Conversion of high boiling organic materials to low boiling materials

Abstract

A process for the conversion of high boiling saturated organic materials is described. The method comprises contacting said high boiling organic materials at a temperature of at least about 300.degree. C. and at a reaction pressure of at least about 2000 psi with an aqueous acidic medium containing at least one olefin, and a halogen-containing compound selected from the group consisting of a halogen, a hydrogen halide, a compound which can form a halide or a hydrogen halide in the aqueous acidic medium under the process conditions, or mixtures thereof whereby the high boiling organic material and aqueous acidic medium form a substantially single phase system. Optionally the process can be conducted in a reducing atmosphere. The process of the invention is useful for producing and recovering fuel range liquids from petroleum, coal, oil shale, shale oil, tar sand solids, bitumen and heavy hydrocarbon oils such as crude oil distillation residues which contain little or no carbon-carbon unsaturation. Preferably, the halogen compound is at least one halogen or a hydrogen halide.