High coking value pitch

I. Field of the Invention A high coking value pitch with a relatively low softening point is disclosed. A pitch is distilled or thermally processed to produce an intermediate pitch with an increased coking value and relatively high softening point, then blended with a cutter solvent of a liquid hydrocarbon stream to form a product pitch. The process may be used to increase the coking value of either petroleum or coal tar pitch. Preferably the cutter solvent is methylnaphthalene, or a highly aromatic, low viscosity oil or similar aromatic rich stream having a substantially lower boiling point than the intermediate pitch product.