The processing and upgrading of high-boiling-point petroleum fractions, containing a large number of components from different groups (paraffins, olefins, naphthenes, aromatics) require an in-depth evaluation. In order to characterize them, their thermodynamic and thermophysical properties must be determined. This work presents a computational approach based on the breakdown of the petroleum fraction into pseudocomponents defined by a trial-and-error exercise in which the mass- and molar-balance errors were minimized. Cases studies are illustrated to three heavy residues 400°C from "W, Y and Z" crude oil. This procedure requires the boiling point distillation curve and the density of the whole fraction as the input bulk properties. 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