Abstract: Based on analyzing the benzene content of blending components in gasoline pool it is concluded that reformate is the key benzene source of gasoline. Technologic approaches for reducing benzene content of reformate are reviewed. It is proposed that selecting the optimum catalytic reformer modes and operation conditions, adopting pre-fractionation to remove benzene and benzene precursors from feed and removing benzene from reformate are the three main approaches to reduce benzene content. Discussions of pre-fractionation and post processing of reformate are conducted in detail including the utilization of light naphtha, isomerazation, benzene saturation, benzene extraction and benzene alkylation. Finally, five processing schemes for reducing the benzene content of reformate from conventional naphtha feed are compared and put forward for refineries to select according to their own requirements.

Key words: gasoline, benzene, catalytic reforming, isomerization, upgrading