According to one embodiment, a heavy oil may be processed by a method that may include upgrading at least a portion of the heavy oil to form an upgraded oil, where the upgrading includes contacting the heavy oil with a hydrodemetalization catalyst, a transition catalyst, a hydrodenitrogenation catalyst, and a hydrocracking catalyst to remove at least a portion of metals, nitrogen, or aromatics content from the heavy oil and form the upgraded oil; and passing the upgraded oil to a steam cracker and steam cracking the upgraded oil to form a steam-cracked effluent; and where the final boiling point of the upgraded oil is less than or equal to 540 C.

According to one embodiment, a heavy oil may be processed by a method that may include upgrading at least a portion of the heavy oil to form an upgraded oil, where the upgrading includes contacting the heavy oil with a hydrodemetalization catalyst, a transition catalyst, a hydrodenitrogenation catalyst, and a hydrocracking catalyst to remove at least a portion of metals, nitrogen, or aromatics content from the heavy oil and form the upgraded oil; and passing the upgraded oil to a steam cracker and steam cracking the upgraded oil to form a steam-cracked effluent; and where the final boiling point of the upgraded oil is less than or equal to 540 C.

According to one embodiment, a heavy oil may be processed by a method that may include upgrading at least a portion of the heavy oil to form an upgraded oil, where the upgrading comprises contacting the heavy oil with a hydrodemetalization catalyst, a transition catalyst, a hydrodenitrogenation catalyst, and a hydrocracking catalyst to remove at least a portion of metals, nitrogen, or aromatics content from the heavy oil and form the upgraded oil. The method may further include passing at least a portion of the upgraded oil to a separation device that separates the upgraded oil into one or more transportation fuels; and where the final boiling point of the upgraded oil is less than or equal to 540 C.

According to one embodiment, a heavy oil may be processed by a method that may include upgrading at least a portion of the heavy oil to form an upgraded oil, where the upgrading comprises contacting the heavy oil with a hydrodemetalization catalyst, a transition catalyst, a hydrodenitrogenation catalyst, and a hydrocracking catalyst to remove at least a portion of metals, nitrogen, or aromatics content from the heavy oil and form the upgraded oil. The method may further include passing at least a portion of the upgraded oil to a separation device that separates the upgraded oil into one or more transportation fuels; and where the final boiling point of the upgraded oil is less than or equal to 540 C.

According to one embodiment, a heavy oil may be processed by a method that may include upgrading at least a portion of the heavy oil to form an upgraded oil, where the upgrading comprising contacting the heavy oil with a hydrodemetalization catalyst, a transition catalyst, a hydrodenitrogenation catalyst, a first hydrocracking catalyst, and a second hydrocracking catalyst downstream of the first hydrocracking catalyst to remove at least a portion of metals, nitrogen, or aromatics content from the heavy oil and form the upgraded oil. The final boiling point of the upgraded oil may be less than or equal to 540 C. The second hydrocracking catalyst cracks at least a portion of vacuum gas oil in the heavy oil. The first hydrocracking catalyst may comprise a greater average pore size than the second hydrocracking catalyst.

According to one embodiment, a heavy oil may be processed by a method that may include upgrading at least a portion of the heavy oil to form an upgraded oil, where the upgrading comprising contacting the heavy oil with a hydrodemetalization catalyst, a transition catalyst, a hydrodenitrogenation catalyst, a first hydrocracking catalyst, and a second hydrocracking catalyst downstream of the first hydrocracking catalyst to remove at least a portion of metals, nitrogen, or aromatics content from the heavy oil and form the upgraded oil. The final boiling point of the upgraded oil may be less than or equal to 540 C. The second hydrocracking catalyst cracks at least a portion of vacuum gas oil in the heavy oil. The first hydrocracking catalyst may comprise a greater average pore size than the second hydrocracking catalyst.

A method of upgrading refining streams with high polynucleararomatic hydrocarbon (PNA) concentrations can include: hydrocracking a PNA feed in the presence of a catalyst and hydrogen at 380 C. to 430 C., 2500 psig or greater, and 0.1 hr.sup.1 to 5 hr.sup.1 liquid hourly space velocity (LSHV), wherein the weight ratio of PNA feed to hydrogen is 30:1 to 10:1, wherein the PNA feed comprises 25 wt % or less of hydrocarbons having a boiling point of 700 F. (371 C.) or less and having an aromatic content of 50 wt % or greater to form a product comprising 50 wt % or greater of the hydrocarbons having a boiling point of 700 F. (371 C.) or less and having an aromatic content of 20 wt % or less.

The present invention relates to an integrated process to convert crude oil into petrochemical products comprising crude oil distillation, hydrocracking and olefins synthesis, which process comprises subjecting a hydrocracker feed to hydrocracking to produce LPG and BTX and subjecting the LPG produced in the process to olefins synthesis. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a process installation to convert crude oil into petrochemical products comprising: a crude distillation unit comprising an inlet for crude oil and at least one outlet for one or more of naphtha, kerosene and gasoil; a hydrocracker comprising an inlet for a hydrocracker feed, an outlet for LPG and an outlet for BTX; and a unit for olefins synthesis comprising an inlet for LPG produced by the integrated petrochemical process installation and an outlet for olefins. The hydrocracker feed used in the process and the process installation of the present invention comprises one or more of naphtha, kerosene and gasoil produced by crude oil distillation in the process; and refinery unit-derived light-distillate and/or refinery unit-derived middle-distillate produced in the process. The process and process installation of the present invention have an increased production of petrochemicals at the expense of the production of fuels and an improved carbon efficiency in terms of the conversion of crude oils into petrochemicals.

The present invention relates to an integrated process to convert crude oil into petrochemical products comprising crude oil distillation, hydrocracking and olefins synthesis, which process comprises subjecting a hydrocracker feed to hydrocracking to produce LPG and BTX and subjecting the LPG produced in the process to olefins synthesis. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a process installation to convert crude oil into petrochemical products comprising: a crude distillation unit comprising an inlet for crude oil and at least one outlet for one or more of naphtha, kerosene and gasoil; a hydrocracker comprising an inlet for a hydrocracker feed, an outlet for LPG and an outlet for BTX; and a unit for olefins synthesis comprising an inlet for LPG produced by the integrated petrochemical process installation and an outlet for olefins. The hydrocracker feed used in the process and the process installation of the present invention comprises one or more of naphtha, kerosene and gasoil produced by crude oil distillation in the process; and refinery unit-derived light-distillate and/or refinery unit-derived middle-distillate produced in the process. The process and process installation of the present invention have an increased production of petrochemicals at the expense of the production of fuels and an improved carbon efficiency in terms of the conversion of crude oils into petrochemicals.

A process including (a) directing a hydrocarbon mixture to contact a material catalytically active in hydrocracking under hydrocracking conditions, (b) providing a first hydrocracked product, (c) directing an amount of the first hydrocracked product and an amount of a converted hydrocracked product to a product separation step separating it into one or more products and a recycle oil having a higher boiling point than the products, (d) directing the recycle oil to contact a second material catalytically active in hydrocracking under hydrocracking conditions providing a second hydrocracked product, (e) directing at least an amount of the second hydrocracked product as feed to a second separation step, separating the second hydrocracked product in at least two fractions, a converted hydrocracked product and an unconverted oil an unconverted oil having a higher average boiling point than the recycle oil, (f) withdrawing at least an amount of the unconverted oil as purge.