Catalytic process for manufacture of lubricating oils

This invention describes a process for preparing a high viscosity index low pour point lube base stock from an asphalt-free heavy hydrocarbon oil by first catalytically dewaxing the heavy oil with a catalyst comprising a zeolite having a Constraint Index of 1 to 12 and then hydrocracking or hydroconverting the dewaxed oil with a large pore zeolite catalyst such as dealuminized Y or ZSM-20 associated with palladium The viscosity index is controlled by the severity of the hydroconversion step.