Zeolite based dryers in ethylene plants

Apr-2014

A review of the role and nature of adsorbent dryers in the production of ethylene by steam cracking. Steam cracking represents more than 95% of ethylene ...

Amine plant corrosion reduced by removal of bicine

Jun-2012

Bicine, an amino acid, has been found in numerous amine gas treating systems including tail gas treating units, certain refinery services, and some natural ...

Opportunities for increasing on-demand light cycle oil

Oct-2009

Swift response to demand for higher LCO yields from the FCCU may involve optimising variable parameters and employing a bottoms cracking additive

Pretreatment of resid FCC feedstocks

Jul-2004

How a refinery optimised hydrogen consumption to raise API “shift”, enhancing FCC economics. The effect of heavy feedstock reactivity on the operation ...

Evaluating opportunity crude processing

Oct-2006

Is processing opportunity crudes for every refiner? Technical challenges and economic benefits from processing high-acid crudes and bottom-of-the-barrel ...

HS-FCC for propylene: concept to commercial operation

Oct-2016

A FCC process provides a high light olefin yield from a wide variety of feedstocks utilising high severity reaction conditions and a novel down flow reaction ...

Future of opportunity crudes processing

Oct-2011

Five critical drivers help refiners remain profitable and sustain long-term business goals while processing relatively inexpensive, low-quality crudes

Reducing gasoline sulphur with additives

Apr-2004

Evolution of regulations in an era of limited capital has led to the development of catalyst additive technologies to reduce FCC gasoline sulphur

How ZSM-5 works on FCC gasoline composition

Oct-2015

A study of the effect of matrix versus zeolite in the base catalyst on the composition of light and heavy gasoline fractions.

Anode-grade coke from traditional crudes

Apr-2010

A combination of solvent deasphalting and delayed coking is an option to minimise fuel oil production and produce anode-grade coke

FCC flue gas scrubber alternatives: part I

Jul-2009

The merits of combining additives and barrier filters as a cost-effective and highly efficient way of meeting SOx, NOx and particulate matter emissions ...

FCC feed preparation for improved quality

Apr-1997

The benefits of hydrotreating heavy gas oil FCC feedstocks at different levels of severity are discussed in this article, particularly the operating success ...

Refining/petrochemical integration - FCC gasoline to petrochemicals

May-2015

The global trend in motor fuel consumption favours diesel over gasoline, with gasoline often being in surplus. There is a simultaneous increase in demand ...

FCC product fractionation for maximum LCO

Jul-2017

For increased production of diesel over gasoline, maximising recovery of LCO from the FCC reactor can be part of the scheme

Strategies for increasing production of light cycle oil

Oct-2009

Refineries should consider several strategies, including recycle and enhanced catalyst activity, to increase LCO output from the FCCU while minimising ...

FCC gasoline and C4 streams for BTX production

Oct-2009

An extractive distillation process provides direct recovery of aromatics from FCC gasoline to rebalance refinery production towards higher levels of p ...

Analysis method for determining bound and free alkanolamines in HSS contaminated solutions

Jul-1990

A conductometric titration method has been developed to determine the true available alkanolamine in solutions used for H2S and CO2 removal from refinery ...

FCC reactor design: part II

Jan-2009

In part I, reaction kinetics, cracking chemistry, pressure balance, catalyst and vapour residence times, and fluidisation were considered. In part II, ...

SOx and NOx emission abatement in the FCC

Feb-2018

The complexities of sulphur and nitrogen species formation in the FCC call for tailor made catalyst additive chemistry to limit formation of polluting ...

Advances in a catalyst cooler technology

Oct-1999

In this article reliability and flexibility of operation is assessed, and commercial experience of the technology in over 20 FCC units is discussed

Maximising distillate production from the FCC unit

Jul-1998

In the heating oil season, many refiners switch from a gasoline to a distillate mode of operation of the FCC unit, to increase light cycle oil yield

Impact of bitumen feeds on the FCCU: part I

Jul-2008

The impact of processing bitumen-derived feeds on FCC operations and product yields is assessed, and the capital investments required to process varying ...

Developments in cyclone technology improve FCC unit reliability

Jul-2010

Developments in FCC cyclone technology reduce problems of abrasion that cause unscheduled unit shutdowns

Strategies for improved naphtha processing

Oct-2013

To take advantage of dilbit from Alberta and light oils from shale formations, refiners must develop a strategy for processing additional naphthas and ...

Evaluating FCC flue gas emission-control technologies

Jan-2008

Comparing technologies for reducing FCCU flue gas emissions. Special emphasis is placed on selecting cost-effective solutions, particularly in the area ...

Capturing value through integrated improvements at the FCC-PT—FCC complex

Jul-2020

Introduction: the importance of fcc-pt—fcc unit integration. As they strive to remain competitive in the face of changing market dynamics, many refiners ...

Revamp raises crude flexibility and profits (TIA)

Aug-2020

Hyundai Oilbank (HDO) has been operating an atmospheric residue desulphurisation (ARDS) unit, producing feed for the RFCC unit, at its Daesan, South Korea, ...

We are aiming to boost our FCC propylene output. What recent developments would you recommend? (PTQ Q&A)

Oct-2020

Responses to a question in the Q3 2020 issue of PTQ

Is there an alternative to conventional hydrotreating of FCC naphtha that will reduce octane loss?

Feb-2021

Responses to a question in the Q1 2021 issues Q&A feature

Accurate analysis of chlorine in vacuum gas oil and low sulphur fuel oil

Apr-2021

Why measure chlorine in vgo and vlsfo? Vacuum gas oil, more commonly referred to as VGO, is primarily used as a feed for cracking units such as the fluid ...

FCC air/steam rings

Oct-2011

Ring distributors are a simple yet effective means of improving air/steam distribution within the FCC unit

Troubleshooting a FCC unit

Mar-2012

The source of a fouling problem in a FCC CO boiler was identified by systematic analysis of fresh catalysts, additives and equilibrium catalysts

Catalyst technologies for improved FCC yields

Nov-2017

Boron based nickel passivation enables refiners to reduce contaminant hydrogen and coke production and improve FCC yields.

Maximising yields and profits from the FCC unit

Aug-2021

Comparative additive trials demonstrated a gain in petrochemicals output and profit from an integrated refinery’s FCC unit.

Mitigating FCC gas plant impacts when increasing reactor LPG yields

Apr-2023

Increasing FCC reactor LPG yields at the expense of gasoline increases profitability, but equipment downstream of the converter requires modifications ...

Understanding FCC feeds and benefits to refinery operation

Apr-2015

In this work, over one hundred FCC feed samples, originating from diverse geographic locations and consisting of assorted FCC refinery streams, were a ...

RFCC units set new standard for propylene production

Oct-2012

RFCC units are being commissioned and operated to convert hydrotreated and straight-run resid to high levels of propylene

Maximise olefins through catalytic cracking Indmax FCC process

Apr-2008

The primary purpose of the fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) process historically has been to convert low-valued, heavier petroleum streams into gasoline, ...

SOx and NOx emission abatement in the FCC

Feb-2018

The complexities of sulphur and nitrogen species formation in the FCC call for tailor made catalyst additive chemistry to limit formation of polluting ...

How can we raise butanes production from our FCC unit?

Feb-2021

Responses to a question in the Q1 2021 issues Q&A Feature

Reactor runaways - automatic or manual depressuring?

Feb-2023

Recently, I have had several discussions and inquiries regarding reactor runaway events and whether automatic depressuring systems are needed for hydroprocessing ...

Refiner’s role in upgrading plastic waste

Sep-2022

Plastic consumption is projected to skyrocket in the coming decades for packaging, automobiles and construction, increasing to 1, 231 million tonnes in ...

Understanding centrifugal compressor performance

Apr-2002

In a connected process system, expensive changes to the compressor and driver can be avoided with system debottlenecking modifications

Maximising profitability with FCC feeds from opportunity crudes

May-2015

Case studies show how to achieve optimal monetisation value with opportunity feeds through operating strategies, innovative catalysts and technical st ...

Reducing FCC main fractionator operating risks

Mar-2021

Analysis of an FCC main fractionator upset and follow-up revamp showed that removal of the HCO wash section did not impact operations or product quali ...

FCC co-processing of biogenic and recyclable feedstocks: Part I

Apr-2024

Refinery sustainability drivers predicate a focus on renewable and recyclable feedstocks and the challenges and solutions for co-processing them in FCC ...

Centrifugal compressor operations

Jul-2004

The wet gas compressor is used as an example in this article reviewing compressor performance, operating conditions and basic control philosophy

FCC gasoline desulphurisation for Tier 3 sulphur compliance

Sep-2017

FCC gasoline desulphurisation is used widely in refineries around the world. It is growing in importance because of new regulations that require sulphur ...

Processing shale oil in an FCC unit: catalyst and profit optimisation

Aug-2015

Adjustments in base catalyst, use of ZSM-5 additives and metal traps enable efficient processing of paraffinic and heavy crude in the presence of metals ...

Increase refinery profitability using Innovative FCC catalysts to process residue feedstock (1)

Oct-2013

Use catalyst fundamentals to select the best catalysts. Globally, around 35% of FCC units’ process predominantly vacuum gasoil (VGO) feedstock and 65% ...