Novel catalysts comprising nickel oxide nanoparticles supported on alumina nanoparticles, methods of their manufacture, heavy oil compositions contacted by these nanocatalysts and methods of their use are disclosed. The novel nanocatalysts are useful, inter alia, in the upgrading of heavy oil fractions or as aids in oil recovery from steam-assisted well reservoirs.

Novel catalysts comprising nickel oxide nanoparticles supported on alumina nanoparticles, methods of their manufacture, heavy oil compositions contacted by these nanocatalysts and methods of their use are disclosed. The novel nanocatalysts are useful, inter alia, in the upgrading of heavy oil fractions or as aids in oil recovery from steam-assisted well reservoirs.

Processes to selectively crack alkyne compounds from a hydrocarbon stream including olefinic and di-olefinic compounds are described. The process includes contacting the hydrocarbon stream with a supported CuO catalyst under conditions sufficient to crack the alkynes to form a product stream that included cracked compounds and further separating the cracked organic compounds from the hydrocarbon stream.

Processes to selectively crack alkyne compounds from a hydrocarbon stream including olefinic and di-olefinic compounds are described. The process includes contacting the hydrocarbon stream with a supported CuO catalyst under conditions sufficient to crack the alkynes to form a product stream that included cracked compounds and further separating the cracked organic compounds from the hydrocarbon stream.

Systems and methods are provided for using size-reversing materials in vessels where direct heating is used to at least partially provide heat for reforming reactions under cyclic reforming conditions. An example of a size-reversing material is the combination of NiO and Al.sub.2O.sub.3. It has been discovered that size-reversing materials can undergo a phase transition that can assist with re-dispersion of metal at elevated temperatures. This can assist with maintaining catalytic activity for reforming over longer time periods in the presence of cyclic reforming conditions.

Systems and methods are provided for using size-reversing materials in vessels where direct heating is used to at least partially provide heat for reforming reactions under cyclic reforming conditions. An example of a size-reversing material is the combination of NiO and Al.sub.2O.sub.3. It has been discovered that size-reversing materials can undergo a phase transition that can assist with re-dispersion of metal at elevated temperatures. This can assist with maintaining catalytic activity for reforming over longer time periods in the presence of cyclic reforming conditions.

The invention is directed to a CO to CO.sub.2 combustion promoter comprising microsphere sized porous silica and/or alumina comprising particles further comprising on or more Group VIII noble metals wherein the noble metal is distributed in the particle as an eggshell such that a higher content of noble metal is present in the outer region of the particle as compared to the content of noble metal in the center of the particle.

The invention is directed to a CO to CO.sub.2 combustion promoter comprising microsphere sized porous silica and/or alumina comprising particles further comprising on or more Group VIII noble metals wherein the noble metal is distributed in the particle as an eggshell such that a higher content of noble metal is present in the outer region of the particle as compared to the content of noble metal in the center of the particle.

A catalytic cracking catalyst has a rare earth modified Y-type molecular sieve, an additive-containing alumina binder, and a clay. The rare earth modified Y-type molecular sieve has a rare earth oxide content of about 4-12 wt %, a phosphorus content of about 0-10 wt %, a sodium oxide content of no more than about 1.0 wt %, a total pore volume of about 0.36-0.48 mL/g, a percentage of the pore volume of secondary pores having a pore size of 2-100 nm to the total pore volume of about 20-40%, a lattice constant of about 2.440-2.455 nm, a percentage of non-framework aluminum content to the total aluminum content of no more than about 10%, a lattice collapse temperature of not lower than about 1060 C., and a ratio of B acid to L acid in the total acid content of the modified Y-type molecular sieve of no less than about 3.50.

A catalytic cracking catalyst has a rare earth modified Y-type molecular sieve, an additive-containing alumina binder, and a clay. The rare earth modified Y-type molecular sieve has a rare earth oxide content of about 4-12 wt %, a phosphorus content of about 0-10 wt %, a sodium oxide content of no more than about 1.0 wt %, a total pore volume of about 0.36-0.48 mL/g, a percentage of the pore volume of secondary pores having a pore size of 2-100 nm to the total pore volume of about 20-40%, a lattice constant of about 2.440-2.455 nm, a percentage of non-framework aluminum content to the total aluminum content of no more than about 10%, a lattice collapse temperature of not lower than about 1060 C., and a ratio of B acid to L acid in the total acid content of the modified Y-type molecular sieve of no less than about 3.50.