Method and system for mixing catalyst precursor into heavy oil using a high boiling hydrocarbon diluent

A method of mixing a catalyst precursor into a heavy oil feedstock, comprising:

• providing a catalyst precursor having a decomposition temperature;
• providing a high boiling hydrocarbon diluent comprised of one or more high boiling hydrocarbons having a nominal boiling point of at least 524° C., the high boiling hydrocarbon diluent initially having a temperature above the decomposition temperature of the catalyst precursor;
• cooling the high boiling hydrocarbon diluent to a temperature below the decomposition temperature of the catalyst precursor, wherein cooling is performed at least in part by passing the high boiling hydrocarbon diluent through one or more coolers or heat exchangers;
• mixing the catalyst precursor with the high boiling hydrocarbon diluent to form a diluted precursor mixture;
• and
• mixing the diluted precursor mixture with the heavy oil feedstock to form a conditioned feedstock.

A method of mixing a catalyst precursor into a heavy oil feedstock, comprising:

• providing a catalyst precursor having a decomposition temperature;
• providing a high boiling hydrocarbon diluent initially having a temperature above the decomposition temperature of the catalyst precursor and being comprised of:
• one or more high boiling hydrocarbons having a nominal boiling point of at least 524° C. selected from the group consisting of a portion of the heavy oil feedstock, a portion of the conditioned feedstock, a vacuum tower bottoms product, recycled vacuum tower bottoms from one or more hydroprocessing reactors that hydroprocess the conditioned feedstock or conversion product thereof, a deasphalted oil product, a thermal conversion product, and visbreaker bottoms;
• and
• one or more medium boiling hydrocarbons having a nominal boiling point in a range of about 200° C. to 524° C. selected from the group consisting of vacuum gas oil, decant oil, cycle oil, and atmospheric gas oil;
• cooling the high boiling hydrocarbon diluent to a temperature below the decomposition temperature of the catalyst precursor, wherein cooling is performed at least in part by mixing the one or more high boiling hydrocarbons with one or more initially cooler medium boiling hydrocarbons;
• mixing the catalyst precursor with the high boiling hydrocarbon diluent to form a diluted precursor mixture;
• and
• mixing the diluted precursor mixture with the heavy oil feedstock to form a conditioned feedstock.