Two-stage, close-coupled thermal catalytic hydroconversion process

Claim 1

A two-stage, close-coupled process for hydroprocessing a heavy hydrocarbonaceous feedstock at least 30 volume percent of which boils above 1000° F. and having greater than 100 parts per million by weight total metal contaminants to produce high yields of transportation fuels boiling below 650° F., which comprises: (a) introducing said feedstock and dispersed contact particles having activity sufficient to suppress adverse coke formation under coking conditions and having demetalizing activity, into a first-stae hydrothermal zone in the presence of hydrogen; wherein said feedstock and contact particles are introduced into said hydrothermal zone under conditions sufficient to substantially demetalate said feedstock and to convert a significant amount of the hydrocarbons in said feedstock boiling above 1000° F. to hydrocarbons boiling below 1000° F.; (b) rapidly and without substantial reduction of pressure through the system passing a substantial portion of the substantially demetalated, contact particle-entrained effluent of said first-stage hydrothermal zone directly into a second-stage catalytic reaction zone at a reduced temperature relative to said first-stage hydrothermal zone and contacting said effluent with hydroprocessing catalyst under hydroprocessing conditions, including a temperature in the range of 650° F. to 800° F.; and (c) recovering the effluent from said catalytic reactor zone.