A process for producing para-xylene from feed streams containing C 8 aromatics and C 9 -and-heavier aromatics, comprising: (a) a distillation process comprising two xylene columns separating C 8 aromatics from C 9 -and-heavier aromatics contained in at least one lower-boiling feed stream and at least one higher-boiling feed stream, wherein the at least one higher-boiling feed stream has a higher content of C 9 -and-heavier aromatics than the at least one lower-boiling feed stream, the distillation process comprising: distilling the at least one higher-boiling feed stream in a first xylene column at a first pressure to separate a first C 8 -aromatics stream from a first C 9 -and-heavier aromatics stream, distilling the at least one lower-boiling feed stream in a second xylene column at a second pressure to separate a second C 8 -aromatics stream from a second C 9 -and-heavier aromatics stream, wherein the second pressure is higher than the first pressure, and an overhead stream from the second xylene column exchanges heat with a reboiler of the first xylene column; (b) a para-xylene separation process to recover para-xylene from one or both of the first and second C 8 -aromatics streams by injecting the one or both C 8 -aromatics streams and a desorbent stream into an adsorption process to obtain a first mixture comprising para-xylene and desorbent and a second mixture comprising a raffinate and desorbent; and (c) a desorbent-recovery process to separate the second mixture of step (b) by distilling the second mixture in a prefractionator followed by a pressurized raffinate column to produce a raffinate stream and a desorbent stream, and returning the desorbent stream to the para-xylene separation process; wherein an overhead stream of the first xylene column of step (a) provides heat to a reboiler of the pressurized raffinate column. (a) a distillation process comprising two xylene columns separating C 8 aromatics from C 9 -and-heavier aromatics contained in at least one lower-boiling feed stream and at least one higher-boiling feed stream, wherein the at least one higher-boiling feed stream has a higher content of C 9 -and-heavier aromatics than the at least one lower-boiling feed stream, the distillation process comprising: distilling the at least one higher-boiling feed stream in a first xylene column at a first pressure to separate a first C 8 -aromatics stream from a first C 9 -and-heavier aromatics stream, distilling the at least one lower-boiling feed stream in a second xylene column at a second pressure to separate a second C 8 -aromatics stream from a second C 9 -and-heavier aromatics stream, wherein the second pressure is higher than the first pressure, and an overhead stream from the second xylene column exchanges heat with a reboiler of the first xylene column; (b) a para-xylene separation process to recover para-xylene from one or both of the first and second C 8 -aromatics streams by injecting the one or both C 8 -aromatics streams and a desorbent stream into an adsorption process to obtain a first mixture comprising para-xylene and desorbent and a second mixture comprising a raffinate and desorbent; and (c) a desorbent-recovery process to separate the second mixture of step (b) by distilling the second mixture in a prefractionator followed by a pressurized raffinate column to produce a raffinate stream and a desorbent stream, and returning the desorbent stream to the para-xylene separation process; wherein an overhead stream of the first xylene column of step (a) provides heat to a reboiler of the pressurized raffinate column.