Upgrading of bitumen asphaltenes by hot water treatment

摘要

A process for upgrading bitumen asphaltenes obtained from tar sands to hydrocarbons which comprises contacting the bitumen with a deasphalting solvent to yield a deasphalted oil and a residual solid asphaltene, separating the residual solid asphaltene from the deasphalted oil and treating the solid asphaltene fraction with superheated water at temperatures of from 300 DEG to 425 DEG C.