A novel apparatus for producing sweet synthetic crude from a heavy
hydrocarbon feed comprising: an upgrader for receiving said heavy
hydrocarbon feed and producing a distillate fraction including sour
products, and high-carbon content by-products; a gasifier for receiving
the high-carbon content by-products and producing synthetic fuel gas and
sour by-products; a hydroprocessing unit for receiving the sour
by-products and hydrogen gas, thereby producing gas and sweet crude; and a
hydrogen recovery unit for receiving said synthetic fuel gas and producing
further hydrogen gas and hydrogen-depleted synthetic fuel gas, said
further hydrogen gas being supplied to said hydroprocessing unit.
