Processes herein may be used to thermally crack various hydrocarbon feeds, and may eliminate the refinery altogether while making the crude to chemicals process very flexible in terms of crude. In embodiments herein, crude is progressively separated into at least light and heavy fractions. Depending on the quality of the light and heavy fractions, these are routed to one of three upgrading operations, including a fixed bed hydroconversion unit, a fluidized catalytic conversion unit, or a residue hydrocracking unit that may utilize an ebullated bed reactor. Products from the upgrading operations may be used as feed to a steam cracker.

Method of producing hydrocarbon fuels from polyolefin waste materials, wherein: polyolefin waste materials are subjected to continuous depolymerisation in a tower flow reactor with a movable packing, which comprises a heating system for heating the lower half of the reaction chamber, where products of depolymerisation are collected in a gaseous state through an outlet in the upper half of the reaction chamber; and the obtained products of depolymerisation are subjected to catalytic hydrogenation and isomerization in an atmosphere of synthesis gas, under atmospheric pressure, to obtain a mixture of hydrocarbon fuels; characterised in that: polyolefin waste materials are mixed with heated elements constituting the packing of the reactor until the surface of the packing elements is coated with a thin layer of plasticised material, wherein in the depolymerisation process that obtained mixture is fed as a stream into the reaction chamber from the top of the chamber, whereas a synthesis gas is fed in a counter current from the bottom, the gas comprising carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H.sub.2) with the molar ratio CO:H.sub.2 being from 0.25 to 1.5: from 0.5 to 3.

Method of producing hydrocarbon fuels from polyolefin waste materials, wherein: polyolefin waste materials are subjected to continuous depolymerisation in a tower flow reactor with a movable packing, which comprises a heating system for heating the lower half of the reaction chamber, where products of depolymerisation are collected in a gaseous state through an outlet in the upper half of the reaction chamber; and the obtained products of depolymerisation are subjected to catalytic hydrogenation and isomerization in an atmosphere of synthesis gas, under atmospheric pressure, to obtain a mixture of hydrocarbon fuels; characterised in that: polyolefin waste materials are mixed with heated elements constituting the packing of the reactor until the surface of the packing elements is coated with a thin layer of plasticised material, wherein in the depolymerisation process that obtained mixture is fed as a stream into the reaction chamber from the top of the chamber, whereas a synthesis gas is fed in a counter current from the bottom, the gas comprising carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H.sub.2) with the molar ratio CO:H.sub.2 being from 0.25 to 1.5: from 0.5 to 3.

A stream of cracked naphtha is fractionated into at least four specified fractions defined by their respective boiling point ranges. The lightest fraction, IBP to 50 C., is treated in a selective etherification or alkylation process to reduce its RVP value and increase its RON. The second fraction, 50 C. to 150 C., is selectively hydrogenated to treat and convert the diolefins present and the treated stream is sent directly to the gasoline blending pool since it has the desired RON and low sulfur content. The third, and optionally a fourth fraction, boiling in the range of 50 C. to 180 C., in an embodiment, are utilized for the production of aromatics and the raffinate stream, after aromatic extraction, is sent to the gasoline blending pool. A fraction of this latter stream can optionally be recycled for further cracking to produce additional aromatics and gasoline blending components. The heaviest fraction, 180 C. to MBP, constitutes a relatively small volume and is hydrotreated at high pressure, and one portion of the hydrotreated stream is recycled to the FCC unit for further processing and the remaining hydrotreated portion is sent to the gasoline blending pool.

Systems and methods for separating one or more olefins are provided. In one or more embodiments, the method for separating one or more olefins can include separating at least a portion of one or more C.sub.3 and heavier hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon containing C.sub.1 to C.sub.20 hydrocarbons to provide a first mixture that can include methane, ethane, ethylene, and/or acetylene. At least a portion of the first mixture can be hydrogenated to convert at least a portion of the acetylene to ethane and ethylene. At least a portion of the methane can be separated from the hydrogenated mixture to provide a second mixture that can include ethane and ethylene. At least a portion of the ethylene can be separated from the second mixture to provide a first product that can include at least 95 mol % ethylene and a second product that can include at least 95 mol % ethane.

Systems and methods for separating one or more olefins are provided. In one or more embodiments, the method for separating one or more olefins can include separating at least a portion of one or more C.sub.3 and heavier hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon containing C.sub.1 to C.sub.20 hydrocarbons to provide a first mixture that can include methane, ethane, ethylene, and/or acetylene. At least a portion of the first mixture can be hydrogenated to convert at least a portion of the acetylene to ethane and ethylene. At least a portion of the methane can be separated from the hydrogenated mixture to provide a second mixture that can include ethane and ethylene. At least a portion of the ethylene can be separated from the second mixture to provide a first product that can include at least 95 mol % ethylene and a second product that can include at least 95 mol % ethane.

Processes for treating highly viscous hydrocarbons, such as bitumen from oil sands or petroleum residues, with hydrogen-donor solvents are described. The hydrogen-donor solvent is prepared. A mixture of the hydrocarbon and the hydrogen-donor solvent is heated, and the product is cooled to produce a low viscosity and mildly upgraded hydrocarbon. The hydrogen-donor solvent can be modified to improve its solvent usefulness.

Processes for treating highly viscous hydrocarbons, such as bitumen from oil sands or petroleum residues, with hydrogen-donor solvents are described. The hydrogen-donor solvent is prepared. A mixture of the hydrocarbon and the hydrogen-donor solvent is heated, and the product is cooled to produce a low viscosity and mildly upgraded hydrocarbon. The hydrogen-donor solvent can be modified to improve its solvent usefulness.

The present disclosure refers to a process and a process plant for extraction of metals from a hydrocarbon mixture obtained from a gasification or pyrolysis process, comprising the steps of combining said hydrocarbon mixture with an aqueous acid forming a mixture, mixing said mixture, separating said mixture in a contaminated aqueous phase and a purified hydrocarbon phase, with the associated benefit of said aqueous acid being able to release metals bound in such gasification and pyrolysis processes.

The present disclosure refers to a process and a process plant for extraction of metals from a hydrocarbon mixture obtained from a gasification or pyrolysis process, comprising the steps of combining said hydrocarbon mixture with an aqueous acid forming a mixture, mixing said mixture, separating said mixture in a contaminated aqueous phase and a purified hydrocarbon phase, with the associated benefit of said aqueous acid being able to release metals bound in such gasification and pyrolysis processes.