Patent ID: 7431822

Claim:
A process for the hydroconversion of heavy oils said process comprising the following steps: (a) providing two upflow reactors in series, a first reactor and a second reactor, with a separator located internally in at least one reactor; (b) combining a heated heavy oil feed, an active slurry catalyst composition and a hydrogen-containing gas to form a mixture; (c) passing the mixture of step (a) to the bottom of the first reactor, which is maintained at hydroprocessing conditions, including elevated temperature and pressure; (d) separating internally in the first reactor a stream comprising reaction product, hydrogen gases, unconverted material and slurry catalyst into two streams, a vapor stream comprising reactor products and hydrogen, and a liquid stream comprising unconverted material and slurry catalyst; (e) passing the vapor stream overhead to further processing; (f) passing at least a portion of the liquid stream of step (d) to the bottom of the second reactor, which is maintained at hydroprocessing conditions, including elevated temperature and pressure; (g) separating internally in the second reactor a stream comprising reaction product, hydrogen gases, unconverted material and slurry catalyst into two streams, a vapor stream comprising reactor products and hydrogen, and a liquid stream comprising unconverted material and slurry catalyst; (h) passing the vapor stream overhead to further processing, and passing the liquid stream, comprising unconverted material and slurry catalyst, from the second reactor as a bottoms stream to further processing. (i) Wherein the liquid stream of step (h) is recycled to step (b), the mixture of step (b) further comprising recycled unconverted material and slurry catalyst.