A method of removing metals and amines from crude oil is provided. The method includes adding an effective metal removing amount of one or more hydroxycarboxylic acids selected from lactic acid and malic acid and salts thereof to the crude oil; adding wash water to the crude oil; mixing the crude oil, acid and wash water to form an emulsion; and resolving the emulsion into an aqueous phase and crude oil having a reduced metals content.

A process for removing asphaltenes from an oil feed, the process comprising the steps of introducing the oil feed to a de-asphalting column, where the oil feed comprises a carbonaceous material and asphaltenes, where the de-asphalting column comprises a heteropolyacid, operating the de-asphalting column at a reaction temperature and a reaction pressure for a residence time such that the heteropolyacid is operable to catalyze an acid catalyzed polymerization reaction of the asphaltenes to produce polymerized asphaltenes, the polymerized asphaltenes precipitate from the carbonaceous material in the oil feed, and withdrawing a de-asphalted oil from the de-asphalting column, where the de-asphalted oil is in the absence of the heteropolyacids, where the de-asphalted oil has a lower concentration of sulfur, a lower concentration of nitrogen, and a lower concentration of metals as compared to the oil feed, where the process for removing asphaltenes is in the absence of added hydrogen gas.

A process for removing asphaltenes from an oil feed, the process comprising the steps of introducing the oil feed to a de-asphalting column, where the oil feed comprises a carbonaceous material and asphaltenes, where the de-asphalting column comprises a heteropolyacid, operating the de-asphalting column at a reaction temperature and a reaction pressure for a residence time such that the heteropolyacid is operable to catalyze an acid catalyzed polymerization reaction of the asphaltenes to produce polymerized asphaltenes, the polymerized asphaltenes precipitate from the carbonaceous material in the oil feed, and withdrawing a de-asphalted oil from the de-asphalting column, where the de-asphalted oil is in the absence of the heteropolyacids, where the de-asphalted oil has a lower concentration of sulfur, a lower concentration of nitrogen, and a lower concentration of metals as compared to the oil feed, where the process for removing asphaltenes is in the absence of added hydrogen gas.

A method for removing alkali metal from a hydrocarbon feedstock comprising alkali metal, non-alkali metal and sulfur. The method includes separating out at least a portion of any alkali metal sulfide and a portion of any non-alkali metal from the hydrocarbon feedstock. Hydrogen sulfide can be added to the remaining hydrocarbon feedstock to form alkali hydrosulfide from any alkali metal remaining in the hydrocarbon feedstock. The alkali hydrosulfide is then separated from the hydrocarbon feedstock. Alkali metal may be removed from the alkali metal sulfide separated out from the hydrocarbon feedstock. Alkali hydrosulfide may be treated to form alkali metal sulfide, and alkali metal may also be removed from the formed alkali metal sulfide.

In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, a continuous catalytic deasphalting process includes introducing a feed comprising crude oil and solvent to a first reactor to deasphalt the feed, producing polymerized asphaltene adsorbed to the catalyst and deasphalted oil; introducing solvent to a second reactor to regenerate catalyst in the second reactor while the deasphalting step is performed in the first reactor; introducing a wash solvent to the first reactor after deasphalting to remove the polymerized asphaltene, thereby regenerating the catalyst in the first reactor and producing a mixture comprising solvent and polymerized asphaltene; passing the mixture to a separator downstream of the reactor system to separate the wash solvent from the polymerized asphaltenes; and reintroducing at least a portion of the separated wash solvent to at least one of the first and second reactors.

A method of producing advanced carbon materials can include providing coal to a processing facility, beneficiating the coal to remove impurities from the coal, processing the beneficiated coal to produce a pitch, and treating the pitch to produce an advanced carbon material such as carbon fibers, carbon nanotubes, graphene, resins, polymers, biomaterials, or other carbon materials.

A method of producing at least one or more resins is disclosed. The method includes providing an amount of raw coal. The raw coal includes one or more impurities therein. The method also includes beneficiating the amount of raw coal to selectively removing at least a portion of some of the one or more impurities in the raw coal to form beneficiated coal. Additionally, the method includes processing the beneficiated coal to produce an amount of pitch. The method further includes modifying at least some of the pitch to produce the one or more resins. The one or more resins include a selected amount of a remainder of the one or more impurities that were not removed while beneficiating the amount of the raw coal, processing the beneficiated coal, and modifying at least some of the pitch.

A method of producing advanced carbon materials can include providing coal to a processing facility, beneficiating the coal to remove impurities from the coal, processing the beneficiated coal to produce a pitch, and treating the pitch to produce an advanced carbon material such as carbon fibers, carbon nanotubes, graphene, carbon fibers, polymers, biomaterials, or other carbon materials.

A liquid hydrocarbon desulfurization system having at least one processing unit, and preferably an initial and an end processing unit. Each processing unit having a reactor assembly and a sorption system. An aqueous system directs aqueous into the reactor assembly together with liquid hydrocarbon, wherein the two are mixed using shear mixers. An adsorbent system provides adsorbent to the sorption column to adsorb the oxidized sulfur resulting through the mixing of the liquid hydrocarbon with the aqueous. A system having multiple processing units is disclosed, as well as systems for transferring adsorbent and providing aqueous. A plurality of methods is likewise disclosed.

A liquid hydrocarbon desulfurization system having at least one processing unit, and preferably an initial and an end processing unit. Each processing unit having a reactor assembly and a sorption system. An aqueous system directs aqueous into the reactor assembly together with liquid hydrocarbon, wherein the two are mixed using shear mixers. An adsorbent system provides adsorbent to the sorption column to adsorb the oxidized sulfur resulting through the mixing of the liquid hydrocarbon with the aqueous. A system having multiple processing units is disclosed, as well as systems for transferring adsorbent and providing aqueous. A plurality of methods is likewise disclosed.