Abstract: A method is described for producing a catalyst or catalyst support having both high surface area, e.g. greater than 150 m.sup.2 /g, and large pore sizes, e.g. greater than 1.0 ml/g of macropores having diameters between 1 and 50 .mu.m. According to the method, a metal oxide is mixed with water and an acid to form a dilute metal gel, preferably containing at least 70% by weight water and consisting of a loose three dimensional network of oxide containing the water evenly dispersed throughout. This gel is slowly dried at a temperature below the boiling point of water whereby a substantial proportion of the water is removed from the interior of the pore structure, leaving the three dimensional network intact. Thereafter, the dried product is calcined to form a novel catalyst or catalyst support having both high surface area and large pore sizes. The novel catalyst is useful as a component of a catalytic cracking catalyst or a hydrocracking catalyst.

Abstract: A process for catalytically hydrocracking a heavy hydrocarbon oil containing at least 25 weight percent of hydrocarbon substances which will boil at a temperature of at least 524.degree. C. and contain coke forming hydrocarbon substances and which may contain hydrocarbon substances with metal present are hydrocracked in a continuous process. The heavy hydrocarbon oil is first slurried at 50.degree. C. to 400.degree. C. with a particulate catalyst mass comprising aluminum compound coated coal and/or coke particles which may also be coated with a cobalt and/or a molybdenum compound, the slurry is heated to 250.degree. C. to 550.degree. C. and continuously fed to the bottom of a catalytic hydrocracking vessel to pass upwardly therethrough at a pressure in the range 100 to 3,500 psig and a temperature in the range 400.degree. C. to 500.degree. C. The process avoids coking of the reactor vessel and being continuous replaces the catalyst mass before excessive deposits of coke or metals occurs thereon.