High surface area composition for use in the catalytic hydroconversion of a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock, a method making such composition and its use

1. A catalyst composition comprising a molybdenum component in an amount of less than 11 wt.%, with the wt.% being based on the total weight of said catalyst composition and assuming said molybdenum component is in the oxide form (MoO 3 ) regardless of its actual form, and a nickel component present in an amount such that said catalyst composition has a weight ratio of said nickel component-to-said molybdenum component exceeding 0.25, with said weight ratio being computed assuming said nickel component and said molybdenum component are each in the oxide form regardless of their actual forms; wherein the catalyst composition is prepared by mixing alumina powder, a nickel compound, and a molybdenum compound to provide a co-mulled mixture, comprising said nickel compound, said molybdenum compound and alumina; forming an agglomerate of said co-mulled mixture; and calcining said agglomerate in air without added steam under calcination conditions that include a calcination temperature exceeding 1150° F. to thereby provide said catalyst composition; wherein said mixing step further includes mixing calcined catalyst fines with said alumina powder, said nickel compound, and said molybdenum compound to thereby form said co-mulled mixture, wherein said co-mulled mixture includes an amount of said calcined catalyst fines so as to provide for a desired macroporosity of said catalyst composition; and wherein said catalyst composition has a total surface area in the range of from 240 m 2 /g to 360 m 2 /g; a total pore volume of at least 0.65 cc/g; and a pore size distribution such that at least 10% of the total pore volume is present in macropores of diameter greater than about 250 Å, from 19.5% to 37% of the total pore volume of said catalyst composition is present as pores having diameters of greater at least 160 Å; from 50% to 75% of the total pore volume of said catalyst composition is present as pores of diameter in the range of from 55 Åto 115 Å; from 20% to 30.5% of the total pore volume of said catalyst composition is present as pores in the range of from 250 Åto 500 Å; more than 20% of the total pore volume of said catalyst composition is present in pores of diameter in the range of from 50 Åto 100 Å; and less than 30% of the total pore volume of said catalyst composition is present in pores of diameter in the range of from 100 Åto 200 Å.

2. A catalyst composition as recited in claim 1 , wherein said catalyst composition has a surface area in the range of from 250 to 350 m 2 /g, and said total pore volume is in the range of from 0.65 to 1.1 cc/g.

3. A catalyst composition as recited in claim 2 , wherein said molybdenum component is present in said catalyst composition in the range of from 8 wt.% to 10 wt.% and said weight ratio of said nickel component-to-said molybdenum component is in the range of from 0.27 to 0.8.

4. A catalyst composition, comprising: a calcined agglomerate of a co-mulled mixture of alumina powder, a nickel compound, and a molybdenum compound, wherein said calcined agglomerate comprises: a molybdenum component present in an amount of less than 11 wt.%, wherein the wt.% is based on the total weight of said calcined agglomerate and assuming said molybdenum component is in the oxide form (i.e., MoO 3 ) regardless of its actual form; and a nickel component present in said calcined agglomerate in an amount such that said calcined agglomerate has a weight ratio of said nickel component-to-said molybdenum component exceeding 0.25, wherein said weight ratio is computed assuming said nickel component and said molybdenum component are each in their oxide form (i.e., NiO and MoO 3 ) regardless of their actual forms, and wherein said calcined agglomerate has a total surface area in the range of from 250 m 2 /g to 350 m 2 /g; wherein said co-mulled mixture further includes a portion thereof calcined catalyst fines blended therein to provide a desired macroporosity; wherein said catalyst composition has a total pore volume and a pore diameter distribution whereby from 55% to 80% of the total pore volume of said catalyst composition is present as pores of diameter in the range of from 55 Å to 115 Å, from 19.5% to 37% of the total pore volume of said catalyst composition is present as pores having diameters of at least 160 Å, from 11% to 30.5% of the total pore volume of said catalyst composition is present as pores having diameters of at least 250 Å, from 20% to 30% of the total pore volume of said catalyst composition is present as pores in the range of from 250 Åto 500 Å, more than 20% of the total pore volume of said catalyst composition is present in pores of diameter in the range of from 50 Åto 100 Å, and less than 30% of the total pore volume of said catalyst composition is present in pores of diameter in the range of from 100 Åto 200 Å; and wherein said total pore volume is in the range of from 0.65 to 1.1 cc/g.

5. A catalyst composition as recited in claim 4 , wherein the heat-treatment of said agglomerate includes calcining of said co-mulled mixture at a calcination temperature in the range of from 1175° F. to 2100° F.

6. A process for the hydroconversion of a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock, wherein said process comprises:

contacting under suitable hydroconversion conditions said heavy hydrocarbon feedstock with a catalyst composition as recited in any one of claims 1 through 5 .