Process for hydrocracking a hydrocarbon feedstock

1. A hydrocracking process comprising the steps of:

(a) combining a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock and a heavy bottom fraction recycle stream with a hydrogen-rich gas to obtain a mixture comprising hydrocarbonaceous feedstock and hydrogen;

(b) catalytically hydrocracking the mixture comprising hydrocarbonaceous feedstock and hydrogen in a hydrocracking zone to obtain a hydrocracked effluent;

(c) separating the hydrocracked effluent into a first vapour portion and a first liquid portion in a separation zone;

(d) heating the first liquid portion to form a vapourised first liquid portion;

(e) feeding and introducing the vapourised first liquid portion to a fractionation feed section of a fractionator having an upper light fraction zone and a bottom, heavy fraction discharge zone, fractionating the vapourised first liquid portion and producing individual product fractions including a light fraction and a heavy bottom fraction comprising unconverted oil at the bottom discharge zone;

(f) withdrawing the heavy bottom fraction from the bottom discharge zone at a point below the feed and introduction section;

(g) splitting the withdrawn heavy bottom fraction from the bottom discharge zone into a stream for stripping and a heavy bottom fraction recycle stream comprising HPNA, and recycling the heavy bottom fraction recycle stream comprising HPNA to form a portion of the mixture of step (a);

(h) directing, as a first stream, the stream for stripping, as a second stream, a stripping medium, and , as an optional third stream, a recycled portion of a stripped liquid, to a counter current stripping column and withdrawing from said stripping column an overhead vapour and the stripped liquid;

(i) feeding the overhead vapour to the fractionation section, to the heavy bottom fraction recycle stream or to a position upstream the fractionation section; and

(j) removing at least a part of the stripped liquid from the counter current stripping column as a net purge of unconverted oil, and

(k) transferring thermal energy to one of said first stream, second stream and optional third stream prior to directing said stream to the counter current stripping column.

2. Process according to claim 1 , wherein the vaporised first liquid portion is at least 50% vaporised.

3. Process according to claim 2 , wherein some or all of the energy for the heating of the stream for stripping is provided by heat exchange with one or more streams from the hydrocracking process.

4. Process according to claim 1 , wherein a part of the stripped liquid is recycled, combined with the stream for stripping and directed to an inlet of the counter current stripping column.

5. Process according to claim 4 , wherein the recycled portion of the stripped liquid and/or the stream for stripping is heated by heat exchange with the heavy bottom fraction.

6. Process according to claim 1 , wherein the stream for stripping is heated prior to the stripping process to raise its temperature above its bubble point.

7. Process according to claim 1 , wherein the stripping medium is steam having a pressure between 1 and 20 barg.

8. Process according to claim 1 , wherein the counter current stripping column comprises multiple equilibrium stages in the form of trays or packing material.

9. Process according to claim 1 , wherein a flow rate of the stream for stripping is controlled by a flow control unit according to a desired flow rate of the net purge of unconverted oil.

10. Process according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock is hydrotreated prior to hydrocracking.

11. Process according to claim 1 , wherein the heating of the stream for stripping is provided from one or more heat sources selected from the group consisting of a reactor effluent, an external source of heating medium, high pressure steam, hot flue gas from a fired heater, and electrical heating.

12. Process according to claim 1 , wherein stripping medium output from the stripping unit is added to the fractionation column.

13. Process according to claim 1 , wherein HPNA is extracted from the net purge by adsorption on an adsorbent.