Patent ID: 8303802

Claim:
A method of hydroprocessing a heavy oil feedstock, comprising: preparing a heavy oil feedstock comprised of a substantial quantity of liquid hydrocarbons having a boiling point greater than about 650° F. and a colloidal or molecular catalyst dispersed throughout the feedstock, the colloidal or molecular catalyst being prepared by: intimately mixing a catalyst precursor into the heavy oil feedstock prior to heating the catalyst precursor to effect decomposition of the catalyst precursor and in situ formation of active colloidal or molecular catalyst so as to form a conditioned feedstock comprised of the heavy oil feedstock and catalyst precursor in order to dilute the catalyst precursor composition with the heavy oil feedstock prior to substantial decomposition of the catalyst precursor and in situ formation of the colloidal or molecular catalyst upon heating the heavy oil feedstock to above the decomposition temperature of the catalyst precursor composition; and heating the catalyst precursor composition in order to decompose the catalyst precursor composition and form the colloidal or molecular catalyst in situ within the heavy oil feedstock; and heating or maintaining the heavy oil feedstock at a hydrocracking temperature within an ebullated bed reactor to yield an upgraded material, the ebullated bed reactor comprising: a liquid phase comprised of the liquid hydrocarbons and the colloidal or molecular catalyst; a solid phase comprised of a porous supported catalyst within an expanded catalyst bed; a gaseous phase comprised of hydrogen; and supported catalyst free zones above and below the expanded catalyst bed that are devoid of the porous supported catalyst, the colloidal or molecular catalyst being dispersed throughout the liquid phase, including the supported catalyst free zones, and catalyzing reactions between the hydrogen and free radicals formed from the heavy oil feedstock throughout the liquid phase, including the supported catalyst free zones, to yield an upgraded material while increasing asphaltene conversion and/or reducing or eliminating formation of coke precursors and sediment within the ebullated bed reactor compared to an ebullated bed reactor in the absence of the molecular or colloidal catalyst.