Solvent deasphalting

Claim 1

A deasphalting process comprising: providing a heavy hydrocarbon material; providing a solvent; admixing said heavy hydrocarbon material with said solvent in a mixing zone to form a mixture; introducing said mixture into a first separation zone maintained at an elevated temperature and pressure to effect a separation of said mixture into a first light phase comprising oils, resins and solvent and a first heavy phase comprising asphaltenes and some solvent; introducing said first light phase into a second separation zone maintained at a temperature level higher than the temperature in the first separation zone and at an elevated pressure to effect a separation of said first light phase into a second light phase comprising oils, entrained resins and solvent which collects in an upper portion of said second separation zone and a second heavy phase comprising resins and some solvent; withdrawing said first heavy phase from said first separation zone; introducing at least a portion of said first heavy phase into said upper portion of said second separation zone to contact said second light phase and settle therethrough to remove at least a portion of the entrained resins; introducing said second light phase after contact with said first heavy phase into a third separation zone maintained at an elevated temperature and pressure to effect a separation of said second light phase into a third light phase comprising solvent and a third heavy phase comprising oils; and recovering the third heavy phase as a product.