Catalyst for the hydrotreatment of a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock

1. A catalyst composition, comprising: an impregnated calcined support particle, having been subjected to a controlled low-temperature calcination to provide a calcined particle, wherein said calcined particle comprises a Group 6 metal component, a nickel component and a phosphorus component, and wherein said calcined particle has an atomic ratio of the nickel metal to the Group 6 metal is in the range of from 0.5 and 0.75, and wherein said calcined particle has a nickel metal acid extractability property of at least 50%.

2. The catalyst composition according to claim 1 , wherein said calcined particle contains: said Group 6 metal component in an amount in the range of from 8 wt % to 18 wt %; said nickel component in an amount in the range of from 2 wt % to 7 wt %; and said phosphorus component in an amount in the range of from 0.8 wt % to 4 wt %, all of which are based on the weight of calcined particle and the metal components as oxides regardless of their actual form.

3. The catalyst composition according to claim 2 , wherein said Group 6 metal component is molybdenum.

4. The catalyst composition according to claim 3 , wherein the total quantity of phosphorus in said calcined catalyst particle, calculated as phosphorus pentoxide, is greater than 10% of the total quantity of said Group 6 metal component in said calcined catalyst particle, calculated as molybdenum trioxide.

5. The catalyst composition according to claim 4 , wherein said calcined catalyst particle has a surface area that exceeds 150 m 2 /g.

6. The catalyst composition according to claim 5 , wherein said calcined catalyst particle has a mean pore diameter in the range of from 80 Å to 100 Å.

7. The catalyst composition according to claim 6 , wherein said calcining step comprises calcining said particle between 370° C. (698° F.) and 538° C. (1000° F.).

8. A hydrotreating process, comprising: contacting a catalyst composition with a hydrocarbon feedstock under hydrotreating process conditions and yielding a hydrotreated hydrocarbon product, wherein said catalyst composition comprises an impregnated calcined support particle, having been subjected to a controlled low-temperature calcination to provide a calcined particle, wherein said calcined particle comprises a Group 6 metal component, a nickel component and a phosphorus component, and wherein said calcined particle has an atomic ratio of the nickel metal to the Group 6 metal is in the range of from 0.5 and 0.75, and wherein said calcined particle has a nickel metal acid extractability property of at least 50%.

9. The hydrotreating process according to claim 8 , wherein said calcined particle contains: said Group 6 metal component in an amount in the range of from 8 wt % to 18 wt %; said nickel component in an amount in the range of from 2 wt % to 7 wt %; and said phosphorus component in an amount in the range of from 0.8 wt % to 4 wt %, all of which are based on the weight of calcined particle and the metal components as oxides regardless of their actual form.

10. The hydrotreating process according to claim 9 , wherein said Group 6 metal component is molybdenum.

11. The hydrotreating process according to claim 10 , wherein the total quantity of phosphorus in said calcined catalyst particle, calculated as phosphorus pentoxide, is greater than 10% of the total quantity of said Group 6 metal component in said calcined catalyst particle, calculated as molybdenum trioxide.

12. The hydrotreating process according to claim 11 , wherein said calcined catalyst particle has a surface area that exceeds 150 m 2 /g.

13. The hydrotreating process according to claim 12 , wherein said calcined catalyst particle has a mean pore diameter in the range of from 80 Å to 100 Å.

14. The hydrotreating process according to claim 13 , wherein said calcining step comprises calcining said particle between 370° C. (698° F.) and 538° C. (1000° F.).

15. A composition proposed by the steps of:

incorporating a nickel compound into a support particle comprising an inorganic oxide material;

conducting a high-temperature calcination of the support particle so as to provide a calcined support particle;

impregnating said calcined support particle with an aqueous impregnation solution, wherein said aqueous impregnation solution comprises a Group 6 metal compound, a nickel compound and a phosphorus compound, and wherein said aqueous impregnation solution has an atomic ratio of nickel metal to a Group 6 metal in the range of from 0.5 to 0.75, to thereby provide an impregnated support particle; and

conducting a controlled low-temperature calcination of said impregnated support particle at a low calcination temperature of less than 450° C. (842° F.) so as to thereby provide a calcined catalyst particle having a nickel metal acid extractability property of at least 40%.

16. The composition according to claim 15 , wherein said calcined catalyst particle contains: a Group 6 metal component in an amount in the range of from 8 wt % to 18 wt %; a nickel component in an amount in the range of from 2 wt % to 7 wt %; and a phosphorus component in an amount in the range of from 0.8 wt % to 4 wt %, all of which are based on the weight of calcined catalyst particle and the metal components as oxides regardless of their actual form.

17. The composition according to claim 16 , wherein said Group 6 metal component is molybdenum.

18. The composition according to claim 17 , wherein the total quantity of phosphorus in said calcined catalyst particle, calculated as phosphorus pentoxide, is greater than 10% of the total quantity of said Group 6 metal component in said calcined catalyst particle, calculated as molybdenum trioxide.

19. The composition according to claim 18 , wherein said calcined catalyst particle has a surface area that exceeds 150 m 2 /g,

wherein said calcined catalyst particle has a mean pore diameter in the range of from 90 Å to 120 Å, and

wherein said low calcination temperature is in the range of from 300° C. (572° F.) to less than 450° C. (842° F.).