Low efficiency deasphalting and catalytic cracking

摘要

A process for deasphalting a heavy hydrocarbon feed and catalytically cracking same is disclosed. Relatively low efficiency deasphalting is used to remove at least a majority of the metals in the feed, but to leave at least 10% of the asphaltenes and at least 10% of the solvent. This demetallized material is catalytically cracked. Preferably, the solvent used in deasphalting is derived from, and recycled from the catalytic cracking unit fractionator. Preferably a majority of the solvent recovery from the deasphalting step occurs in the catalytic cracking fractionator.