Technologies for heavy oil upgrading are environmentally excellent

This paper reports on upgrading the heavy ends of petroleum crude which has always been a major factor in the refining industry in California. This upgrading is needed since there is only a small market for heavy residual fuel oil -- the primary product has always been gasoline for the California refineries. The refining of the California crudes has been particularly troublesome since they all contain large amounts of nitrogen and moderate to high levels of sulfur. As a result, the refiners must operate very carefully to keep their levels of sulfur and nitrogen oxide emissions to low levels. In addition, the gasoline, jet fuel and diesel products made must also be carefully tailored to low sulfur and nitrogen levels