 350°C for 8 hours with a hydrogen flow rate of 1.7 I/min in order to reduce the platinum.

Catalyst testing apparatus The catalyst testing was carried out in a fixed bed reactor operating in down flow mode.

Other apparatus and techniques used for catalyst characterization BET surface area measurements and data A Gemini micromeritics surface area machine was used. BET data of the catalyst was obtained. Catalyst characteristics are summarized in table A below.

Table A: Catalyst Characteristics . A. B. C'D'E. F. G. H Pt/MoO3/Al2O3-SiO2 1.2% Pt 65. 1 % Si02 233 0. 55 0. 38 100 0.44 2.2% MoO3 19% Al203

A: catalyst with particle size: 1/8".

B: active agents.

C: carrier D: BET surface area (m2/g) E: total pore volume (cm3/g) F: acid sites (mmol NH3/g cat) G: average pore diameter (Angstrom) H: Bronsted/Lewis (B/L) Inductive Couple Plasma (ICP) The amorphous support (Al2O3-SiO2) was impregnated with a metal oxide (MoO3) and a noble metal (Pt) and metal loadings were ascertained by means of ICP.

The analyses were performed by AARL. ICP data for Pt/MoO3/AI203-SiO2 was obtained. The results are given in table B below.

Table B: Percentage of metal loading on the Al2O3-SiO3 Sample Percentage of Metal loading Pt/MoO3/Al2O3-SiO2 % added % found 1.3% Pt/2. 3% 1.2% Pt/2.2% MoO3 MoO3

X-rav diffraction QERD ! A Siemens D500 X-ray Powder Diffractometer was used to determine the crystallinity of the catalyst and the catalyst was found to be classifiable as amorphous.

Temperature program reduction (TPR) A Micromeritics TPR 2900 analyzer was used. The catalyst was reduced at 350°C.

Temperature program desorption (TPD ! A Micromeritics TPD 2900 NH3analyzer was used for the determination of the catalyst acidity.

Catalyst Use Tests to convert a Fischer-Tropsch reaction product wax to diesel and naphtha using the catalyst described above were performed at 370°C in a fixed bed reactor without recycle.

Tests were also conducted to convert a Fischer-Tropsch reaction product to diesel and naphtha using the prior art Ni-W or Ni-Mo catalysts at 370°C in a fixed bed reactor without recycle.

The results showed that the catalyst of the invention gave superior results of a diesel to naphtha ratio of 6.4: 1 and a conversion (C23+ converted in product) of 70%, the diesel having an acceptable cloud point of about -19°C.

The catalyst was also found not to have decreased in activity or performance after 190 days of constant use whereas the prior art catalysts are known to have a gradual decrease in activity from the first day of use until the catalyst must be replaced.

Process Example 1 An amorphous catalyst having the properties as set out in tables 1 and 2 below and originally designed for the conversion of waxes to lube oils was prepared and used in a hydrocracking process to convert a Fischer-Tropsch wax C to diesel. Wax C has a congealing point of 81°C and a substantial carbon distribution of C30 to C85, as shown in the table above.

Table 1: Catalyst Characteristics A # # B # # C # # D # # E # # F # # G # # H PtMoO3/Al2O3- 1. 2% Pt 65. 1 % SiO2 219 0.55 0.38 100 0. 44 Si02 2.2% 19% Al203 MoO3

A: catalyst with particle size: 1/8"and catalyst bulk density between 0.2 and 2.5 B: active agents.

C: carrier D: BET surface area (m2/g) E: total pore volume (cm3/g) F: acid sites (mmol NH3/g cat) G: average pore diameter, Angström (A) H: Bronsted/Lewis (B/L) Table 2: Percentage of metal loading on the Al2O3-SiO3 Sample Percentage of Metal loaded Pt/MoO3/AI203-Si02 % added % found 1.3% Pt/1. 2% Pt/ 2.3% MoO3 2. 2% MoO3

Temperature program reduction (TPR) A Micromeritics TPR 2900 analyzer was used. The catalyst was reduced at 350°C.

Temperature program desorption (TPD) A Micromeritics TPD 2900 NH3 analyser was used for the determination of the catalyst acidity.

Gas chromatouraphy (GC) A GC was used to identify and to determine the carbon number distribution of the products. The analyses were performed by Instrumental Techniques laboratory.

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) A Varian Unity Inova 400 mHz NMR was used to determine the cetane number of the diesel fraction.

Catalyst Use Tests to convert a Fischer-Tropsch wax having a liquid point of 80°C (wax C) to diesel were performed under a variety of conditions. The tests were conducted at pressures of 35 bar, 50 bar and 70 bar.

A summary of reactions performed is given in tables 3,4 and 5.

Reactions were also performed with hydrocracked bottoms (HB)">370°C" from wax C (HB) as feedstock. A summary of the experiments performed using HB as feedstock is shown in table 6.

The diesel fraction produced 170°-370°C during the experiments were fractionated according to the true boiling point (TBP) while the specification requires a diesel cut 170°-370°C according to the ASTM D-86.

The diesel fraction of 170°-370°C in TBP corresponds almost to 190°-390°C in ASTM-D86; therefore all flash points values resulted from the test runs were too high as the initial boiling point of the diesel were shifted by almost 20°C.

Wax C conversion over Pt/MoO Wax C at a flow rate of 0.9-1.9 ml/min and H2 at a flow rate of 1.4-2.6 Nl/min were passed through Pt/MoO3/AI203-SiO2 catalyst (96.2 g) in the reactor.

Separate runs were carried out at various pressures (35 bar, 50 bar and 70 bar) and various temperatures (360°C, 365°C and 370°C).

The results obtained after 3-4 days run at each temperature and pressure are shown in tables 3,4 and 5.

Table 3: The effect of temperature on diesel selectivity and diesel properties at 50 bar. whsv of 0. 5h wax of 1400. Run Specificati R 08 # R 09 # R 10 ons Pressure (bar) 50 50 50 Temperature (°C) 370 3B5 360 Whsv (h-0. 5 0. 5 0. 5 Ha : wax 1432 1427 1467 ConversionD (%) 84. 4 78. 9 58 Sc1-c4(%) 4.3 4.5 2. 3 Sucs-cl (%) 21.5 20. 7 16.4 Sc10-c22(% 74.2 74. 8 81.3 YCi-C4 %) 3.6 3.6 1. 3 Yc5-c9(%) 18. 1 16.3 9. 5 Yc10-c22(%) 62.6 59 47.2 Residue %) 15.6 21.1 42 Diesel/naphtha 3. 5 3. 6 5 Diesel Properties iP/nP in C10-C22 7.7 6.4 7. 3 Cloud point (°C) (-19°C) max-25-9-3 Flash point (°C) 57 min 84 84 78 Viscosity @40°C 2. 0<cSt<5.3 2.6 2.7 3. 2 Density @20°C 0.766 g/cm", 0.775 0.77 0. 781 Cetane number 70 min 71 72 73 Conversiono (%) = (C23+ in fresh feed-C23+ in product)/C23+ in fresh feed * 100 from Carbon Number Distribution (CND) Sc10-c22 (%) = Diesel selectivity calculated as: (C10-C22 in product-C10-C22 in fresh feed)/ (Ci-C22 in product-Cl-C22 in fresh feed) * 100 Ycio-c22 (%) = Diesel yield calculated as: conversionD * Scio-c22

Conversion of wax C at 50 bar As regards the quality of the products, the diesel fraction (C10-22) produced presents excellent properties. An average ratio iCio-22/nCio-22 of 7/1 has been obtained. This high ratio explains the cloud point of-25°C. A diesel cetane number of 71 was found.

Table 4 : Effect of temperature on diesel selectivity and diesel properties at 35 bar, whsv of 0.5h'1 and H2/wax of 1400 Run R 11 R 12 R13 Catalyst Pt/Mo/Al Pt/Mo/Al Pt/Mo/Al -Si-Si-Si Pressure (bar) 35 35 35 Temperature (°C) 360 365 370 Whsv -1) 0.5 0.5 0. 5 H2 : wax 1353 1452 1507 ConversionD (%) 72. 8 85. 5 95. 2 Yci-c4 (%) 1.0 3.7 2. 0 Yc5. c9 (%) 14.6 19. 7 29.3 YC10-C22(%) 57.3 62.2 64.0 Residue (%) 27. 1 14.4 4 7 Diesel/naphtha 3.9 3.2 2. 2 Diesel Properties ! in C10-C22 4.8 6.9 6 Cloud point (°C)-29-34-39 CFPP °C) -34 -39 <-39 Flash point (°C) 88 80 75 Viscosity @40°C 2. 5 2. 7 2. 2 Density 20°C 0.776 0.777 0. 771 Cetane number 72 73 69 Conversion of wax C at 370°C From table 5 the following points may be observed: It was found that by lowering the pressure from 70 bar to 35 bar the conversion increases cold properties improve i. e. cloud point at 70 bar was 4°C decreasing to 39°C at 35 bar as can be seen from table 5.

The Cetane number, which measures the ignition quality of a diesel fuel, remained high and almost unchanged at low pressure. This can be explained by the insignificant aromatic content in the diesel (below 1%).

Table 5: The effect of pressure on diesel selectivitv and diesel properties at 370°C, whsv of 0.5ho and Wax of 1400. Run R 07 R 08 R 13 Pressure (bar) 70 50 35 Temperature °C) 370 370 370 Whsv (h') 0.5 0. 5 0.5 H2 : wax 1327 1432 1507 ConversionD (%) 48. 7 84. 4 95. 2 Yc1-c4(%) 2.6 3.6 2. 0 Yc5-cs %) 8.2 18.1 29. 3 Ycio. c22 (%) 37. 8 62.6 64. 0 Residue (%) 51.3 15. 6 4.7 Diesel/naphtha 4. 6 3. 5 2. 2 Diesel Properties iP/nP in C10-C22 4.6 7.7 6 Cloud point (°C)-6-25-39 CFPP °C <-39 Flash point (°C 86 84 75 Viscosity 40°C 2.7 2.6 2. 2 Density @20°C 0. 777 0. 775 0. 771 Cetane number 72 71 69 Conversion of hydrocracked bottoms (">370°C") over a Pt/MoO3/Al2O3-SiO2 catalyst.

A study was also undertaken in which hydrocracked bottoms (HB,">370°C') from wax C was used as feedstock. The purpose of this was to assess the product yielded and its quality.

Feed at a rate of 0.9-1.9 m)/min and H2 at a flow rate of 1.4-2.6 NI/min were passed through a Pt/MoO3/Al2O3-SiO2 catalyst (96.2 g) bed in the reactor.

Reactions were performed at two different temperatures, keeping other parameters constant. The results of the runs carried out at temperatures of 350°C and 340°C, a pressure of 35 bar, a whsv of 0.5 h-1 and a H2/wax of 1200 are shown in table 6. Table 6 : The effect of the hydrocracked Wax C bottoms (material > 370 C) on diesel selectivity and diesel properties. Run R 15 R 16. Pressure (bar) 35 35 Temperature (°C) 350 340 Whsv (h-1) 0. 53 0. 56 H2 : wax 1215 1209 ConversionD (%) 93.7 54. 8 Yci-c4 (%) 2.7 1.1 Yc5-cs (%) 15.6 9.2 Ycio-c22 (%) 75.5 44.5 Residue (%) 6.3 45. 3 Diesel/naphtha 5 5 Diesel Properties iP/nP in C10-C22 7.8 6. 2 Cloud point °C) -21 -28 CFPP (°C)-38 Flash point (°C) 89 97 Viscosity @40°C 2. 75 3. 16 Density @20°C 0. 775 0. 802 Cetane number 70 72 Conversion of hydrocracked bottoms wax C (bp>370°C using the Pt/Mo silica-aluminacatalyst The reactor temperature was set to 350°C and was then reduced to 340°C to avoid an overcracking of the hydrocracked wax C feedstock as it contains significant amount of iso-paraffins.

It can be noticed that at a conversion of 93.7% as well as 54.8% excellent cold properties have been obtained in both runs (-21°C &-28°C) combined with high cetane number (70 & 72). The effect of conversion on cloud point was out of correlation i. e. at 93.7% conversion, it is expected a cloud point much lower than at 54.8% conversion. The explanation could be that molecular rearrangements in the iso-paraffins structures might happen. Overcracking of the highly branched iso- paraffins might affect the diesel cold properties.

Process Example 2 An amorphous catalyst having the properties as set out in tables 1 and 2 of Process Example 1 was prepared and used in a hydrocracking process to convert a Fischer-Tropsch wax known as Wax A to diesel. Wax A has a congealing point of 91 °C and a substantial carbon distribution of C5 to Ciao.

The amorphous non-sulphided, Pt/MoO3/AI203-SiO2 was used to hydrocrack Wax A with the objective to evaluate the catalyst for hydroisomerisation of waxes to lube base oils.

Surprisingly, the catalyst showed a good activity and a good selectivity towards diesel. The activity of the catalyst was further tested using the full range Fischer-Tropsch wax as feedstock.

Catalyst Use Reactions to convert Wax A to diesel were performed under a variety of conditions. A pressure range of 35 bar, 50 bar and 70 bar, a temperature range of 365°C, 370°C and 380°C, a weight hourly space velocity (whsv) of 0.5 h-1, and a H2/wax range of 1000,1200 and 1300 were covered in the study.

A summary of reactions performed is given in table 7.

Typical experimental details are given below.

Wax A Conversion Using The PUMoO3/AI203-SiO2 Catalyst Wax A at a flow rate of 0.9-1.9 ml/min and H2 at a flow rate of 1.4-2.6 Ni/min was passed through Pt/MoO3/AI203-SiO2 catalyst (96.2 g) in the reactor.

Table 7 : The effect of temperature on diesel selectivity and diesel properties at 70 bar and whsv of 0.5 h' Run R 27 R 28 Pressure (bar) 70 70 Temperature O 370 380 WHSV (h-') 0. 5 0. 5 H2:wax 1221 1242 Conversion (%) 70. 1 79. 5 Yc1-c4(%) 1.2 1.3 Yc5-c9 (%) 9. 3 18. 8 Yc10-c22(%) 59.6 59. 4 Residue (%) 29. 9 20. 5 Diesel/naphtha 6.4 3. 2 Diesel Properties iP/nP in 00-0223. 94. 1 Cloud point (°C)-19-20 Cetane number 70 69 Process Example 3 An amorphous non-sulphided catalyst having the properties as set out in tables 1 and 2 of Example 1, Pt/MoO3/AI203-SiO2, was used to convert Wax B with the objective to evaluate the catalyst for hydroisomerisation of waxes to lube base oils. Surprisingly the catalyst showed a good activity and a good selectivity towards diesel. Wax B has a congealing point of 59°C and a substantial carbon distribution of C17 to C45.

It was found, to the surprise of the applicant, that the prepared Pt/MoO3/AI203-Si02 catalyst produces an excellent diesel comparable to the diesel quality obtained by hydrocracking Fischer-Tropsch (FT) waxes using other commercially available amorphous hydrocracking catalysts.

Catalyst Use Wax B was converted to diesel under a variety of conditions. A pressure range of 15 bar, 35 bar, 50 bar and 70 bar, a temperature range of 350°C to 380°C, a weight hourly space velocity (whsv) range of 0.5 h-1 and a H2/wax range of 1000,1200 and

3000 were tested with the above catalyst and the reactions performed are given in table 8.

The test work was performed in a bench scale fixed bed reactor.

Wax B conversion over Pt/MoO3/Al2O3-SiO2 Wax B at a flow rate of 0.054-0.114 I/h, H2 at a flow rate of 84-156 NVh was passed over the Pt/MoO3/Al2O3-SiO2 catalyst (96.2 g) in the reactor.

Reactions were carried out at various pressures (15 bar, 35 bar, 50 bar and 70 bar), various temperatures (350°C, 360°C, 365°C, 370°C & 380°C), whsv (0.5 h-') and various H2/wax ratios (1000,1200 and 3000). The results obtained after stabilising the reactor for 3-4 days at given temperature and pressure are shown in table 8.

Table 8: The effect of temperature on diesel selectivitv and diesel properties at 35 bar. a H2/wax ratio of 1200 and whsv of 0.5 h- Run R40 R 37 R 38 Pressure 35 35 35 (bar) Temperature 350 360 365 (°C) WHSV (h') 0. 5 0.5 0.5 H2:wax 1215 1238 1302 Conversion 16. 6 69.0 86.4 (%) Yca-c4 (%) 0. 3 0.8 1.8 Yc5-c9(%) 1. 6 15.2 21.2 YCl0-G22 (%) 14.6 53 63.3 Residue (%) 83.4 31 13.6 Diesel/napht 8. 9 3.5 3.0 ha Diesel Properties iP/nP in C10- 3. 3 4.6 5.3 C22 Cloudpoint-9-18-17 rc) CFPP (°C)-20-25 Cetane 75 71 70 number