Hydrofining of oils

Claim 1

A process for increasing the API gravity of hydrocarbon-containing feed streams comprising the step of contacting (a) a substantially liquid hydrocarbon-containing feed stream, which comprises hydrocarbons boiling above 1,000° F. at about 1 atm, substantially simultaneously with (b) free hydrogen, (c) hydrogen sulfide, and (d) at least one polymer, which is solid at about 25° C. and 1 atm, selected from the group consisting of homopolymers and copolymers of olefinic monomers, substantially in the absence of a solid, inorganic cracking catalyst and substantially in the absence of a solid, inorganic hydroconversion catalyst promoted with metals or compounds of metals, under such contacting conditions as to obtain a product stream having higher API 60 gravity and lower content of hydrocarbons boiling above 1,000° F. at about 1 atm than said hydrocarbon-containing feed stream; wherein the general formula of said olefinic monomers is ##STR2## with R 1 being selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl groups having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, alkenyl groups having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl groups having from 5 to 10 carbon atoms, aryl groups having from 6 to 12 carbon atoms, the --OH group, --OR 3 groups with R 3 being an alkyl radical having from 1-3 carbon atoms, the --COOH group, the --COOR 3 group with R 3 as defined above, the --CN group and the --CONH 2 group, and R 2 being selected from the same group as R 1 except that H is not included.