A novel apparatus for producing sweet synthetic crude from a heavy hydrocarbon feed includes: an upgrader for receiving the heavy hydrocarbon feed and producing a distillate fraction including sour products, and high-carbon content by-products; a gasifier for receiving the high-carbon content by-products and producing synthetic fuel gas and sour by-products; a hydroprocessing unit for receiving the sour by-products and hydrogen gas, thereby producing gas and sweet crude; and a hydrogen recovery unit for receiving the synthetic fuel gas and producing further hydrogen gas and hydrogen-depleted synthetic fuel gas, the further hydrogen gas being supplied to the hydroprocessing unit.
This application is a 371 application of PCT International Patent Application No. PCT/IL02/01032 filed on Dec. 24, 2002, which is a continuation-in-part patent application of Ser. No. 10/025,996, filed on Dec. 26, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,702,936.
