About Axens

Axens is a group providing a complete range of solutions for the conversion of oil and biomass to cleaner fuels, the production and purification of major petrochemical intermediates as well as all of natural gas' treatment and conversion options. The offer includes technologies, equipment, furnaces, modular units, catalysts, adsorbents and related services. Axens is ideally positioned to cover the entire value chain, from feasibility study to unit start-up and follow-up throughout ...

ACHIEVE® FCC Catalysts

Grace is expanding its portfolio of catalysts to address the current market challenges, in particular to lower slurry yield to take advantage of distillate crack spreads as well as to address the trend towards increased residue and opportunity crude processing. Grace has developed new technologies through extensive Grace R&D program that addressed the octane debits encountered by North American refiners processing tight oil. This R&D program resulted in advances to ...

ACTION® FCC catalysts

Raising the octane value of FCC gasoline with minimal loss of volume. Taking advantage of new zeolite technology. The chances are that raising the octane level of the gasoline produced in your FCC unit is high on your agenda. Octane has become a key issue for many refiners with the advent of more-efficient car engines; the almost worldwide ban on the use of lead as a gasoline additive; and continuing pressure on octane blending components. The problem is compounded by the drive ...

AFX™ catalysts for increased propylene production from FCC units

New technology to meet propylene demand. Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) units are playing an increasingly important role in meeting the growing worldwide demand for propylene. To help refiners meet this demand better, Albemarle has introduced the innovative AFX catalyst technology and catalyst family, which are designed specifically for operation at high propylene yield. Before AFX, propylene production from an FCC unit with a traditional catalyst was limited. ZSM-5 based additives ...

All about excellence in the energy and chemical industry

KBC exists to help you achieve and sustain excellent operational performance, through the actions of our people, fused with the application of our digitalization technology and best practices, powered by the Cloud.Better decisions - faster, Flawless execution - every time and  Superior results - sustained. Deliver value: Performance assurance Organizations that perform at their best are able to adjust to changing dynamics without compromising competitiveness. KBC ...

AMBER™

AMBER catalysts are frequently used, high-quality catalysts from the Albemarle portfolio and are manufactured using ADM-20 matrix technology, which is common to its high-accessibility catalysts. AMBER is the benchmark for maximum transportation fuels against which all other gas oil catalysts are measured. In addition, AMBER catalysts are solutions for non-residue processing refiners that require excellent bottoms conversion and the gasoline and olefin selectivity that these catalysts ...

Axens engineering services revamping

For a successful revamping project, no matter the degree of its complexity, and in accordance with your tight schedules, Axens is your unique contact during the phase preceding detailed engineering. Axens’ offer is based on our well founded expertise and several decades of experience. Our team of equipment specialists and our extensive network of detailed engineering contractors and equipment manufacturers complete this offer.   Our approach consists of successive ...

Axens hydrocracking

Axens is an established name in hydrocracking licensing with more than 40 years’ experience in all types of hydrocracking processes. We have a large portfolio of hydroconversion processes, including fixed and ebullated-bed technologies. Our commercial units operate at low, medium and high conversion, and in once through, single-stage recycle and two-stage modes. Our commercial hydrocracker designs can cover a large variety of feedstocks varying from light HGO and LVGO ...

Axens overview

Axens is a group providing a complete range of solutions for the conversion of oil and biomass to cleaner fuels, the production and purification of major petrochemical intermediates as well as all of natural gas' treatment and conversion options. The offer includes technologies, equipment, furnaces, modular units, catalysts, adsorbents and related services. Axens is ideally positioned to cover the entire value chain, from feasibility study to unit start-up and follow-up ...

BCMT™-500 and BCMT-500-LRT

Too often profitability is lost because refiners lack adequate accessibility and bottoms cracking power in their catalyst. Albemarle has developed BCMT-500 additive, which features high accessibility and provides powerful functional bottoms conversion sites. BCMT‑500 delivers many pre-cracking sites and high metals tolerance while making up only a small fraction of the circulating catalyst inventory. BCMT-500-LRT provides refiners with the same accessibility, metals ...

Be smart about FCC olefin recovery

Whether the driver is propylene as a chemicals feedstock or propylene and butylene as alky feed, FCC units worldwide are being pushed to maximize olefin production. Increased hydrotreating to meet Tier 3 gasoline requirements is reducing gasoline pool octane at a time of high premium-to-regular gasoline price differentials. Maximizing FCC olefi ns to produce high octane alkylate barrels is attractive – if they can be recovered in the FCC gas plant LPG stream. Higher reactor ...

CORAL™ FCC catalysts

Improving residue FCC unit performance through enhanced catalyst accessibility. Mass transfer limitations. Many FCC units experience losses in conversion and bottoms selectivity as a result of mass-transfer limitations. These are due to the problems that high-molecular-weight, sterically hindered feed molecules experience when diffusing into catalyst particles. Albemarle offers the breakthrough catalyst CORAL to overcome this problem, especially in residue FCC units. Root causes Catalyst-particle ...

CORAL™ SMR

Improving the fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) profit potential of heavy feeds. SMR technology features. The need to process heavy feeds in FCC units continues to grow. Albemarle’s innovative SMR catalyst technology addresses the three fundamentals of heavy feed cracking: coke and dry-gas selectivity; metals tolerance; and bottoms upgrading. Through its three innovative developments, SMR technology enables refiners to operate at higher metal levels or at higher severities ...

DuraSOx™

Highly attrition-resistant SOx reduction additive without performance compromise. DuraSOx SOx reduction additive is the culmination of intensive development work focusing on obtaining the most attrition-resistant Sox additive on the market without any performance compromises. It follows in the footsteps of Albemarle’s longest marketed SOx additive, KDSOx®, in that both take advantage of Albemarle’s patented hydrotalcite technology. SOx reduction additives are ...

DuraZOOM™ - industry-leading olefin and octane enhancement

DuraZOOM additive is the latest in a long line of light olefins and octane enhancers manufactured by Albemarle. ZSM-5 additives were developed by Mobil Oil Corporation and first used in 1983 as octane enhancers necessitated by the phasing out of tetraethyl lead. Since then, their use has grown enormously worldwide. The initial applications required relatively low levels of ZSM-5 crystal. More recently, the use of ZSM-5 additives has shifted from octane enhancement to propylene ...

Equipment design matters

Many attractive projects fail to meet expectations at startup. Disappointing performance often results from bad simulation practices and/or poor equipment design rather than faulty execution. Refineries are currently considering FCC revamps to increase olefins for more alky unit feed, maximize LCO product recovery, and minimize slurry product by producing HCO for hydrocracker feed. These changes raise fractionator operating temperature. Higher temperatures require better process ...

FCC Main Fractionator Coking

One common cause for coking is poor vapor distribution. Packing selection in the Slurry P/A section is critical to ensure good distribution and reliable performance. Mellagrid™ combines the performance of Mellapak™ with the robustness of traditional grid. Resists coking and fouling due to its smooth surface and geometrical. Better de-entrainment and separation efficiency than traditional grid. Efficient dissipation of temperature. Excellent mechanical strength.

FCC stripper - distribution studies

A Tracerco Diagnostics™ Distribution study can be performed to identify catalyst and vapor distribution in the stripper. Uniform distribution of catalyst and steam in the stripper is critical to achieve high stripping efficiency (less carry-down of the hydrocarbon products from reactor to regenerator). A failure to effectively remove the hydrocarbon from the catalyst will result in a loss of product, loss of throughput, and lowered catalyst activity due to increased regenerator ...

FCC technical support, industry-leading service

Grace technical service engineers regularly visit refineries to review unit operating data, evaluate catalyst management and unit performance, as well as provide specific recommendations to optimise unit operation. Grace can provide expert advice on operational problems concerned with the mechanical integrity of the FCCU. For example, issues such as cyclone performance, stripper efficiencies, circulation problems, transfer line problems, slurry circuit fouling, or high unit erosion ...

Fourte®

Innovative Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) Catalyst for butylenes maximization Fourte® maximizes butylenes production in the FCCU and increases gasoline octane while preserving catalyst activity. Technology Fourte is BASF’s butylene maximization FCC catalyst developed on the novel Multiple Framework Topologies (MFT) technology. The technology behind Fourte delivers high selectivity toward C4 olefins by optimizing performance across five key factors: rare earth, activity, ...

Fourtune™

Next generation Fluid Catalytic Cracking Catalyst Performance for butylenes maximization over propylene. Fourtune™ delivers highest butylenes yields and $0.30/bbl profitability improvement. Results Fourtune™ outperformed the incumbent catalyst and generated significant profitability for the refinery via increased butylenes yields, improved butylenes selectivity and increased gasoline octane. A post audit of the Fourtune™ catalyst was performed using multiple tools, including ...

Gas cleaning for fluid catalytic cracking plants in refineries

GEA Bischoff Customised Gas Cleaning Systems for fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) Units. One of our most important activities in the refinery industry is gas cleaning for FCC units. GEA Bischoff technologies combine engineering process engineering, environmental aspects and energy savings. Taken this into account, GEA Bischoff offers clean air solutions while keeping the CAPEX/ OPEX low. With this extensive portfolio and a long experience of 100 years, we can handle the challenges ...

GO-ULTRA™ catalysts

Get more from your gas oil feed streams. Facing today’s economic challenges, refiners worldwide are seeking to restore margins and increase profits by maximizing yields from their operations. For the gas oil market, Albemarle’s research and development team has created a breakthrough fluid cracking catalyst that offers impressive benefits and higher value than existing market offerings. Albemarle’s GO-ULTRA™ FCC catalyst Based on the company’s ...

Improve contaminant metals flushing with TITAN™

The escalating price of rare earth in fluid cracking catalyst sparked increased demand from refiners for equilibrium catalyst (Ecat) as a means to control expenses. During this same period, the available supply of high quality, low metals Ecat had decreased. In response to the shrinking supply of Ecat, Grace introduces TITAN™, a unique catalyst solution for removing contaminant metals from refining operations. Unlike traditional equilibrium catalysts, TITAN™ is completely ...

INTERCAT FCC additives and catalyst handling technologies

Most refiners now find it essential to use catalytic additives to supplement the host FCC catalyst in order to achieve the desired unit performance, product quality, and environmental emissions targets that must be met. Johnson Matthey is the foremost supplier of FCC additives and addition systems, specializing in the development, manufacture, sale, and technical support of both additives and addition systems for the refining industry. Our INTERCATTM range of FCC additives and ...

IsoTherming® Hydroprocessing technology

Growing global demand for transportation fuel continues to drive refiners toward operations that maximize hydroprocessing capacity and capability either through unit debottlenecks or new unit construction. More stringent environmental regulations and the processing of cost-advantaged sour and heavy feed stocks make meeting this demand even more challenging. IsoTherming® hydroprocessing technology is a commercially proven process that provides refiners a more economical ...

Johnson Matthey licensed processes

A portfolio of advanced process technologies for global markets. Johnson Matthey (JM) develops and licenses proprietary process technologies. We also offer collaborating companies an extensive range of technology development, process design and engineering skill. For over thirty years JM has been engaged in innovative DAVY™ licensing development. Our comprehensive expertise of catalysis and reaction engineering has been tailored to the production of a wide range of chemicals ...

KOC-15™- Flexible and effective way to lower afterburn in your FCC unit

KOC-15 additive is Albemarle’s most widely used platinum-based combustion promoter, and is commercially proven to provide many refiners with a reliable, low-cost and flexible solution to afterburn and excess carbon monoxide (CO) emissions. In the regenerator, the coke (carbon) on the spent catalyst is burned to form carbon dioxide (CO2). During combustion of carbon to CO2, CO forms as an intermediate. The conversion of carbon to CO in the presence of oxygen occurs rapidly; ...

Low and zero rare-earth FCC catalysts

Rare-earth metals are an important component of FCC catalysts, as well as being a key raw material for many strategic industries with applications ranging from military devices to electronic components. In addition, they are essential constituents in newly evolving green technologies, such as hybrid cars and wind turbines. Rather ironically, rare-earth metals are not so rare, however they tend to be concentrated in hard to extract ore deposits. As a result, the world’s ...

LRT FCC catalysts

Albemarle’s low rare earth technology (LRT) products. Driven by its goal to provide customers with comprehensive, economic catalyst solutions and the surge in global rare earth prices, Albemarle has developed and commercialized a range of LRT products. The catalysts available for the VGO market are: - GO™ LRT for maximum activity - AMBER™ LRT for maximum transport fuels. The catalysts available for the residue market are - UPGRADER™ LRT for maximum ...

Maximizing light cycle oil recovery in the FCC main fractionator

Refiners operating FCCU's have adjusted their operating strategies to maximize light cycle oil production to meet the increased demand for automotive diesel. Catalyst formulations and reactor conditions can alter yields, but the refinery cannot take full advantage of the increased LCO recovery without an optimized Main Fractionator operation and design. Sulzer offers several methods of optimizing the separation between light cycle oil and less valuable HCO or slurry with little ...

Measurement instruments and servicing

Our Measurement Instruments business designs and manufactures a range of bespoke, low maintenance, high reliability instruments providing operators with real time measurements and in-situ visualisation. Our experienced team technically supports an extensive range of nucleonic measurement instruments for phase, density, bulk level and interface measurement and pipe slugging characterisation. All of our nucleonic instruments are custom designed to the needs of the specific application, ...

NaphthaClean®

Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) technology for reducing gasoline sulfur. BASF produces NaphthaClean technology designed for the reduction of sulfur without lowering gasoline production Premium Technology Based on the combination of BASF’s award-winning and commercially-proven Distributed Matrix Structures (DMS) technology and sulfur reduction technology, NaphthaClean gives the refiner both maximum gasoline production and maximum gasoline sulfur reduction. This technology ...

NEKTOR™ 4G

NEKTOR™4G is the latest generation of Grace’s marketleading low coke NEKTOR™ for residue FCC feed applications. NEKTOR™ 4G is manufactured using the Grace EnhanceR™ Technology Platform, and is an extension of the NEKTOR™ catalyst family, which is the market leader in the EMEA region. NEKTOR™ 4G incorporates new technologies that were developed during the extensive Grace R&D program that was initiated as a result of the tight oil ...

Oil sands crude — profits and problems?

Canadian bitumen production currently runs about 1 MMbpd, with some being sold as Synbit and Dilbit. Over the next 10-12 years output is expected to increase to 3.5 MMbpd and more refiners will begin investing to process it and come to depend on the Synbit and Dilbit for a significant part of their supply. Few today, however, have ever processed these feeds at high blend ratios, and are unaware that conventional process and equipment designs are not up to the job. Canadian oil ...

On budget, on time, offline

Flawless project execution will not prevent a unit shutdown due to selecting the wrong metallurgy for a challenging crude slate. No matter how well it is fabricated and installed, a shell and tube exchanger with cold, high viscosity vacuum resid on the tube side will have poor heat transfer performance. On-time shipping and installation of a too-small desalter will not prevent crude column overhead corrosion if the centerline velocity is overly optimistic for the design crude. A ...

PROvantage™

Operate in higher propylene mode without changing your base catalyst. PROvantage olefin/octane enhancement additive provides refiners with the flexibility to operate in a high propylene mode without the activity dilution of the base catalyst inventory normally associated with high levels of traditional ZSM-5 additives. Why PROvantage works PROvantage contains several different types of active acid site components all in close proximity. The proper balance of these sites efficiently ...

Quantifying FCC catalyst accessibility

Accessibility is related to the mass-transfer characteristics of an FCC catalyst. Albemarle has developed a quantitative laboratory test that measures the accessibility of FCC catalyst particles: the first such measurement in the history of FCC. This test has dramatically altered the way refiners select and evaluate catalysts. Moreover, it is another example that demonstrates Albemarle’s continuing leadership in maximizing and exploiting the benefits of FCC catalyst mass ...

Quantifying FCC gasoline sulfur reduction

Refiners everywhere have to comply with government-mandated fuel specifications, in particular dramatically lower gasoline sulfur levels. While post-treating remains an option, the associated octane loss creates additional constraints for refiners, particularly those who are hydrogen limited. Regardless of whether your refinery is post-treatment or hydrogen constrained, a gasoline sulfur reduction additive such as Albemarle’s RESOLVE line can reduce reliance on post-treating ...

ResidCrackeR™ 4G

ResidCrackeR™ 4G is the latest generation of Grace’s coke selective bottoms cracking ResidCrackeR™ catalyst family for residue FCC feed applications. ResidCrackeR™ 4G is an extension of the ResidCrackeR™ catalyst family, a component of the EnhanceR™ technology platform, which is the market leader in the EMEA region. ResidCrackeR™ 4G incorporates new technologies that were developed during the extensive Grace R&D program that was ...