Nickel- molybdenum and cobalt -nickel- molybdenum catalysts were prepared via impregnation technique, with loadings of 7wt % Ni; 15 wt.% Mo and 2 wt.% Co, followed by drying at 120 degrees C, calcination at 450 degrees C and then sulfidation was performed at 400 degrees C. The prepared catalysts characterized by X-ray diffraction, temperature-programmed reduction and N-2 adsorption -desorption techniques. The catalysts investigated towards hydro-treatment of lubricating base oil. Temperature-programmed reduction results revealed that Ni-Mo has lower support interaction than Co-Ni-Mo/kaolinite catalysts. Catalytic evaluation results displayed that the sulfur and total aromatic contents in the reaction products using Co-Ni-Mo were lower than that on Ni-Mo/kaolinite catalysts at 275 degrees C. The sulfur in the product decreased from 2400 to 900 ppm (sulfur removal reached 62.5 %) and consequently, the aromatic contents decreased from 13 to 6 wt% on using Co-Ni-Mo catalyst. The produced hydro = treated lubricating base oil can be used as technical white oil according to Egyptian pharmacopeia's tests. (c) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.