The properties and chemistry of the vacuum residue fraction are dominated by the behavior of the asphaltenes. This fraction contains components that contribute strongly to coke formation, to the formation of sediment in hydroconversion, and to incompatibility in feed blending. This paper will review recent results on asphaltene behavior, and emphasize the insights available from model compounds for asphaltene behavior. This chemical information leads to suggestions for process opportunities for conversion of the bottom of the barrel.

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