A laboratory investigation of the hydrogenation of Alberta bitumen over oxide and sulphide forms of commercial cobalt molybdate catalyst is described. Experiments were made with four reaction bed-preheater arrangements: a) porcelain ben l saddles in both the preheater and the reaction bed (a no-catalyst system); h) porcelain packing in the preheater section, followed by the oxide form of cobalt molybdate catalyst in the reaction bed; c) the oxide form of the cobalt molybdate catalyst in both the preheater and the reaction bed; and d) the sulphide form of the cobalt molybdate catalyst in both the preheater and the reaction bed. Coke was found to form quickly in the systems where Porcelain packing was used in the preheater section. Much improved operating life and activity were observed when the oil feed was brought up to temperature on catalyst packing. A marked increase in activity and operating stability ' was also observed when the bitumen was diluted slightly with a heavy gas-oil fraction. From the standpoint of the conversion of residuum to distillable oil, the all-sulphide catalyst system was more effective than the oxide, but the all-oxide system was more stable in operation and removed more sulphur. Under conditions where a high proportion of the products was in the liquid phase, the activity of the oxide system changed little with operation, whereas the activity of the sulphide catalyst decreased rapidly.

The report describes a laboratory-scale investigation of thermal (noncatalytic) and cetelytic hydrogen treatment processes for converting the residuum material (+990°F) in Athabasca bitumen to distillable hydrocarbon fractions. The experiments were made in the liquid phase, using a conventional flow apparatus with a bottom-feed pipe reactor at pressures from 500 to 3500 psi. the rate of accumulation of sludge (combined tar, coke, and mineral matter) in the reaction vessel was greatest at high conversion levels and low pressures. Continuous operation was not possible at 500 psi, but at 1000 psi the concentration of residuum (including clay) could be reduced to 18-207 without serious difficulty. Considerable gas formation occurred at all pressures in the thermal experiments and at low pressures in the catalytic system. It was only at high 1)4ssures that the catalyst suppressed gasification relative to the conversion °f the residuum, resulting in a marked increase in the yield of liquid product. Maximum permissible extra cost for catalytic processing, compared to thermal hydrocracking (capital cost plus catalyst), is estimated at 25-30abbl.