Modern refineries are increasingly required to handle heavier crude oils with typically higher impurities. These include sulfur, metals, nitrogen, and asphaltenes-which pose some of the most serious challenges of all. Designed for scientists working for petroleum and catalyst companies, research institutions, and universities, this text re-examines the characterization and conversion of asphaltenes. Presenting reaction mechanisms and experimental results that underscore real feedstock conditions, this book is the first to detail the changes incurred by asphaltenes during upgrading processes for heavy petroleum feeds. Topics include fractionation, catalysts, sediment formation, and hydrocracking.