Patent ID: 10308880

Abstract:
A process for removing asphaltenes from an oil feed comprising the steps of introducing the oil feed to a reactor, where the oil feed comprises a carbonaceous material and asphaltenes, introducing a heteropolyacid feed to the reactor, where the heteropolyacid feed comprises a heteropolyacid, operating the reactor at a reaction temperature and a reaction pressure for a reaction time such that the heteropolyacid is operable to catalyze an acid catalyzed polymerization reaction of the asphaltenes to produce polymerized asphaltenes, where a mixed product comprises the polymerized asphaltenes and a de-asphalted oil, introducing the mixed product to a separator at the end of the reaction time, and separating the mixed product in the separator to produce a de-asphalted oil and a waste stream, where the de-asphalted oil has a lower concentration of sulfur, a lower concentration of nitrogen, and a lower concentration of metals as compared to the oil feed.