Comparison of gas and kerosene oils chemical composition before and after hydrotreating using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography

• Characterization of gas and kerosene oil before and after commercial hydrotreating was done. • GC×GC-SCD method for group composition of sulfur compounds in middle distillates was developed. • GC×GC-FID was used to obtain the detailed chemical composition of individual hydrocarbons. • Dibenzothiophenes were the only sulfur-containing compounds in hydrotreated gas oil. Information on the detailed composition of the feedstock and product from the hydrotreating is essential for a better understanding of the reactions, possible optimization of the process conditions, development of new catalysts, and achieving a better overall performance of the diesel fuel, especially in terms of environmental impact. This work aims to determine the detailed composition of the gas and kerosene oils before and after hydrotreating to validate the performance of the hydrotreating. Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) was chosen as an effective analytical characterization tool for supporting such initiatives. The quantitative group hydrocarbon and sulfur compounds compositions were determined using GC×GC with flame ionization detector (FID) and selective chemiluminescence detector (SCD), respectively.