Processing heavy crudes: advances in fluid and flexicoking technology
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The authors are concerned with Exxon's Fluid and Flexicoking processes which allow the refiner to convert the bottom of the crude barrel to clean products. This article primarily discusses enhancement of liquid yields from both processes and reduction of low-Btu gas from Flexicoking. Also discussed are recent advances in coking technology, which could make these processes more attractive. Flexicoking is an integrated coking/gasification process for upgrading heavy feedstocks. The process converts these feeds to a 99% yield of fuel gas, naphtha, middle distillates, heavy gas oil, and a low-sulfur coke gas. The remaining 1% is petroleum coke containing metals and other ash components present in the feed. 6 refs.Keywords:
Naphtha
Fuel oil
Delayed coker
Synthetic crude
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Addition of atmospheric residuum hydrotreating with fluid catalytic cracking or delayed coking appear to be most attractive for converting a typical light crude refinery to heavy crude operation. Examination of seven alternative approaches for accomplishing this conversion shows a range in economic results that illustrate the general conclusions but require specific examination for each refinery to determine its optimum choice. During 1978-1982, many refiners initiated projects to permit processing lower quality heavier crudes with the capability for converting residuum to transportation fuel products. A substantial price differential between light and heavy crude and a low residual fuel oil value provided a twofold incentive for these projects. Recently, crude price differentials have shrunk, and high-sulfur residual fuel oil values have risen almost to crude prices. Some analysts believe that this is a temporary market situation and that incentives will be restored within five years as heavy crudes become more available and outlets for high-sulfur fuel oil become more limited. Various processing schemes are possible for use in converting a typical light crude refinery. Several of these are considered in a screening evaluation.
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Residuum
Refining (metallurgy)
Synthetic crude
Fuel oil
Residual oil
Petroleum product
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This paper describes the principles of fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) and reviews recent developments in this field of petroleum refining technology. Technological and economic advantages of the system are outlined. Other advances that are under development are catalysts which are designed for heavy oil cracking and are more resistant to the metals contaminants. Other passivating agents may be developed which will be superior to antimony. A better understanding is being developed of the effect of operating conditions such as reactor temperature, regenerator temperature, oil and catalyst mixing and riser residence time particularly on the cracking of residual oils. With the addition of hydro-desulfurization of topped crude the range of topped crude sources that can be efficiently charged to a heavy oil cracker has been greatly extended. The combination of resid HDS and heavy oil cracking provides an attractive process scheme which maximizes gasoline yields. 6 refs.
Fluid catalytic cracking
Refining (metallurgy)
Residual oil
Fuel oil
Petroleum product
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The value of abundant, low-grade heavy crude oil reserves can be enhanced by appropriate upgrade processing at the production site to yield marketable refinery feedstocks or ultimate products. One of the upgrading process sequences most commonly considered involves vacuum distillation followed by a bottoms processing step such as solvent deasphalting or coking. These schemes can be further enhanced with the addition of a gasification step to convert the unsaleable, bottom-of-the-barrel residues into useful products, such as high-purity hydrogen for hydrotreating, electrical power, steam for enhanced oil recovery and distillation, etc. This paper describes the Texaco Gasification Process and the T-STARs hydrotreating process, and their application in an integrated upgrade processing scheme in which an optimal, virtually bottomless oil utilization can be achieved. Illustrative examples of this integration are provided with comparative economic information.
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Upgrade
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Synthetic crude
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The liquid products from Exxon Research and Engineering Co.'s Flexicoking process can be hydrotreated to give many desired products, including jet fuels, diesel fuels, and naphtha that is suitable for bimetallic catalytic reforming, without destroying the desired aromatics and naphthenes. Gas oil can be hydrotreated to satisfy fuel oil blending specifications or can be more severely hydrotreated in a GO-fining unit to make satisfactory fluid catalytic cracker feed, with 1200 ppm nitrogen, low (0.1-0.2% by wt) Conradson carbon residue, and low (0.05-0.1 ppm by wt) metals content. The feeds for, and the product quality obtainable by treating Arabian heavy, Prudhoe Bay, and South Louisiana crude oils in Flexicoking, naphtha Hydrofining, diesel/jet Hydrofining, and GO-fining units are discussed, and the advantages of the Flexicoking/hydrotreating route in concentrating the hydrogen added in the valuable liquid products are discussed.
Naphtha
Jet fuel
Refining (metallurgy)
Fuel oil
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Delayed coker
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This article demonstrates that complete flexibility for olefin plants should include such heavy feedstocks as gas oils, cycle oils, and de-asphalted residuums. The increased cost of naphtha has made alternative feedstocks more attractive for the many olefin plants which were originally designed for liquid feedstocks. The alternatives examined are liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), natural gas liquids (NGL), atmospheric gas oils (AGO), and heavy feedstocks. Heavy feedstocks require special pretreatment for steam cracker use, and Linde hydroconversion is an attractive way of upgrading these stocks. Hydroconverted VGO (vacuum gas oil) leads to olefin yields which are comparable to naphtha. Tables are included on hydroconverter feedstock based on Arab light crude and the performance of once-through operation.
Naphtha
Fuel oil
Liquefied natural gas
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Asphaltene
Refining (metallurgy)
Coker unit
Delayed coker
Fluid catalytic cracking
Hydrodenitrogenation
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The world increase in heavy crudes has forced refiners to develop different processes that upgrade the yields and product properties recovered from these crudes. However, some of the optimized and new processes are not able to handle whole heavy crude oils, due to the high viscosity and corrosion of their long and short residues. The different processes for heavy crudes can be classified in two areas: physical (vg. Liquid Extraction) and chemical processes. The catalytic hydrotreating process, which belongs to this last classification, has demonstrated to be an economical upgrading process for heavy crude oil. This paper describes the development by the Mexican Petroleum Institute of the process to hydrotreat maya heavy crude. The effect of the operating conditions, the catalyst ---- development and the technical - economical analysis are presented. The product properties and yields are compared with the results obtained with light crude oil like isthmus.
Petroleum product
Synthetic crude
Fuel oil
Refining (metallurgy)
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Exxon`s proprietary Fluid Coking process is a mature thermal conversion process for converting heavy hydrocarbon feeds to lighter products with a relatively low investment. Fluid Coking can process a wide variety of feeds in a single train and is generally insensitive to feed contaminants such as sulfur, nitrogen, and metals. Fluid Coking is a continuous process that has proven mechanically reliable with high service factors routinely achieved. Recent developments in coke utilization and flue gas desulfurization/deashing have helped to position Fluid Coking for the future. Economic comparison studies have historically shown that Exxon`s Fluid Coking process is competitive with Delayed Coking. Recent interest in the industry of Delayed Coking has prompted new studies by both Exxon and by independent consultants. These studies have confirmed that in today`s environment Fluid Coking remains competitive, and may be more attractive in many situations involving heavy feedstocks and/or large capacity units.
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This chapter describes where do industrial organic chemicals come from? Natural gas and petroleum are the main sources. From them come seven chemical building blocks on which a vast organic chemical industry is based. To gain an idea of how petroleum is used as a source of chemicals one needs to know what happens in a petroleum refinery. Before this chapter considers petroleum refining reactions, it describes steam cracking. The description here applies to the cracking of naphtha; the cracking of ethane is analogous but much simpler. It also discusses the relative costs of production of ethylene from various feedstocks in various countries. Metathesis is said to be one of the most important organic chemical reactions discovered since World War II. It has been used for the synthesis of various chemicals outside the refinery.
Refinery
Naphtha
Refining (metallurgy)
Petroleum product
Chemical industry
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This paper addresses the use of coal and coke to supplement refinery fuel and utility requirements, thereby increasing refineries' liquid yield per barrel of crude oil. The impending deregulation of natural gas and the increased processing of heavy, low-quality crude oil makes refinery gas a valuable product that must be utilized in only premium applications. Coal and coke can be utilized effectively in direct combustion processes to generate refinery utilities and process heat. More important, they can also be utilized effectively in gasification processes to generate fuel gas and synthesis gas to supplement refinery gas.
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Fuel oil
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