Patent ID: 7799211

Claim:
A method for upgrading crude oil to reduce the content of undesired known heteroatomic compounds and polynuclear aromatic (PNA) compounds containing sulfur and nitrogen that comprises: a. mixing the crude oil with a solid adsorbent material that is an absorbent for the heteroatomic and polynuclear aromatic compounds containing sulfur and nitrogen for a sufficient time and under conditions to adsorb the undesired compounds; b. subjecting the mixture containing the solid adsorbent material to atmospheric flash distillation and separating and removing the distillates having an initial boiling point of 36° C. and a final boiling point between 350° C. and 400° C.; c. transferring the bottoms from the atmospheric distillation of step (b) to a vacuum flash distillation vessel and subjecting the mixture to vacuum flash distillation, and separating and removing the distillates having an initial boiling point between 350° C. and 480° C. and a final boiling point between 480° C. and 560° C.; d. regenerating at least a portion of the adsorbent material contained in the bottoms from the vacuum distillation vessel; and e. recovering and returning the regenerated adsorbent material for re-use in step (a).