Process for upgrading heavy oil using a highly active slurry catalyst composition

Abstract From the Canadian patent

The instant invention is directed to a process for upgrading heavy oils using a slurry composition. The slurry composition is prepared in a series of steps involving mixing a Group VIB metal oxide (5) with aqueous ammonia (7) to form an aqueous mixture (15) and sulfiding the mixture to form a slurry (25). The slurry (25) is then promoted with a Group VIII metal compound. Subsequent steps involve mixing the slurry with a hydrocarbon oil (11) and combining the , resulting mixture (35) with hydrogen gas (under conditions which maintain the water in a liquid phase) to produce the active slurry catalyst (55).