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 ...

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 ...

Advances in amine reclaiming

Feb-2007

Why there is no excuse for operating a dirty amine system. The benefits of reclaiming amine systems are trumpeted by many and doubted by others.

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

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 ...

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 ...

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

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 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 ...

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 ...

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.

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 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, ...

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

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 ...

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 ...

Developments in cyclone technology improve FCC unit reliability

Jul-2010

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

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

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 ...

Effect of hydrocarbon partial pressure on FCC propylene production

Jul-2008

Results of cracking experiments are discussed, where the hydrocarbon partial pressure was varied by altering the total reactor pressure, feed rate and ...

Towards a zero gasoline production refinery: part 1

Jul-2013

Integrating products from the steam cracker, aromatics complex and FCC unit to produce petrochemicals without gasoline may offer more attractive margi ...

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

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 ...

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.

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, ...

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

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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

Control of foaming in amine systems

Sep-2007

Amine solutions foam. Solution foaming causes plant upsets. It is the disengagement or break time that differentiates normal, desirable froth from undesirable ...

Naphtha catalytic cracking for propylene production

Mar-2013

Investment in on-purpose propylene production technology based on 
naphtha-based feedstock is taking on various process configurations

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% ...

Shale crudes and FCC: 
a mismatch from heaven?

May-2014

Weighing the effects that the processing of shale oils has on FCC unit operation, such as iron poisoning of FCC catalysts.

Hydrogen transfer and ZSM-5 in maximising propylene

Apr-2015

Used at high concentrations to maximise propylene from the fluid catalytic cracking unit, ZSM-5 strongly influences a complex matrix of reactions.

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 ...

Upgrading an FCC unit

Nov-2017

Collaboration between technical and project teams enabled the fast-track replacement of an FCC unit

Generating value in the FCC

Jul-2019

New catalyst technologies and technical service support helped a refiner overcome difficulties with VGO conversion.

Improving level control under extreme conditions such as in FCC units

Jun-2020

Catalytic cracking is one of the most important conversion process used in petroleum refineries. It is a widely used process in the refineries for converting ...

Petrochemicals from refinery intermediates — beyond polyolefins

Jul-2020

Diversifying chemical synthesis routes based on simple olefins can add major value for an integrated refining-petrochemical complex.

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

How can we raise butanes production from our FCC unit?

Feb-2021

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

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 ...