Patent ID: 8557105
Filing Date: 2013-10-15
Classification: C10G

Abstract:
1. A method of hydrocracking a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock using well dispersed metal sulfide catalyst particles, the method comprising: providing a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock that includes a significant fraction of hydrocarbons having a boiling point above 343° C. and/or asphaltenes; blending a catalyst precursor with the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock at a temperature below a decomposition temperature of the catalyst precursor to form a conditioned feedstock composition that is thereafter heated to above the decomposition temperature to form well dispersed metal sulfide catalyst particles in situ within the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock; introducing into a first hydrocracking reactor, hydrogen (H separating an effluent from the first hydrocracking reactor into a lower boiling volatile gaseous vapor fraction and a higher boiling liquid fraction in a manner so that the metal sulfide catalyst particles remain in the higher boiling liquid fraction and have increased concentration compared to a concentration of the well dispersed metal sulfide catalyst particles within the first hydrocracking reactor; and introducing at least a portion of the higher boiling liquid fraction containing the increased concentration of the metal sulfide catalyst particles and additional hydrogen (H