Process for the thermal cracking of a residual hydrocarbon oil wherein a final 520 DEG C+ conversion of at least 35 % by weight is attained, which process comprises the steps of: (a) heating the residual hydrocarbon oil feed in a furnace to a temperature in the range of from 400 to 510 DEG C for sufficient time to achieve 30 to 45 % of the final 520 DEG C+ conversion; (b) feeding the partially converted, hot hydrocarbon oil produced in step (a) and a hot hydrogen-containing gas into a soaker, said hydrogen-containing gas having a sufficiently high temperature to maintain the temperature of the hydrocarbon oil in the soaker by means of direct heat exchange at a value in the range of from 420 to 650 DEG C, in which soaker the remainder up to 100 % of the final 520 DEG C+ conversion takes place; and (c) recovering a gaseous fraction containing the hydrogen-containing gas and a cracked residue from the soaker.
展开▼
