Upgrading of heavy hydrocarbon oils

Claim 2

A process for upgrading a heavy mineral oil having a high viscosity, which comprises: treating said oil at an elevated temperature in the liquid phase, in a heat soaking zone in the presence of a hydrogen and carbon monoxide-containing gas and solid contact particles maintained in suspension in said oil, to produce a heat soaked hydro-carbon product of reduced viscosity and a solid carbonaceous material, at least a portion of which solid carbonaceous material deposits on said contact particles.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1, which comprises the additional steps of (a) removing a slurry of heat soaked hydrocarbon product and solid contact particles with a carbonaceous deposition thereon from said heat soaking zone; (b) separating the solid contact particles from the slurry of step (a); (c) treating the separated contact particles with a carbonaceous deposition thereon in a reaction zone to convert at least a portion of the carbonaceous deposit to a hydrogen and carbon monoxide-containing gas; and (d) recycling at least a portion of the hydrogen and carbon monoxide-containing gas obtained in step (c) to said heat soaking zone.

Claim 4

The process of claim 1 wherein said heat soaking zone is maintained at a temperature ranging from about 780°F. to about 810°F. and at a pressure ranging from about 800 psig to about 1000 psig.

Claim 5

The process of claim 3 wherein the residence time of said oil in said heat soaking zone ranges from about 20 minutes to about 30 minutes.

Claim 6

The process of claim 1 wherein said contact particles are substantially inert particles.

Claim 7

The process of claim 1 wherein said contact particles comprise sand, coal, and coke.

Claim 8

The process of claim 2 wherein said reaction zone of step (c) is a partial oxidation zone.

Claim 9

The process of claim 2 wherein said reaction zone of step (c) is a gasification zone wherein the carbonaceous deposit is reacted with steam and an oxygen-containing gas.

Claim 10

The process of claim 2 wherein the hydrogen and carbon monoxide-containing gas resulting from step (c) is passed to a gas cleaning stage to reduce its sulfur content prior to said recycling step.

Claim 11

The process of claim 1 wherein a portion of said heat soaked hydrocarbon product is mixed with solid contact particles to form a slurry which is introduced into said heat soaking zone.

Claim 12

The process of claim 1 wherein said heavy mineral oil is a heavy petroleum crude oil.

Claim 13

The process of claim l wherein said heavy mineral oil is a tar sand oil.

Claim 14

The process of claim 1 wherein said heavy mineral oil has a viscosity ranging from about 10,000 to about 200,000 SUS at 100°F.