Black oil conversion and desulfurization process

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE CONVERSION OF A HYDROCARBON CHARGE STOCK OF WHICH AT LEAST ABOUT 10.0% BY VOLUME BOILS ABOVE ABOUT 1050*F., AND WHICH CONTAINS AT LEAST ABOUT 1.0% BY WEIGHT OF SULFUR, WHICH PROCESS COMPRISES THE STEPS OF: (A) SEPARATING SAID CHARGE STOCK, IN A FIRST SEPARATION ZONE, INTO A LIGHT FRACTION HAVING AN END BOILING POINT OF FROM ABOUT 650*F. TO ABOUT 850*F. AND A HEAVY FRACTION HAVING AN INTIAL BOILING POINT ABOVE ABOUT 650*F.; (B) ADMIXING SAID HEAVY FRACTION WITH HYDROGEN, AND HEATING THE RESULTING MIXTURE TO A TEMPERATURE ABOVE ABOUT 700*F.; (C) CONTACTING THE RESULTING HEATED MIXTURE WITH A CATALYTIC COMPOSITE IN A FIRST CONVERSION ZONE MAINTAINED UNDER AN IMPOSED PRESSURE GREATER THAN ABOUT 1000 P.S.I.G.; (D) SEPARATING THE RESULTING CONVERSION ZONE EFFLUENT, IN A SECOND SEPARATION ZONE, AT SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME PRESSURE IMPOSED UPON SAID CONVERSION ZONE, AND AT A TEMPERATURE ABOVE ABOUT 700*F., TO PROVIDE A FIRST VAPOR PHASE AND A FIRST LIQUID PHASE; (E) FURTHER SEPARATING AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID FIRST LIQUID PHASE, IN A THIRD SEPARATION ZONE, AT A PRESSURE OF FROM SUBATMOSPHERIC TO ABOUT 100 P.S.I.G. AND AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 550*F. TO ABOUT 900*F., TO PROVIDE A RESIDUUM FRACTION AND A SECOND VAPOR PHASE;