Processes for producing a gasoline blend in which C.sub.7 hydrocarbons are separated from a naphtha feed. The C.sub.7 hydrocarbons are isomerized and dehydrogenated to increase the octane value of the components therein. In order to avoid conversion of methylcyclohexane to toluene in the dehydrogenation reactor, the various processes provide flow schemes in which the methylcyclohexane bypasses the C.sub.7 dehydrogenation reaction zone.

Processes for producing a gasoline blend in which C.sub.7 hydrocarbons are separated from a naphtha feed. The C.sub.7 hydrocarbons are isomerized and dehydrogenated to increase the octane value of the components therein. In order to avoid conversion of methylcyclohexane to toluene in the dehydrogenation reactor, the various processes provide flow schemes in which the methylcyclohexane bypasses the C.sub.7 dehydrogenation reaction zone.

A process and apparatus for making aromatics are described. The process includes reforming a naphtha stream in a reforming zone to form a reformer effluent comprising aromatic compounds and non-aromatic compounds, wherein at least a portion of the aromatic compounds contain alkyl groups. The reformer effluent is heated and passed directly to an acid cracking reaction zone. The non-aromatic compounds are selectively cracked and at least a portion of the alkyl groups on the aromatic compounds are selectively dealkylated in the presence of an acid cracking catalyst to form a cracked reformer effluent comprising the aromatic compounds and cracked olefins.

A process and apparatus for making aromatics are described. The process includes reforming a naphtha stream in a reforming zone to form a reformer effluent comprising aromatic compounds and non-aromatic compounds, wherein at least a portion of the aromatic compounds contain alkyl groups. The reformer effluent is heated and passed directly to an acid cracking reaction zone. The non-aromatic compounds are selectively cracked and at least a portion of the alkyl groups on the aromatic compounds are selectively dealkylated in the presence of an acid cracking catalyst to form a cracked reformer effluent comprising the aromatic compounds and cracked olefins.

A process is described for reducing the level of benzene in a refinery gasoline feed containing benzene and at least one C.sub.5+ olefin, in which the refinery gasoline feed is contacted with a first alkylation catalyst under conditions effective to react at least part of the C.sub.5+ olefin and benzene in the refinery gasoline feed and produce a first alkylation effluent. The first alkylation effluent is separated into at least (i) a first fraction rich in benzene, (ii) a second fraction rich in C.sub.7 to C.sub.12 hydrocarbons and (iii) a third fraction rich in C.sub.13+ hydrocarbons. At least part of the first fraction is contacted with an alkylating agent comprising one or more C.sub.2 to C.sub.4 olefins in the presence of a second alkylation catalyst under conditions effective to produce a second alkylation effluent which has reduced benzene content as compared with the first fraction.

A process is described for reducing the level of benzene in a refinery gasoline feed containing benzene and at least one C.sub.5+ olefin, in which the refinery gasoline feed is contacted with a first alkylation catalyst under conditions effective to react at least part of the C.sub.5+ olefin and benzene in the refinery gasoline feed and produce a first alkylation effluent. The first alkylation effluent is separated into at least (i) a first fraction rich in benzene, (ii) a second fraction rich in C.sub.7 to C.sub.12 hydrocarbons and (iii) a third fraction rich in C.sub.13+ hydrocarbons. At least part of the first fraction is contacted with an alkylating agent comprising one or more C.sub.2 to C.sub.4 olefins in the presence of a second alkylation catalyst under conditions effective to produce a second alkylation effluent which has reduced benzene content as compared with the first fraction.

A process is presented for improving the feed to a cracking unit and a reforming unit from a naphtha feedstock. The process includes the use of a separation unit to generate a light naphtha feed and a heavy naphtha feed. The process further includes separating the light naphtha feed into a light naphtha feed comprising normal hydrocarbons and a light naphtha feed comprising non-normal hydrocarbons. The light naphtha feed comprising normal hydrocarbon is passed to the cracking unit and the heavy naphtha feed is passed to the reforming unit.

A process is presented for improving the feed to a cracking unit and a reforming unit from a naphtha feedstock. The process includes the use of a separation unit to generate a light naphtha feed and a heavy naphtha feed. The process further includes separating the light naphtha feed into a light naphtha feed comprising normal hydrocarbons and a light naphtha feed comprising non-normal hydrocarbons. The light naphtha feed comprising normal hydrocarbon is passed to the cracking unit and the heavy naphtha feed is passed to the reforming unit.

A process and apparatus for making aromatics are described. The process includes reforming a naphtha stream in a reforming zone to form a reformer effluent comprising aromatic compounds and non-aromatic compounds, wherein at least a portion of the aromatic compounds contain alkyl groups. The reformer effluent is heated and passed directly to an acid cracking reaction zone. The non-aromatic compounds are selectively cracked and at least a portion of the alkyl groups on the aromatic compounds are selectively dealkylated in the presence of an acid cracking catalyst to form a cracked reformer effluent comprising the aromatic compounds and cracked olefins.

An integrated process for producing para-xylenes may include catalytically reforming a naphtha feed stream to form a reformate stream; separating the reformate stream into a C.sub.1-C.sub.7 hydrocarbon stream and a C.sub.8+ hydrocarbon stream; exposing the C.sub.1-C.sub.7 hydrocarbon stream to a first solvent in a solvent extraction unit to form a non-aromatic hydrocarbon stream and a C.sub.6-C.sub.7 aromatics stream; separating the C.sub.6-C.sub.7 aromatics stream into at least a toluene feed stream; separating the C.sub.8+ hydrocarbon stream into a C.sub.9+ hydrocarbon stream and a xylene stream; separating the xylene stream in a p-xylene separation unit to form the para-xylene stream and a xylene isomer stream; isomerizing the xylene isomer stream to produce a para-xylene rich stream; and upgrading the toluene feed stream and the C.sub.9+ hydrocarbon stream in a hybrid dealkylation/transalkylation unit with a hydrogen stream and a hybrid transalkylation/dealkylation catalyst to produce a product stream including para-xylenes.