Hydrodenitrogenation of shale oil using two catalysts in series reactors

Claim 1

A process for hydrodenitrogenation of shale oil comprising passing feed shale oil and hydrogen through a zone containing a sulfided first catalyst comprising molybdenum as the major supported metallic component in an amount between about 1 and 15 weight percent together with between about 1 and 10 weight percent of Group VIII metal on a non-cracking support, removing an effluent oil from the first catalyst zone, removing hydrogen sulfide and ammonia from the effluent oil from the first catalyst zone, in said first zone not more than 20 weight percent of said feed oil boiling above the naphtha range is converted to oil boiling in or below the naphtha range, passing the effluent oil from the first catalyst zone and hydrogen through a zone containing a sulfided second catalyst comprising tungsten in an amount between about 1 and 25 weight percent together with between about 1 and 25 weight percent of Group VIII metal on a non-cracking support, the temperature in said zones being between about 650° and 800° F., the hydrogen pressure in said zones being between about 500 and 5,000 psi, and the liquid hourly space velocity in said zones being between about 0.1 and 5.0, and removing an effluent stream from said second catalyst zone.