Abstract: A system for producing petroleum products from oil shale includes one or plural kiln lines made up of plural series-connected, indirect-fired, inclined rotary kilns. Plural kiln lines are operated for parallel processing. Oil shale is advanced through kilns in succession and exhausted from each kiln line substantially free of hydrocarbons. Successive kilns along the advancement of oil shale are maintained at successively higher temperatures. A fuel distinct from hydrocarbons in oil shale, such as syngas from a gasifier or hydrogen gas from a separator, drives pyrolysis to extract hydrocarbons. A refining unit located proximate to the kiln lines upgrades extracted hydrocarbons into petroleum products and separates the petroleum products by criteria. A heat extraction unit recovers heat from exhausted oil shale for reuse in kilns. A method involves drying oil shale followed by heating dry oil shale in successively hotter pyrolysis environments.

Abstract: A method is provided for producing an ultra-low sulfur hydrocarbon product from a hydrocarbon feedstock containing refractory sulfur compounds utilizing a carbon adsorbent. Also described is a hydrocarbon processing system configured to produce an ultra-low sulfur hydrocarbon product from hydrocarbon feedstock containing refractory sulfur compounds. The hydrocarbon processing system also utilizes a carbon adsorbent.

Abstract: A method of sequestering carbon dioxide emissions during recovery of hydrocarbons from hydrocarbonaceous materials can include forming a constructed permeability control infrastructure. This constructed infrastructure defines a substantially encapsulated volume. A comminuted hydrocarbonaceous material can be introduced into the control infrastructure to form a permeable body of hydrocarbonaceous material. The permeable body can be heated sufficient to remove hydrocarbons therefrom. During heating, the hydrocarbonaceous material is substantially stationary as the constructed infrastructure is a fixed structure. Additionally, during heating, any carbon dioxide that is produced can be sequestered. Removed hydrocarbons can be collected for further processing, use in the process, and/or use as recovered.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of converting coal to a petroleum product. The method includes the steps of mixing the coal and water to form a mixture, and heating the mixture to approximately 500 degrees Fahrenheit. The method further includes separating the mixture in a first separator into a liquid stream of a water bearing minerals and a solid stream of coal, and transferring the coal from the first separator to a coking reactor wherein the temperature is raised to approximately 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit to drive off lighter fractions of the coal as a gas. The method also includes transferring the gas to a fourth separator to separate water and liquid petroleum product from the gas.

Abstract: Systems and methods of hydrotreating different naphtha feed stocks destined for a refining reforming unit and other applications with less energy consumption than conventionally possible, while producing less greenhouse gas emissions, and/or using a lesser number of heaters and correspondingly less capital investment in such heaters, air coolers, and water coolers, are provided. According to the more examples of such systems and methods, such reductions are accomplished by directly integrating a naphtha stripping process section with a naphtha splitting process section. Additional reductions can also be accomplished through directly integrating a naphtha hydrotreat reaction process section with the naphtha stripping process section.

Abstract: Equipment and a process for upgrading oil are provided to produce a refined oil lighter than a material oil by cracking the heavier material oil with the addition of hydrogen under relatively relaxed production conditions. An equipment for upgrading oil according to one aspect of the invention includes an emulsion making portion (10), a refinery tank portion (20), and a heating portion (30), and configured to make an emulsion (E) by emulsifying ionized alkaline water (A) in a material oil (O1) in the emulsion making portion (10), and to drop droplets (D) of the emulsion (E) onto the surface (S) of a heat medium (O2) in the refinery tank portion (20) heated by the heating portion (30).

Abstract: Herein disclosed is a method of removing at least one component from a feed stream, the method including steps of subjecting the feed stream to high shear separation in a high shear device to produce a high shear-treated product stream; and substantially separating the at least one component from the high shear-treated product stream to produce a component-reduced product stream.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for removing volatiles from fluid systems. The apparatuses and methods include evaporator sections. The apparatuses and methods may furthermore include a heater disposed at least in part in the evaporator section, which may have a ridge on its surface. The apparatuses and methods may furthermore include an evaporation tube positioned around the heater, which may have a conically shaped outer surface. The apparatuses and methods may also include an air inlet and an air outlet in the evaporator section.

Abstract: A method and a device for separation of a fluid in the liquid state comprising two liquids that are not mutually miscible, with different densities, wherein a first liquid is to be cleansed from a second liquid, whereby the fluid in the liquid state is conducted through a rotor where centrifugal separation of the second liquid from the first liquid takes place, and is then conducted into a tank, with the proportion of the second liquid being reduced to less than 5%, and by conducting the fluid, after centrifugal separation, through a restriction, whereby the pressure of the fluid in the liquid state is reduced, which causes portions of the fluid in the liquid state to evaporate so that further portions of the second liquid escape in the form of a gas which is conducted away, thereby further reducing the proportion of the second liquid in the outgoing fluid in the liquid state.

Abstract: Mechanical visbreaking and pyrolysis between counter-rotating coaxial centrifugal impellers in a continuous radial counterflow process minimizes wastewater discharges. In an embodiment, a cataclastic shear retort comminutes, shear thins, and shear heats an axial feed, such as tar sand, oil shale, coal tailings, distillation bottoms, or lignite. Pyrolyzing the feedstock in this shear retort yields a product stream of gases, naphthas, and oils which first mixes with the feedstock and then is axially extracted, while spent solids are simultaneously extruded from the periphery as coked devolatilized residue, such as char sand for upgrading soil to terra preta. Recirculation of shear-heated solids in long residence time within the shear retort brings heat from the spent solids at the periphery to the feedstock without an external heated sand loop. CO2 emissions from combustion to heat water for oil extraction are eliminated.

Abstract: A method for processing an acidic hydrocarbon feed comprising a hydrocarbon material and an acidic constituent soluble in the feed is provided. The method may comprise contacting the feed under a first condition with an active agent having an initial solubility in the feed and the acidic constituent and providing a second condition wherein the active agent has a secondary solubility in the feed lesser than the initial solubility to form a separable enriched active agent phase. The acidic constituent solubility in the active agent may be greater than its solubility in the hydrocarbon material under both the first and second conditions such that the acidic constituent dissolves in the active agent. The acidic constituent solubility in the active agent under the second condition may be greater than its solubility in the active agent under the first condition.

Abstract: The present invention is an improved apparatus for stripping HPNA's from hydroprocessed streams in a fractionation column having a split shell configuration. Only one vapor stripping feed is required to the split shell of the fractionation column. The resulting reduction in steam requirement provides a superior fractionation in the column.

Abstract: A high-temperature retort structure enclosing an inner retort volume. The high-temperature retort structure includes a floor forming a lower boundary of the inner volume, a ceiling forming an upper boundary of the inner volume, and a wall forming a lateral boundary of the inner volume. The floor has at least one discharge opening for discharging of material, and the ceiling has at least one intake opening for intake of material. The wall is comprised of an inner layer of high-temperature resistant, fast curing material, an intermediate layer of high-temperature concrete, and a permeability barrier disposed external to the intermediate layer.

Abstract: Water is removed from oily water produced during operation of a separation column by withdrawing the oily water from the column during separation into an external separator where the oily water is separated into a water phase and an oily phase. The oily phase is then heated to a temperature effective to produce a density differential that drives the oily phase back into the operating column.

Abstract: A method of removing sulfur from sour oil by subjecting sour oil having a first sulfur content to high shear in the presence of at least one desulfurizing agent to produce a high shear treated stream, wherein the at least one desulfurizing agent is selected from the group consisting of bases and inorganic salts, and separating both a sulfur-rich product and a sweetened oil product from the high shear-treated stream, wherein the sulfur-rich product comprises elemental sulfur and wherein the sweetened oil product has a second sulfur content that is less than the first sulfur content. A system for reducing the sulfur content of sour oil via at least one high shear device comprising at least one rotor and at least one complementarily-shaped stator, and at least one separation device configured to separate a sulfur-rich product and sweetened oil from the high shear-treated stream.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system and method for responding to an unintended increase in pressure within a high pressure processing system. The system and method of the present disclosure provides a pressure relief system that releases pressure reliably even if the material under pressure is of mixed phase. In addition, the system and method for releasing pressure avoids the need for complex subsystems to contain and process materials that escape the system during the pressure release process.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for recovering oil from oil-containing sorbents, such as drill cuttings obtained from drilling with an oil-based mud. The method includes peptizing the substrate with an acid reagent and direct thermal desorption with combustion effluent gases at high temperature under turbulent mixing conditions. Another method disclosed includes upgrading the oil in the substrate to improve one or more of the properties of the recovered oil relative to the oil in the substrate, such as, lower aromatics content, lower sulfur content, lower functional group content, higher saturates, higher viscosity, higher viscosity index, and any combination thereof. The apparatus provides for efficient recovery of oil from the substrate with a short residence time, high throughput, low residual oil content in the treated solids and/or high percentage of oil recovery. The apparatus may be transported to a remote location for on-site treatment of drill cuttings or other oil-containing solids.

Abstract: Two-stage hydroprocessing uses a common dividing wall fractionator. Hydroprocessed effluents from both stages of hydroprocessing are fed to opposite sides of the dividing wall.

Abstract: A process for the conversion of hydrocarbons that are solid or have a high boiling temperature and may be laden with metals, sulfur or sediments, into liquids (gasolines, gas oil, fuels) with the help of a jet of gas properly superheated between 600 and 800° C. The process comprises preheating a feed 5 in a heater 8 to a temperature below the selected temperature of a reactor 10. This feed is injected by injectors 4 into the empty reactor 10 (i.e., without catalyst.) The feed is treated with a jet of gas or superheated steam from superheater 2 to activate the feed. The activated products in the feed are allowed to stabilize at the selected temperature and at a selected pressure in the reactor and are then run through a series of extractors 13 to separate heavy and light hydrocarbons and to demetallize the feed. Useful products appearing in the form of water/hydrocarbon emulsions are generally demulsified in emulsion breaker 16 to form water laden with different impurities.

Abstract: A method for producing hydrocarbons is provided, which comprises (a) subjecting a coal feedstock to mechanical activation (203) in a liquid medium, thereby obtaining a mixture of solubilized asphaltenes; and (b) at least partial cracking (207) the resulting mixture in a supersonic nozzle reactor, thereby obtaining hydrocarbon products derived from the asphaltenes.

Abstract: Equipment and a process for upgrading oil are provided to produce a refined oil lighter than a material oil by cracking the heavier material oil with the addition of hydrogen under relatively relaxed production conditions. An equipment for upgrading oil according to one aspect of the invention includes an emulsion making portion (10), a refinery tank portion (20), and a heating portion (30), and configured to make an emulsion (E) by emulsifying ionized alkaline water (A) in a material oil (O1) in the emulsion making portion (10), and to drop droplets (D) of the emulsion (E) onto the surface (S) of a heat medium (O2) in the refinery tank portion (20) heated by the heating portion (30).

Abstract: The invention relates to improved methods of desalting hydrocarbon feeds using a separator with a stacked disk centrifuge to separate an emulsified oil and water rag layer. This method is effective for desalting heavy, high ionic, and non-traditional crude oils.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for treating the effluent from a hydrocarbon pyrolysis unit employing a small primary fractionator. The method comprises cooling the effluent from a furnace through a first heat exchanger, a vapor-liquid separator, and a second heat exchanger before it is passed to a fractionator for further processing. These heat exchangers may also be utilized to heat a utility fluid as part of the cooling process. Further, one or more generators and a third heat exchanger may also be used to assist in heat recovery for the process.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for cracking a hydrocarbon feed in a steam cracking furnace by withdrawing a resid-rich stream from a resid knockout vessel and recycling the resid-rich stream through a convection heating section of the furnace.

Abstract: The desulfurization of fossil fuels is provided by the combination of fossil fuels with an aqueous mixture of ozone or hydrogen peroxide and a Tetraoctylphosphonium salt phase transfer catalyst, and the mixture is then subjected to reactive mixing to form oxidize sulfur compounds in the fuel. The polar oxidized sulfones species are removed via another mixing step. The desulfurization device can be in the form of a portable device which provides for continuous mixing-assisted desulfurization for the removal of sulfur containing compounds from fossil fuels such as diesel fuel.

Abstract: Equipment and a process for upgrading oil are provided to produce a refined oil lighter than a material oil by cracking the heavier material oil with the addition of hydrogen under relatively relaxed production conditions. An equipment for upgrading oil according to one aspect of the invention includes an emulsion making portion (10), a refinery tank portion (20), and a heating portion (30), and configured to make an emulsion (E) by emulsifying ionized alkaline water (A) in a material oil (O1) in the emulsion making portion (10), and to drop droplets (D) of the emulsion (E) onto the surface (S) of a heat medium (O2) in the refinery tank portion (20) heated by the heating portion (30).

Abstract: A method and system for processing naphtha, including a high shear mechanical device. In one embodiment, the method comprises forming a dispersion of gas in a naphtha hydrocarbon liquid in a high shear device prior to introduction in a cracking reactor/furnace. In another instance the system for processing naphtha comprises a high shear device for mechanically shearing hydrocarbons.

Abstract: An improved hydrocarbon cracking process includes a first reactor such as a nozzle reactor positioned in series with a second reactor such as a tubular reactor. A cracking fluid such as steam or natural gas is reacted with heavy hydrocarbon material in the first reactor. The first reactor may provide a tremendous amount of thermal and kinetic energy that initiates cracking of heavy hydrocarbon materials. The second reactor provides sufficient residence time at high temperature to increase the conversion of heavy hydrocarbon materials to the desired level. The cracking fluid functions as a hydrogen donor in the cracking reactions so that very little of the heavy hydrocarbon material becomes hydrogen depleted and forms coke even if the heavy hydrocarbon material is repeatedly recycled through the process.

Abstract: A system, apparatus and method for hydrocarbon extraction from feedstock material that is or includes organic material, such as oil shale, coal, lignite, tar sands, animal waste and biomass. A retort system including at least one retort vessel may include a monolithic dome structure surrounded by a process isolation barrier, the dome structure being sealingly engaged with the process isolation barrier. The dome structure and the process isolation barrier define a retort chamber, at least a portion of which may comprise a subterranean chamber. A lower end of the dome retort structure provides an exit for collected hydrocarbons and spent feedstock material. Systems may include a plurality of such dome retort structures. A control system may be used for controlling one or more operating parameters of a retorting process performed within such a dome retort structure for extraction and collection of hydrocarbons.

Abstract: There is provided a method for upgrading hydrocarbon compounds, in which hydrocarbon compounds synthesized in a Fisher-Tropsch synthesis reaction are fractionally distillated, and the fractionally distillated hydrocarbon compounds are hydrotreated to produce liquid fuel products. The method includes fractionally distilling heavy hydrocarbon compounds synthesized in the Fisher-Tropsch synthesis reaction as a liquid into a first middle distillate and a wax fraction, and fractionally distilling light hydrocarbon compounds synthesized in the Fisher-Tropsch synthesis reaction as a gas into a second middle distillate and a light gas fraction.

Abstract: There is provided a method for recovering hydrocarbon compounds from a gaseous by-products generated in the Fisher-Tropsch synthesis reaction, the method comprising a pressurizing step in which the gaseous by-products are pressurized, a cooling step in which the pressurized gaseous by-products are pressurized to liquefy hydrocarbon compounds in the gaseous by-products, and a separating step in which the hydrocarbon compounds liquefied in the cooling step are separated from the remaining gaseous by-products.

Abstract: System and method for processing hydrocarbon. One or more embodiments of the method include combining a first hydrocarbon including a de-asphalted oil with a recycled hydrocarbon product to produce a combined hydrocarbon, cracking the combined hydrocarbon to produce a cracked hydrocarbon product, and recycling at least a portion of the cracked hydrocarbon product to provide the recycled hydrocarbon product, wherein the recycled hydrocarbon product comprises a cycle oil product, a naphtha product, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: The invention relates to a petrochemical cracker having piping comprising a portion wherein the centerline of the portion follows a substantially helical path, wherein the amplitude of the helix is less than or equal to one half of the internal diameter of the piping. When fluid flows in such piping, it is made to swirl. This provides a number of advantages, such as improved in-plane mixing of the fluid, enhanced uniformity of residence time, and so on.

Abstract: Separation of bitumen from mined ore employs cooling of the mined ore at a temperature where all the species contained in the ore become solid and brittle. Ore is maintained solid by appropriate continuous injection of cold air and/or carbon dioxide in the processing plant through the process. Difference in thermal expansion coefficient between bitumen and other ore species creates thermal stresses at interfaces of bitumen and other materials. The stresses favor separation of bitumen from other materials along species interfaces during comminution. The breaking of existing ore particles tends to occur at interfaces between different species, creating a mix of particles where bitumen particles are not aggregated with any other ore constituents such as ice or sand particles. The particles are maintained cold, loose and unattached. Ore particles are sorted and separated while still frozen in solid phase, creating a stream of frozen bitumen particles.

Abstract: A process for upgrading heavy oil by mixing the heavy oil with water fluid using an ultrasonic wave generator prior to increasing the temperature and pressure of the mixture to values near to or exceeding the critical point of water, to produce low pour point, high value oil having low sulfur, low nitrogen, and low metallic impurities for use as hydrocarbon feedstock.

Abstract: A process is described for pre-treating an aqueous bituminous feed for downstream bitumen extraction. The process involves removing water from an aqueous bituminous feed having a water content of 60% or more by weight. After water is removed, an effluent comprising 40% water or less is formed, and is ready for downstream extraction. In the downstream extraction process, a dual solvent extraction process may be employed, incorporating agglomeration of fines to simplify subsequent solid-liquid separation. The process permits recovery of hydrocarbon that has conventionally remained in waste streams from oil sands processing, and thus has conventionally been lost. In one embodiment, removing water comprises subjecting the aqueous bituminous feed to a primary water separation system to reduce the water content of the feed, followed by subsequent water removal, thereby producing an effluent having a water content of 40% or less, which can then go on to further processing.

Abstract: In an oligomerization apparatus comprising at least two oligomerization reactors, at least portions of product streams from two reactors are separated in the same separator vessel; a liquid product stream from the first oligomerization reactor is fed to a fractionation column and a side cut from the fractionation column feeds the second oligomerization reactor.

Abstract: Herein disclosed is a method of removing at least one component from a feed by subjecting the feed to high shear in the presence of carbon dioxide to produce a high shear-treated product and separating the at least one component from the high shear-treated product to produce a component-reduced product. Also disclosed is a method of removing asphaltenes from asphaltenic oil by subjecting the asphaltenic oil to a shear rate of at least 10,000 s?1 in the presence of carbon dioxide to produce a high shear-treated product and separating asphaltenes from the high shear-treated product to produce an asphaltene-reduced product oil. Systems are also provided for carrying out the methods.

Abstract: Improvements in the selective extraction of relatively low molecular weight oils from coal, coal liquids, oil shales, shale oils, oil sands, heavy and semi-heavy oils, bitumens, and the like are provided by a continuous process involving contacting the material to be treated with supercritical water in a continuous operation at pressures of from 500 psi to 3000 psi, temperatures of 250° C. to 450° C., and in-reactor dwell times generally in excess of 25 seconds and up to 10 minutes.

Abstract: A process of recovering base oil from lubrication oil that contains contaminants therein, the process comprises the steps of: (i) extracting a light diesel fraction from the lubrication oil; and (ii) distilling the lubricating oil under vacuum conditions after said extracting step (i) to obtain a base oil that is substantially free of said contaminants.

Abstract: A method is provided for producing vacuum in a vacuum oil-stock distillation column and includes pumping a gas-vapor medium out of a column by an ejector into a condenser; feeding a gas mixture and a high-pressure gas into a second gas-gas ejector from which the vapour-gas mixture is fed into a second condenser. A condensate is directed from the condensers into a separator in which the condensate is separated into a water-containing condensate and a hydrocarbon-containing condensate. The hydrocarbon-containing condensate is removed while the water-containing condensate is fed into a steam generator in which heat is supplied to the water-containing condensate from a hot distillate removed from the vacuum column and steam is produced from the water-containing condensate, the steam is fed as a high-pressure gas into the gas-gas ejectors. A plant for carrying out the method is also provided.

Abstract: A whole crude oil desulfurization system and process includes a combination of an adsorption zone and a hydroprocessing zone. This combined process and system reduces the requisite throughput for the hydroprocessing unit, conventionally a very costly and process both in terms of energy expenditures and catalyst depletion. By first contacting the whole crude oil feedstock with an adsorbent for the sulfur-containing compounds, the adsorption effluent having a relatively lower sulfur content can be collected and provided to refiners without further treatment. The adsorbates, including adsorbed organosulfur compounds, are solvent desorbed resulting in a stream containing high levels of organosulfur compounds and a solvent. Following recovery of the solvent, the volume of the sulfur-containing feedstream that remains to be desulfurized in the hydroprocessing zone is substantially less than the original amount of whole crude oil feedstock.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for cooling fatty acid distillate from scrubbing section in a fats and oils refinery comprising cooling the fatty acid distillate by heat recovery in at least one heat-exchanging zone with refined oils having a temperature above about 50° C. heating the refined fats and oils to a temperature above about 70° C. The present invention relates further to a process for refining crude fats and oils, and refining plant for refining crude fats and oils.

Abstract: The heat removal and recovery systems of a nuclear energy source and the heat requirements of a nearby industrial facility are designed to achieve zero or near-zero greenhouse gas emissions from the industrial facility. Alternative arrangements of heat loops or belts to and from the nuclear heat source and within the industrial facility utilize heat exchange equipment at the interfaces and replace the use of fired furnaces and boilers. Technologies and processes can be selected to avoid the need or use of all or most of the furnaces and boilers. The design scheme applies to both new and existing retrofitted industrial facilities.

Abstract: There is provided a portable oil isolation and decontamination system comprising a plurality of high heat energy generators that supply high heat energy to an oil isolation and decontamination unit. Each heat energy generator comprises a chamber for gasifying used rubber tires, waste oil, coal or other combustible materials for the production of volatile gases and high energy heat. The oil extractor unit comprises a pair of parallel, elongate rotating cylinders that each rotate within a common closed housing. Oil-rich material such as oilsands, oilshale, contaminated soil or used oil is introduced into one end of each rotating cylinder and is caused to migrate to the opposite end in cascading fashion as the cylinder rotates. High energy heat from the generators is directed at the rotating cylinders to indirectly heat the oil-rich material therein to vaporize the hydrocarbons as the rotating drum migrates the oil-rich material towards its collection end.

Abstract: The invention provides improved apparatus and method for producing a pipeline-ready or refinery-ready feedstock from heavy, high asphaltene crude, comprising a pre-heater for pre-heating a process fluid to a design temperature at or near the operating temperature of a reactor; moving the process fluid into the reactor for conversion of the process fluid by controlled application of heat to the process fluid in the reactor so that the process fluid maintains a substantially homogenous temperature to produce a stream of thermally affected asphaltene-rich fractions, and a stream of vapour. The stream of vapour is separated into two further streams: of non-condensable vapour, and of light liquid hydrocarbons. The thermally affected asphaltene-rich fraction is deasphalted using a solvent extraction process into streams of heavy deasphalted oil liquid, and concentrated asphaltene, respectively.

Abstract: A process is disclosed using a dispersion of supercritical fluid and oil to upgrade a hydrocarbon feedstock such as a heavy oil into an upgraded hydrocarbon product or synthetic crude with highly desirable properties such as low sulfur content, low metals content, lower density (higher API), lower viscosity, lower residuum content, etc. The process utilizes a capillary mixer to form the dispersion. The process does not require external supply of hydrogen nor does it use externally supplied catalysts.

Abstract: A process and a device implementing the process, for separating fluids in emulsion and/or in solution, and/or for low pressure distillation, in particular of water and/or gaseous hydrocarbons dissolved in crude petroleum, and/or for separation of crude petroleum droplets emulsified in water, to obtain water with necessary characteristics for its injection without pollution of underground aquifers, and/or when the mixture is dominant in crude petroleum, acceleration of settling of the water in the lower part of the mixture, and/or for low pressure distillation of crude petroleum. The method creates a localized zone of reduced pressure on part of the free surface of a liquid to be processed, within a closed processing tank, without the overall pressure inside the closed processing tank being affected.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for hydroprocessing of a liquid hydrocarbon feedstock, comprising: (a) mixing liquid, partially vaporized and/or vaporized hydrocarbon feedstock with molecular hydrogen; (b) feeding said mixture into a compression reactor; (c) compressing said mixture to a pressure, a temperature and for a residence time sufficient to: i) thermally crack at least a portion of hydrocarbon molecules in said hydrocarbon feedstock, and ii) react hydrogen in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst with unstable portions of the cracked molecules, forming a hydroprocessed product; and (d) expanding said mixture to reduce the pressure and temperature thereby reducing subsequent undesirable reactions.

Abstract: [Task] To provide a crude treatment system capable of treating crude containing a comparatively large content of a corrosive material. [Means for Resolution] A primary distillation tower 11 fractionates first crude into a target fraction. A secondary distillation tower 21 which fractionates second crude having a corrosive material content greater than that of the first crude into a light fraction of which the content of the corrosive material is an amount not causing corrosion in the primary distillation tower 11 and a heavy fraction as the remainder thereof. Also, a light fraction supply line supplies the light fraction from the secondary distillation tower 21 to the primary distillation tower 11 so as to treat the light fraction in the primary distillation tower 11.