Abstract: A process for conditioning a natural gas stream containing liquid hydrocarbons, for pipeline transport, which process comprises separating the natural gas stream into a hydrocarbon liquid component and a hydrocarbon gaseous component, absorbing water and water vapor from said gaseous component, optionally removing free water from the liquid component, heating the liquid component and allowing the water still present to dissolve in the liquid component and atomizing the heated liquid component with dissolved water into the treated gaseous component for transport through a pipeline.

Abstract: A process is described for the continuous thermal cracking of hydrocarbon oils, which process comprises heating a hydrocarbon oil feed, introducing the hot feed into a soaking vessel having its interior divided into a plurality of consecutive, interconnected compartments, and causing hot liquid to pass through the consecutive compartments prior to withdrawal of liquid material from the soaking vessel. The gas present in each compartment is collected and is separately withdrawn from the soaking vessel.

Abstract: Apparatus for counter-current contact of at least partially immiscible fluids having different densities, which apparatus comprises a vertical vessel enclosing a plurality of superposed stirred compartments separated from one another by perforated separating walls. To increase the hold-up of dispersed fluid phase in the compartments, part of the perforations in the walls are provided with deflecting elements preventing flow of dispersed fluid through said perforations while substantially not hampering the flow of fluid being in the continuous phase.