Abstract: A method for catalytically cracking an isolated reactant feed, 80-100 volume percent of which is a substantially mono-aromatic hydrocarbon fraction boiling in the boiling range of heavy gasoline and the remainder of which is a vaporizable hydrocarbon fraction, under effective cracking conditions of cracking temperature, catalyst composition, catalyst activity, catalyst-to-feed weight ratio, and weight hourly space velocity, to produce an isolated product having increased low molecular weight olefin and low molecular weight mono-aromatic contents and a reduced sulfur content and having a high octane rating.

Abstract: A method for removing ash, asphaltenic, metallic and sulfurous contaminants from a black oil by contacting said oil with a liquid paraffinic solvent in the presence of water.