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Visbreaking and thermal cracking processes have been applied to heavy oil and residual refinery streams for many years to enhance the overall yield of liquid products. When compared to coking, conversion levels for visbreaking and thermal cracking technologies—operating under milder conditions—are quite low, resulting in a significant portion (approximately 70-80%) of the product slate remaining as high-sulfur, residual fuels that have traditionally found outlets as fuel oil or in the bunker fuels market. With the increasing attention on sulfur content is residual fuel streams, the future for visbreaking and thermal cracking technology is dependant on continual improvements to the product quality and yields, as well as the advancements of associated technologies, like residue desulfurization. Log-in for complete content
