Patent ID: 7582203

Claim:
A hydrocarbon cracking process for converting a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock preferentially to middle distillate and lower olefins, wherein said hydrocarbon cracking process comprises: catalytically cracking said heavy hydrocarbon feedstock within a riser reactor zone by contacting under suitable catalytic cracking conditions within said riser reactor zone said heavy hydrocarbon feedstock with a middle distillate selective cracking catalyst in combination with a shape selective zeolite additive that are introduced into said riser reactor zone, wherein said middle distillate selective cracking catalyst comprises a molecular sieve component, an alumina component, and an inorganic refractory matrix component, wherein said middle distillate selective cracking catalyst comprises a zeolitic surface area less than 130 m 2 /g, whereby said heavy hydrocarbon feedstock is preferentially converted to middle distillate and lower olefins.