A process for producing aromatics from a
hydrocarbon source in the presence of supercritical water comprising the steps of mixing a pressurized, pre-heated water
stream with a pressurized, pre-heated
petroleum feedstock, the pressurized, pre-heated water
stream at a pressure above the critical pressure of water and a temperature above the critical temperature of water, feeding the combined
stream to a supercritical water reactor to create a modified stream, cooling and depressurizing the modified stream, separating the depressurized stream in a vapor-liquid separator, condensing the vapor stream, separating the condensed stream into a
water recovery stream and a light
product recovery stream, extracting the aromatics from the light
product recovery stream, depressurizing the liquid stream, separating the depressurized liquid stream in a heavy separator into an upgraded product stream, and recycling part of the upgraded product stream to the pressurized, pre-heated
petroleum feedstock as a product recycle.