Methods and systems for the conversion of crude oil to petrochemical products

A method for processing a crude oil feedstock, the method comprising:

• introducing a crude oil stream to a reactive distillation unit combining cracking and distillation of the crude oil stream in a single apparatus to remove conradson carbon and metals from the crude oil stream and generate a distillate stream having a mean boiling point distribution less than the crude oil stream, a light gas stream consisting of C1-C4 hydrocarbons, a heavy liquid fraction comprising atmospheric residue formed from hydrocarbons having a boiling point of 400° C. or greater, and coke, wherein a residence time of the crude oil stream in the reactive distillation unit is 1 minute to 60 minutes, where the reactive distillation unit comprises solid particles disposed within the reactive distillation unit to preferentially capture the conradson carbon and metals in the crude oil stream and the coke generated in the reactive distillation unit;
• and
• passing the distillate stream in a gaseous form in a continuous manner and without further processing to a catalytic cracking reactor with a cracking catalyst disposed therein that cracks the distillate stream to form a petrochemical product stream comprising light olefins and BTX, a light gas effluent consisting of hydrogen and C1-C4 alkanes, and an unconverted distillate stream comprising the remainder of the distillate stream passed to the catalytic cracking reactor unit, wherein the catalytic cracking reactor operates at a temperature of 300° C. to 800° C.