Experimental catalytic hydrotreating of solvent-refined coal (SRC II) liquids from Pittsburg and Midway Coal Mining Co.'s pilot plant at Fort Lewis, near Tacoma, Wash., confirmed that a suitable petroleum-refining feedstock can be produced from SRC II liquids with a properly designed hydrotreating catalyst. The high nitrogen content is a major constraint in substituting SRC II liquids for petroleum stocks in the manufacture of transportation fuels, but a commercial tungsten-molybdenum oxide catalyst (13.2 MoO/sub 3/, 9.45% WO/sub 3/) promoted with cobalt and nickel to 6.7% CoO and 3% NiO and supported on alumina with a 232 sq m/g surface area and a 124 A. avg pore dia, reduced the nitrogen content of the SRC II liquids from the original 1.17% to less than 0.3% in up to 180 min of catalyst operation under mild conditions of 425/sup 0/C and 7240 kPa. The sulfur content was reduced from 0.72 to below 0.28%.