Large pore catalysts for heavy hydrocarbon conversion

A process for the catalytic conversion of a hydrocarbon feedstock containing at least ten percent heavy hydrocarbon components boiling above 1025.degree. F., said process comprising contacting said feedstock with a catalyst,

• wherein said catalyst is characterized by an increased percentage of feeder pores having an average diameter in the size range of about 100 to 6000 .ANG. which results from admixing carbon black composed of primary reticulated particles having a length of about 500 to 30,000 .ANG., a carbon black dispersant and a shapeable catalyst composition having hydrocarbon conversion characteristics, wherein during said admixing controlling the agglomeration of the primary reticulated carbon black particles by the amount and dispersing effectiveness of said dispersant, to provide increased percentages of feeder pores in the range of about 100 to 6,000 .ANG., shaping said catalyst composition into solid shapes of hydrocarbon conversion catalyst containing 1 to 35 weight percent of said carbon black, and heating said catalyst shapes in the presence of an oxygen-containing gas at combustion conditions sufficient to remove said carbon black particles and provide large feeder pores of 100 to 6,000 .ANG. in said solid catalyst, in a reaction zone maintained under hydrocarbon conversion conditions providing hydrocarbon conversion products and depositing coke on said catalyst, stripping said hydrocarbon conversion products from said catalyst, regenerating said catalyst under oxidizing conditions sufficient to remove at least a portion of said deposit of coke from said catalyst, and returning said regenerated catalyst to said reaction zone.