Process for converting asphaltenecontaining hydrocarbon feeds

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR CONVERTING A HYDROCARBON FEED BOILING AT LEAST PARTLY ABOVE 900*F. AND CONTAINING AT LEAST 2 WT. PERCENT ASPHALTENES AND AT LEAST 25 P.P.M. METALS WHICH COMPRISES CONVERTING IN A THERMAL CRACKING ZONE ABOVE 50 VOL. PERCENT OF THE PORTION OF SAID FEED BOILING ABOVE 900*F. TO MATERIALS BOILING BELOW 900*F. IN THE PRESENCE OF ADDED FREE HYDROGEN AND HYDROCARBONS BOILING ABOVE 500*F. HAVING A UOP "K) CHARACTERIZATION FACTOR ABOVE 11.5 AND CONTAINING LESS THAN 25 VOL. PERCENT AROMATICS, SAID HYDROCARBONS COMPRISING AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE PRODUCT OF A HYDROGENATION ZONE CONTAINING A CATALYST COMPRISING A HYDROGENATING-DEHYDROGENATING COMPONENT AND A NONACIDIC CRACKING COMPONENT, THE THERMAL CRACKING ZONE BEING OPERATED AT CONDITIONS TO CONVERT NO MORE THAN 15 VOL. PERCENT OF SAID FEED TO PRODUCTS BOILING BELOW 400*F., AND SEPARATING FROM THE EFFLUENT FROM SAID THERMAL CRACKING ZONE AT LEAST ONE SUBSTANTIALLY ASPHALTENE-FREE FRACTION BOILING BELOW 900*F. AND A RESIDUUM FRACTION BOILING ABOVE 600*F.