Production oflubricating oil basestocks

A method for producing a plurality of basestocks, comprising:

• fractionating a feedstock containing at least about 90 wt % of hydrocarbons boiling above 370° C. to form a first fraction having a viscosity of less than 7 cSt at 100° C. and a second fraction;
• contacting the first fraction with an initial portion of a first hydrocracking catalyst under first effective hydrocracking conditions in a first reaction stage to produce a partially hydrocracked first fraction, the first hydrocracking catalyst comprising the initial portion and a remaining portion;
• introducing the second fraction into the first reaction stage at a location downstream from the initial portion of the first hydrocracking catalyst;
• contacting the partially hydrocracked first fraction and the second fraction with the remaining portion of the first hydrocracking catalyst under first effective hydrocracking conditions in the first reaction stage to produce a hydrocracked effluent, the hydrocracked effluent having a sulfur content of less than about 250 wppm, the first effective hydrocracking conditions being effective for conversion of about 5 wt % to about 30 wt % of the feedstock to hydrocarbons boiling below 370° C.;
• dewaxing the hydrocracked effluent under effective catalytic dewaxing conditions in the presence of a dewaxing catalyst;
• and
• fractionating the dewaxed hydrocracked effluent to form a first basestock and a second basestock, the first basestock having a viscosity of about 3.0 cSt to about 7.0 cSt at 100° C. and a Noack volatility of about 20 or less, the second basestock having a viscosity of about 8.0 cSt to about 12.0 cSt at 100° C.

A method for producing a plurality of basestocks, comprising:

• contacting a feedstock containing at least about 90 wt % of hydrocarbons boiling above 370° C. with a first hydrocracking catalyst under first effective hydrocracking conditions to produce a first hydrocracked effluent, the first hydrocracked effluent having a sulfur content of less than about 250 wppm, the first effective hydrocracking conditions being effective for conversion of about 5 wt % to about 30 wt % of the feedstock to hydrocarbons boiling below 370° C.;
• fractionating the first hydrocracked effluent to form a first hydrocracked fraction and a second hydrocracked fraction
• dewaxing the first hydrocracked fraction and the second hydrocracked fraction under effective catalytic dewaxing conditions in the presence of a dewaxing catalyst;
• contacting the first dewaxed hydrocracked fraction with a second hydrocracking catalyst under second effective hydrocracking conditions to produce a third dewaxed hydrocracked fraction, the third dewaxed hydrocracked fraction having a viscosity index of at least about 100, the second effective hydrocracking conditions being effective for conversion of about 15 wt % to about 40 wt % of the first dewaxed hydrocracked fraction to hydrocarbons boiling below 370° C.;
• contacting the second dewaxed hydrocracked fraction with a third hydrocracking catalyst under third effective hydrocracking conditions to produce a fourth dewaxed hydrocracked fraction, the fourth dewaxed hydrocracked fraction having a viscosity index less than the viscosity index of the third dewaxed hydrocracked fraction, the third effective hydrocracking conditions being effective for conversion of about 5 wt % to about 15 wt % of the second dewaxed hydrocracked fraction to hydrocarbons boiling below 370° C.;
• and
• fractionating the third dewaxed hydrocracked fraction and the fourth dewaxed hydrocracked fraction to form a first basestock and a second basestock, the first basestock having a viscosity of about 3.0 cSt to about 7.0 cSt at 100° C. and a Noack volatility of about 20 or less, the second basestock having a viscosity of about 8.0 cSt to about 12.0 cSt at 100° C.