Process for upgrading a hydrocarbon fraction

Claim 1

A process for cracking, desulfurizing, and demetalating a hydrocarbon fraction containing paraffins, olefins, olefin-equivalents, or acetylenes, as such or as substituents on ring compounds, and sulfurous and metallic components: comprising cracking, desulfurizing, and demetalating said hydrocarbon fraction by contacting said hydrocarbon fraction with a water-containing fluid at a temperature in the range of from about 600°F. to about 900°F., under super-atmospheric pressure, in the absence of externally supplied hydrogen, and in the presence of an externally supplied sulfur-resistant catalyst selected from the group consisting of at least one basic metal carbonate, basic metal hydroxide, transition metal oxide, oxide-forming transition metal salt, and combinations thereof, wherein the metal in the basic metal carbonate and hydroxide is selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, wherein the transition metal in the oxide and salt is selected from the group consisting of a transition metal of Group IVB, VB, VIB, and VIIB of the Periodic Chart, and wherein sufficient water is present in the water-containing fluid and said pressure is sufficiently high so that the water in the water-containing fluid has a density of at least 0.10 gram per milliliter and serves as an effective solvent for the hydrocarbon fraction; and lowering said temperature or pressure or both to thereby make the water in the water-containing fluid a less effective solvent for the hydrocarbon fraction and to thereby form separate phases, wherein essentially all the sulfur separated from the hydrocarbon fraction is in the form of elemental sulfur.