Heavy Oil Upgrading

Heavy crude and residue demand deliberate upgrading before they yield valuable fuel. Heavy oil upgrading splits into two thermal-cracking families, visbreaking and coking, and choosing between them shapes a refinery’s cost structure, product slate, and environmental footprint.

Visbreaking: Mild and Economical

Visbreaking applies moderate temperature to partially crack heavy molecules, cutting viscosity while leaving some residue behind. Lower capital, lower energy use, and reduced emissions make it the economical route when the goal is flowable, market-ready heavy fuel oil.

Coking: Deeper Conversion

Coking runs hotter and harder, breaking down nearly all residue into lighter fractions and solid petroleum coke. Delayed, fluid, and flexicoking variants offer progressively more residue utilization, at the price of higher energy, greater complexity, and a solid by-product to manage.

Severity, Yield, and Cost Trade-offs

Visbreaking trades conversion depth for simplicity and lower emissions, while coking trades cost for a near-complete conversion into naphtha, gas oil, and distillates. Feedstock asphaltene content and the market for coke decide which side wins for a given plant.

Selecting the Right Route

The correct heavy oil upgrading path balances feedstock quality, product demand, and economics. Klean Industries helps refiners weigh these levers and delivers the visbreaking or coking infrastructure that aligns with long-term margin goals.

Learn More:

• Feasibility Studies for Waste-to-Value Projects
• Turn-Key EPC Delivery
• Plant Design & Engineering
• Facility Efficiency Upgrades
• Resource Recovery Projects

Mild or deep, the right conversion route changes your margin.

Match thermal severity to your residue and market to unlock the most value from heavy feedstocks.

Klean Industries evaluates visbreaking and coking options and builds the unit that fits your economics.

Considering a heavy oil upgrading project?

Contact Klean Industries about heavy oil upgrading » GO.