Non-solvent asphaltene removal from crude oil using solid heteropoly compounds

A process for removing asphaltenes from an oil feed, the process comprising the steps of:

• introducing the oil feed to a reactor, where the oil feed comprises a carbonaceous material and asphaltenes;
• introducing a heteropolyacid feed to the reactor, where the heteropolyacid feed comprises a heteropolyacid;
• operating the reactor at a reaction temperature and a reaction pressure for a reaction time such that the heteropolyacid is operable to catalyze an acid catalyzed polymerization reaction of the asphaltenes to produce polymerized asphaltenes, where a mixed product comprises the polymerized asphaltenes and a de-asphalted oil, wherein the reactor is in the absence of water;
• introducing the mixed product to a cooling unit at the end of the reaction time;
• reducing the temperature of the mixed product in the cooling unit to produce a cooled product;
• introducing the cooled product to a separator;
• and
• separating the cooled product in the separator to produce a de-asphalted oil and a waste stream, where the de-asphalted oil has a lower concentration of sulfur, a lower concentration of nitrogen, and a lower concentration of metals as compared to the oil feed, wherein the process for removing asphaltenes is in the absence of added hydrogen gas.