Supercritical conversion of hydrocarbons boiling above 538.degree. C.
(1000.degree. F.) with a solvating hydrocarbon at a weight ratio of
solvating hydrocarbon to high-boiling hydrocarbons of at least 2:1 and at
conditions above the critical temperature and pressure of the
high-boiling hydrocarbons-solvent mixture, in the presence of hot
fluidized solids. The hydrocarbons are supplied to a reaction zone at a
temperature below that of the hot solids supplied thereto, whereby the
resulting hydrocarbons-solids suspension has a thermal equilibrium
temperature corresponding to the reaction temperature. The conversion has
high rates of sulfur, nitrogen and metals removal, nearly complete
conversion to lower molecular weight products, high naphtha and
distillate selectivity, and low coke formation. The supercritical
conversion can replace crude distillation, vacuum distillation, solvent
deasphalting, coking, hydrocracking, hydrotreating, and/or fluid
catalytic cracking, and/or used in parallel with such unit operations for
debottle-necking or increasing capacity.