Patent ID: 8377287

Claim:
A method of producing an upgraded product from a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock, comprising: a) upgrading a heavy hydrocarbon feedstock by a method comprising: i) providing a particulate heat carrier into an upflow reactor; ii) introducing the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock into the upflow reactor at least one location above that of the particulate heat carrier so that a loading ratio of the particulate heat carrier to the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock is from about 10:1 to about 200:1, wherein the upflow reactor is run at a temperature of from about 300° C. to about 700° C., and iii) allowing the heavy hydrocarbon feedstock to interact with the particulate heat carrier with a residence time of less than about 20 seconds, to produce a product mixture comprising a product stream and the particulate heat carrier; b) separating the product stream from the particulate heat carrier; c) obtaining a gaseous product and a liquid product mixture from the product stream, the liquid product mixture comprising a light fraction and a heavy fraction; d) obtaining an upgraded bottomless product from the liquid product mixture using a vacuum tower; and e) recycling at least a portion of the heavy fraction of the liquid product mixture from the vacuum tower to the upflow reactor.