Thermal hydrocracking and catalytic hydrocracking over NiMo/gamma-Al(2)O(3) of a pentane-insoluble asphaltene were conducted in a microbatch reactor at 430 degrees C. The experimental data of asphaltene conversion fit second-order kinetics adequately, to give the apparent rate constants of 2.435 x 10 (2) and 9.360 x 10 (2) wt frac (1) min (1) for the two processes respectively. A three-lump kinetic model is proposed to evaluate rate constants of parallel reactions from asphaltenes to liquid oil (k(1)) and to gas + coke (k(3)), and consecutive reaction from liquid to gas + coke (k(2)). The evaluated k(1) is 2.430 x 10 (2) and 9.355 x 10 (2) wt frac (1) min (1), k(2) is 2.426 x 10 (2) and 6.347 x 10 (3) min (1), and k(3) is 5.416 x 10 (5) and 4.803 x 10 (5) wt frac (1) min (1) for asphaltenes hydrocracking in the presence or absence of the catalyst, respectively. Analysis of selectivity shows that the catalytic hydrocracking process promotes liquid production and inhibits coke formation effectively. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.