Contact of a crude feed with a hydrogen source in the presence of an inorganic salt catalyst produces a total product that includes a crude product. The crude feed has a residue content of at least 0.2 grams of residue per gram of crude feed. The inorganic salt catalyst comprises alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, or mixtures thereof. The crude product is a liquid mixture at 25.degree. C. and 0.101 MPa. One or more properties of the crude product may be changed by at least 10% relative to the respective properties of the crude feed.