Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a visbreaking system and method for upgrading heavy hydrocarbons. A heavy hydrocarbon feed is introduced to a furnace to produce a soaker feed stream. The soaker feed stream is introduced to a soaker to produce a soaker effluent stream. The soaker effluent stream is introduced to a fractionator to produce a visbreaker distillate stream and a visbreaker residue stream. The visbreaker residue stream and a water feed are introduced to a supercritical water reactor operated at supercritical conditions of water to produce an effluent stream. The effluent stream is introduced to a flash column to produce a gas phase stream including water and a liquid phase stream including water. A portion of the liquid phase stream and the heavy hydrocarbon feed is combined. Optionally, a portion of the gas phase stream and the heavy hydrocarbon feed is combined. Optionally, a portion of the gas phase stream is introduced to the fractionator.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a visbreaking system and method for upgrading heavy hydrocarbons. A heavy hydrocarbon feed is introduced to a furnace to produce a soaker feed stream. The soaker feed stream is introduced to a soaker to produce a soaker effluent stream. The soaker effluent stream is introduced to a fractionator to produce a visbreaker distillate stream and a visbreaker residue stream. The visbreaker residue stream and a water feed are introduced to a supercritical water reactor operated at supercritical conditions of water to produce an effluent stream. The effluent stream is introduced to a flash column to produce a gas phase stream including water and a liquid phase stream including water. A portion of the liquid phase stream and the heavy hydrocarbon feed is combined. Optionally, a portion of the gas phase stream and the heavy hydrocarbon feed is combined. Optionally, a portion of the gas phase stream is introduced to the fractionator.