Abstract: A supported carbon having high surface area, high pore volume containing (i) molybdenum (ii) a metal of non noble Group VIII, (iii) phosphorous, is used for hydrometallization of heavy crude oil and residue. The catalyst contains about 6 to 15 wt % molybdenum as MoO3, about 1 to 6 wt % cobalt or nickel as CoO or NiO and phosphorus as phosphorous oxide. One characteristic of the catalyst is the portion of pores having pore diameter in the range of 200 to 2000 Angstrom of 20 percent or more. The catalyst prepared by chelating agent has higher hydrodesulfurization activity assuming that more dispersed active metals are present on this catalyst. Long run activity studies show that catalyst having only molybdenum supported on activated carbon has good stability with time-on-stream and very high metal retention capacity.

Abstract: A composition is prepared by a method which comprises mixing a first solid material comprising a platinum group metal, a rhenium component, a porous carrier material and, optionally, a halogen component and a second solid material comprising silica and bismuth. The thus-obtained composition is employed as a catalyst in the conversion of hydrocarbons to aromatics. In an alternate embodiment, hydrocarbons are converted to aromatics by sequentially contacting the hydrocarbons with the first solid material and then the second solid material.