Patent ID: 8790508

Claim:
A process for deasphalting and reducing the content of heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon molecules in a liquid hydrocarbon feedstock, the liquid hydrocarbon feedstock having an asphaltic content and heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon molecules, the process comprising: mixing the liquid hydrocarbon feedstock, solvent, an oxidant, and an oxidation catalyst to provide an intimate mixture; introducing the mixture into a settler of a solvent deasphalting unit; maintaining the mixture in the settler for a residence time that is sufficient for substantial completion of oxidative reaction between the oxidizing agent and the heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon molecules, and for phase separation of the reaction mixture into a reduced asphalt content phase and an asphalt phase, wherein a substantial portion of oxidized heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon molecules shift to the asphalt phase; discharging the asphalt phase containing oxidized heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon molecules; and recovering the reduced asphalt content phase having a reduced content of heteroatom-containing hydrocarbon molecules.