Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for hydroprocessing a petroleum fraction, such as a bottoms fraction from a fuels hydrocracking process, to generate a lubricant base oil. A fuels hydrocracking process typically has less stringent requirements for the sulfur and nitrogen content of a feed as compared to a lubricant base oil. Additionally, depending on the nature of the feed for the fuels hydrocracking process, the bottoms fraction may contain a relatively high level of aromatics compounds. The aromatic content of such a petroleum fraction can be reduced using a aromatic saturation stage with multiple catalyst beds, or alternatively using a reactor (or reactors) with multiple aromatic saturation stages. The catalysts in the various beds or stages can be selected to provide different types of aromatic saturation activity. An initial bed or stage can provide activity for saturation of 1-ring aromatics in the petroleum fraction.

Abstract: A suitable feedstock for forming lubricant base oils is separated into at least a lower boiling portion and a higher boiling portion. The lower boiling portion is combined with a feed suitable for use as a fuels hydrocracking feed. The combined feed is hydrocracked and catalytically dewaxed in order to form fuels and Group II, Group II+, or Group III light neutral basestocks. The higher boiling portion of the feedstock is solvent processed in order to form Group I heavy neutral base oils and/or Group I brightstock base oils. The higher boiling portion of the feedstock can correspond to both a bottoms fraction and one or more additional fractions boiling above a fractionation cut point.