ABSTRACT
Although hydrogenation is one of the oldest catalytic processes used in refining petroleum, only in recent years has catalytic hydrocracking developed to any great extent in this country. This interest in the use of hydrocracking has been caused by several factors, including (1) the demand for petroleum products has shifted to high ratios of gasoline and jet fuel compared with the usages of diesel fuel and home heating oils, (2) by-product hydrogen at low cost and in large amounts has become available from catalytic reforming operations, and (3) envi-ronmental concerns limiting sulfur and aromatic compound concentrations in mo-tor fuels have increased.
