Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems are described that can use feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials and/or starchy materials, to produce ethanol and/or butanol, e.g., by fermentation. Hydrocarbon-containing materials are also used as feedstocks.

Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems are described that can use feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials and/or starchy materials, to produce ethanol and/or butanol, e.g., by fermentation. Hydrocarbon-containing materials are also used as feedstocks.

Processes for producing deasphalted oil are provided which involve combining a supercritical water stream with a pressurized, heated, hydrocarbon-based composition to create a combined feed stream, introducing the combined feed stream to a supercritical reactor to produce and upgraded product, and depressurizing the upgraded product. The depressurized upgraded product is separated into a light and a heavy fraction, where the heavy fraction has a greater concentration of asphaltene than the light fraction. The light fraction is passed to a separator to separate into a gas fraction, a paraffinic fraction, and a water fraction and the heavy fraction and the paraffinic fraction are combined to remove the asphaltene and produce deasphalted oil. In some embodiments, the paraffinic fraction is dewatered before combining with the heavy fraction.

Methods of extracting 1-4 cycle heterocyclic compounds and 2-5 cycle polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon feedstock are described. The methods include providing a hydrocarbon feedstock containing crude oil fractions, and determining an A/R ratio and an asphaltene concentration of the hydrocarbon feedstock. Based upon the A/R ratio and the asphaltene concentration, the treatable hydrocarbon feedstock undergoes one or more of cracking and fractionating. Subsequently, at least one targeted portion of the heterocyclic compounds is extracted from the fractionated stream with an aqueous solvent. A stream containing the 2-5 cycle polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons is transferred to an extractor and the 2-5 cycle polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons are extracted with a solvent system comprising an aprotic solvent.

A method to remove a metals impurity from a petroleum feedstock for use in a power generating process is provided. The method comprising the steps of mixing a heated feedstock with a heated water stream in a mixing device to produce a mixed stream; introducing the mixed stream to a supercritical water reactor in the absence of externally provided hydrogen and externally provided oxidizing agent to produce a reactor effluent comprising a refined petroleum portion; cooling the reactor effluent to produce a cooled stream; feeding the cooled stream to a rejecter configured to separate a sludge fraction to produce a de-sludged stream; reducing the pressure of the de-sludged stream to produce a depressurized product; separating the depressurized product to produce a gas phase product and a liquid product; separating the liquid product to produce a petroleum product, having a reduced asphaltene content, reduced concentration of metals impurity, and reduced sulfur.

A method to remove a metals impurity from a petroleum feedstock for use in a power generating process is provided. The method comprising the steps of mixing a heated feedstock with a heated water stream in a mixing device to produce a mixed stream; introducing the mixed stream to a supercritical water reactor in the absence of externally provided hydrogen and externally provided oxidizing agent to produce a reactor effluent comprising a refined petroleum portion; cooling the reactor effluent to produce a cooled stream; feeding the cooled stream to a rejecter configured to separate a sludge fraction to produce a de-sludged stream; reducing the pressure of the de-sludged stream to produce a depressurized product; separating the depressurized product to produce a gas phase product and a liquid product; separating the liquid product to produce a petroleum product, having a reduced asphaltene content, reduced concentration of metals impurity, and reduced sulfur.

Systems and methods are provided for upgrading aromatic refinery fractions by performing trim alkali metal desulfurization. The alkali metal desulfurization can be performed by mixing the aromatic refinery fraction with alkali metal in finely dispersed solid and/or molten form, such as molten sodium. The aromatic nature of the refinery fraction can potentially be beneficial for the desulfurization reaction mechanism. The aromatic refinery fractions can correspond to fractions that have been previously processed to remove metals. Because only trim desulfurization is being performed, the desulfurization can be performed under relatively mild alkali metal desulfurization conditions that result in a reduced or minimized amount of feed conversion.

Systems and methods are provided for upgrading aromatic refinery fractions by performing trim alkali metal desulfurization. The alkali metal desulfurization can be performed by mixing the aromatic refinery fraction with alkali metal in finely dispersed solid and/or molten form, such as molten sodium. The aromatic nature of the refinery fraction can potentially be beneficial for the desulfurization reaction mechanism. The aromatic refinery fractions can correspond to fractions that have been previously processed to remove metals. Because only trim desulfurization is being performed, the desulfurization can be performed under relatively mild alkali metal desulfurization conditions that result in a reduced or minimized amount of feed conversion.

A process for continuously upgrading heavy oil to produce light hydrocarbon gases which are recycled in the process as a carrier gas used in spark-discharge hydrocarbon cracking within the process. The process also produces light hydrocarbon liquids which are used to upgrade the heavy oil. An apparatus for continuously upgrading heavy oil to produce light hydrocarbon gases which are recycled in the as a carrier gas used in spark-discharge hydrocarbon cracking within the apparatus. The apparatus also produces light hydrocarbon liquids which are used to upgrade the heavy oil.

The present invention relates to methods of treating heavy crude oil on the surface or in situ. The methods of the present invention include: (a) mixing the heavy crude oil with a solvent; (b) subjecting the mixture to ultrasonic vibrations; and (c) subjecting mixture treated with ultrasonic vibrations to microwave energy.