Catalyst support and catalysts prepared therefrom

1. A supported catalyst for treating hydrocarbon feedstocks to produce treated products, said supported catalyst comprising at least one metal from Group 6, alternatively referred to as Group VIB, of the Periodic Table of the Elements, at least one metal from Groups 8, 9 or 10, alternatively referred to as Group VIII, of the Periodic Table of the Elements, and optionally comprising phosphorous, wherein said metals, and phosphorous when present, are carried on a foraminous carrier or support, said carrier or support having a unimodal pore size distribution, a total pore volume (TPV) of about 0.6 cc/g to about 1.1 cc/g and pore size distribution and contents corresponding to values measured by the mercury porosimetry method comprising:

(a) equal to or greater than about 78% to about 95% of TPV in pores having a diameter of less than 200 Angstroms (Å);

(b) greater than about 2% to less than about 19% of TPV in pores having a diameter of 200 (A) to less than 1000 Å;

(c) equal to or greater than 3% to less than 10% of TPV in pores having a diameter equal to or greater than 1000 Å; and

(d) a pore mode equal to or greater than about 90 Å and less than about 160 Å; and

wherein the TPV and pore distribution characteristics recited in (a)-(d) of the support and supported catalyst are calculated on a metals free basis.

2. A supported catalyst as in claim 1 further characterized in that said support exhibits a d50 greater than about 100 Å and less than about 150 Å.

3. A supported catalyst as in claim 1 further characterized in that greater than about 5% to less than about 19% of TPV is in pores having a diameter of 200 Å to less than 1000 Å.

4. A supported catalyst as in claim 1 further characterized in that equal to or greater than about 5% to less than about 10% of said TPV is in pores having a diameter equal to or greater than 1000 Å.

5. A supported catalyst as in claim 1 wherein said foraminous carrier or supported catalyst exhibits pore mode equal to or greater than 100 Å and less than 150 Å.

6. A supported catalyst as in claim 1 further characterized in that said metal of Group 6 is molybdenum and said metal of Groups 8, 9 and 10 is selected from the group consisting of cobalt, nickel and mixtures thereof.

7. A supported catalyst as in claim 6 further comprising phosphorous.

8. A catalyst for use in at least one process selected from the group consisting of:

(I) hydroprocessing a petroleum feed;

(II) hydrodesulfurization of hydrocarbons;

(III) hydrodenitrification of hydrocarbons;

(IV) hydrodemetallation of hydrocarbons; and

(V) hydrotreating a charge hydrocarbon feed containing components boiling above 1000° F., and at least one component components selected from the group consisting of sulfur-containing compounds, nitrogen-containing compounds, metal-containing compounds, asphaltenes, carbon residue, sediment precursors, and mixtures thereof;

said catalyst comprising at least one metal from Group 6, alternatively referred to as Group VIB, of the Periodic Table of the Elements, at least one metal from Groups 8, 9 or 10, alternatively referred to as Group VIII, of the Periodic Table of the Elements, and optionally comprising phosphorous, wherein said metals, and phosphorous when present, are carried on a foraminous carrier or support, wherein: said support exhibits a unimodal pore size distribution, a total pore volume (TPV) of about 0.6 cc/g to about 1.1 cc/g and pore size distribution and contents corresponding to values as measured by the mercury porosimetry method:

(1) equal to or greater than about 78% to about 95% of TPV in pores having a diameter of less than 200 Angstroms (Å);

(2) greater than about 2% to less than about 19% of TPV in pores having a diameter of 200 Angstroms (Å) to less than 1000 Å; and

(3) equal to or greater than 3% to less than 10% of TPV in pores having a diameter equal to or greater than 1000 Å; and

(4) a pore mode equal to or greater than about 90 Å and less than about 160 Å; and

wherein the TPV and pore distribution characteristics recited in (1)-(4) of the support and supported catalyst are calculated on a metals free basis.

9. The catalyst of claim 8 wherein said catalyst has been pre-impregnated, shaped, dried and calcined.

10. The catalyst of claim 8 , further exhibiting a d50 greater than about 100 Å and less than about 150 Å.

11. A process for treating a hydrocarbon feedstock to produce treated products, said process selected from the group consisting of:

(I) hydrodemetallation, hydrodenitrification, hydrodesulfurization, and hydrocracking, said process comprising contacting said feedstock in at least one reactor with hydrogen under hydrocracking conditions with a catalyst and recovering said product;

(II) hydrotreating said hydrocarbon feed containing components boiling above 1000° F., and at least one component selected from the group consisting of sulfur-containing compounds, nitrogen-containing compounds, metal-containing compounds, asphaltenes, carbon residue, sediment precursors, and mixtures thereof, comprising contacting said feed with hydrogen and a catalyst at isothermal or substantially isothermal hydrotreating conditions and recovering said treated product;

(III) hydroconverting said hydrocarbon feed having components exhibiting a boiling point greater than 1000° F. to form product having an increased proportion of components exhibiting a boiling point less than about 1000° F. comprising contacting said feed with hydrogen and a catalyst at isothermal or substantially isothermal hydrotreating conditions and recovering said product; and

(IV) hydroconverting said feed, comprising contacting said feed comprising a hydrocarbon oil with hydrogen and a catalyst under conditions of elevated temperature above about 600° F. and pressure above about 500 p.s.i.g. and recovering said product;

said catalyst comprising at least one metal from Group 6, alternatively referred to as Group VIB, of the Periodic Table of the Elements, at least one metal from Groups 8, 9 or 10, alternatively referred to as Group VIII, of the Periodic Table of the Elements, and optionally comprising phosphorous, wherein said metals, and phosphorous when present, are carried on a foraminous carrier or support, wherein: said support exhibits a unimodal pore size distribution, a total pore volume (TPV) of about 0.6 cc/g to about 1.1 cc/g and pore size distribution and contents corresponding to values as measured by the mercury porosimetry method:

(1) equal to or greater than about 78% to about 95% of TPV in pores having a diameter of less than 200 Angstroms (Å);

(2) greater than about 2% to less than about 19% of TPV in pores having a diameter of 200 Angstroms (Å) to less than 1000 Å;

(3) equal to or greater than 3% to less than 10% of TPV in pores having a diameter equal to or greater than 1000 Å; and

(4) a pore mode equal to or greater than about 90 Å and less than about 160 Å; and

wherein the TPV and pore distribution characteristics recited in (1)-(4) of the support and supported catalyst are calculated on a metals free basis.

12. A foraminous catalyst support for a catalyst for treating hydrocarbon feedstocks to produce treated products, said support exhibiting a unimodal pore size distribution, having a total pore volume (TPV) of about 0.6 cc/g to about 1.1 cc/g and pore size distribution and contents corresponding to values as measured by the mercury porosimetry method, comprising:

(a) equal to or greater than about 78% to about 95% of TPV in pores having a diameter of less than 200 Angstroms (Å);

(b) greater than about 2% to less than about 19% of TPV in pores having a diameter of 200 (A) to less than 1000 Å;

(c) equal to or greater than 3% to less than 10% of TPV in pores having a diameter equal to or greater than 1000 Å; and

(d) a pore mode equal to or greater than about 90 Å and less than about 160 Å; and

wherein the TPV and pore distribution characteristics recited in (a)-(d) of the support and supported catalyst are calculated on a metals free basis.

13. A method for preparing a catalyst for use in at least one process selected from the group consisting of:

(I) hydroprocessing a petroleum feed;

(II) hydrodesulfurization of hydrocarbons;

(III) hydrodenitrification of hydrocarbons;

(IV) hydrodemetallation of hydrocarbons; and

(V) hydrotreating a charge hydrocarbon feed containing components boiling above 1000° F., and at least one component selected from the group consisting of sulfur-containing compounds, nitrogen-containing compounds, metal-containing compounds, asphaltenes, carbon residue, sediment precursors, and mixtures thereof;

said method comprising impregnating a porous alumina carrier with an aqueous solution comprising at least one catalytic agent or catalytic agent precursor selected from the group consisting of compounds of Group 6, alternatively referred to as Group VIB, of the Periodic Table of the Elements, and compounds of Groups 8, 9 or 10, alternatively referred to as Group VIII, of the Periodic Table of the Elements, and optionally comprising phosphorous—said compounds being thermally decomposable to the metal oxides and thereafter drying and calcining the resulting impregnated carrier, said carrier having been prepared by:

(A) mixing pseudoboehmite alumina powder with water and optionally nitric acid to form a damp mix;

(B) shaping the damp mix so as to form carrier particles suitable for use in a hydroprocessing reactor; and

(C) drying and calcining the carrier particles to form calcined pills;

said carrier comprising porous alumina having a unimodal pore size distribution, a total pore volume (TPV) of about 0.6 cc/g to about 1.1 cc/g and the following pore size distribution and pore content corresponding to values as measured by the mercury porosimetry method:

(i) equal to or greater than 78% to 95% of TPV in pores having a diameter of less than 200 Å;

(ii) greater than 2% to less than 19% of TPV in pores having a diameter of 200 Å to less than 1000 Å;

(iii) equal to or greater than 3% to less than 10% of said pore volume in pores having a diameter equal to or greater than 1000 Å; and

(iv) a pore mode equal to or greater than 90 Å and less than 160 Å, wherein pore mode means the pore diameter corresponding to the peak maximum of the pore size distribution; and

wherein the TPV and pore distribution characteristics recited in (i)-(iv) of the support and supported catalyst are calculated on a metals free basis.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the catalyst has been pre-impregnated, shaped, dried and calcined.