Supercritical process for producing deasphalted demetallized and deresined oils

A process for producing a low metals content deasphalted oil from a heavy hydrocarbon material comprising:

• introducing a heavy hydrocarbon material comprising oils, resins, asphaltenes and associated organometallic compounds and a solvent into a first separation zone maintained at a temperature at least equal to the critical temperature of said solvent and a pressure at least equal to the critical pressure of said solvent to effect a separation of said heavy hydrocarbon material and solvent into a first light phase comprising oils, resins, some of the organometallic compounds and solvent and a first heavy phase comprising asphaltenes, organometallic compounds and some solvent;
• introducing said first light phase into a second separation zone maintained at a temperature level higher than the temperature in said first separation zone and at an elevated pressure to effect a separation of said first light phase into a second light phase comprising oils, entrained resins and organometallic compounds and solvent which collects in an upper portion of said second separation zone and a second heavy phase comprising resins and some solvent;
• withdrawing at least a portion of said second heavy phase from said second separation zone;
• recycling at least a portion of said withdrawn second heavy phase into said upper portion of said second separation zone to contact said second light phase to remove at least a portion of the entrained resins and organometallic compounds;
• introducing said second light phase after contact with said recycled second heavy phase into a third separation zone maintained at a temperature level above the temperature level in said second separation zone and at an elevated pressure to effect a separation of said second light phase into a third light phase comprising solvent and a third heavy phase comprising deasphalted oils having a reduced metals content;
• and
• recovering said deasphalted oils as a product.