ERTC 13-15 November 2017 2017 Shell Global Solutions ... his opening keynote presentation, ......
20
ERTC 2017 13-15 November 2017 It seems that only yesterday European refiners were fac- ing catastrophic decline. With three million barrels of annual capacity taken off-line in the years following 2008, the road ahead had turned into a slippery slope. But what a difference stable lower prices for crude, coupled with a recovery in regional economic performance, can make. Diesel emissions scandal? Electric vehi- cles? As Europe’s premier meeting for the refining industry made its preparations, fur- ther correction in European refining capac- ity to match dwindling internal demand, along with competition from alternative technologies and expanding Asian suppli- ers, had receded into the distance. The talk now is about whether refin- ing capacity in Europe can keep up with internal demand for fuels in the coming years. It is as well to note, despite those stressful recent years, that Europe is a bigger consumer of oil products than the much-vaunted Chinese market. Provided that steady growth continues in Europe’s national economies – especially in central Refiners respond to challenge and southern Europe – the comparison is unlikely to change for some time to come. In his opening keynote presentation, Grigoris Stergioulis, chief executive of ERTC co-host Hellenic Petroleum, is addressing the challenges for a European refiner of maintaining a healthy margin whilst keeping a wary eye on external com- petition (in this case, Middle East refiners). Mr Stergioulis will describe some of the practical steps his company is taking to maintain a competitive edge. In light of the morning’s following discussions on marine fuels, there will be interest in the upgrading of a refinery into a modern hydrocracking refinery with zero fuel oil production. For refiners and their technology provid- ers, tightening environmental legislation is among life’s certainties. Next on the list of clean fuels targets is the 2020 deadline set by the International Maritime Organization for a 0.5% cap on the sulphur content of marine fuels. With just two years to that deadline, techno-economic choices on how to achieve that target need to be made. In light of the build-up to the new IMO regulations, the choice of Athens as the venue for ERTC 2017 is especially appro- priate. The city’s great port, Piraeus, not only has a history of sea-going activity sec- ond to none, today it is Europe’s largest sea passenger terminal and a regional leader in container traffic. The continuing debate about how to reduce emissions from Europe’s marine industry currently concerns whether to consume fuels that are appropriately lower in sulphur, as per the 2020 regulations, or to achieve a similar outcome by exemp- tion. In view of the very high cost of equip- ment for scrubbing, the smart money is on shippers absorbing the expense of lower- sulphur fuels. A major topic for debate at ERTC is how to meet the new target for marine fuels most effectively whilst avoiding currently healthy refinery margins taking too big a hit. Should refiners boost their hydrotreat- ing capacity, for instance, to desulphurise residual fuel oil for blending with gasoils, or add coking capacity to upgrade residue? Or would it be more economically effec- tive to switch to a sweeter crude slate for higher operating rather than capital costs? The answers, in light of movements in oil prices, global markets and geopolitical trends, are best left to the experts on the opening morning of ERTC’s presentation sessions when an IMO keynote presenta- tion and panel discussion will examine the specifics and wider issues of further reduc- ing sulphur in fuels. ■ Key steps for refiners ahead of IMO 2020 3 inside Chris Cunningham Editor of PTQ magazine Maximising FCC performance and yields with catalyst innovations 8 Alan Gelder, VP Refining, Chemicals & Oil Markets at Wood Mackenzie, will provide an over- view on how refin- ers should approach the challenging new market environment and improve their long-term viability. The downstream and chemical indus- tries are continuously evolving, and as we move towards a more sustainable mar- ket environment over the next few years, refiners face a number of challenges. One of them is new bunker fuel regulations, put in place by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The new rules require a reduction in the sulphur content of ship- ping fuels. Specifically, sulphur needs to be significantly reduced from 3.5 to 0.5% by 2020. Although shippers have various options, there will, no doubt, be implica- tions for the refining sector. At the moment, a key challenge facing refiners is the uncertainty of how these regulations will evolve and the impact they will have on the sector. Moderating the Keynote Leaders Panel, Mr Gelder discusses how refiners are addressing these issues. Refiners must work within the tight timeframe the IMO has set for the imple- mentation of the new fuel standards. Mr Gelder will also highlight how the market could evolve and how it could affect the refining sector. Mr Gelder is also moderating a panel assessing how European refiners can con- tinue to be sustainable and competitive. The downstream sector has undergone significant changes in recent years. And, as European demand for refined products is expected to fall, refiners in the region need to ensure they can access profitable export markets. Changes in the US and Middle East add to the pressure on European businesses to revise and strengthen their strategies in order to remain competitive. Refiners do have options to explore: adjust pro- duction to meet demand from other con- sumers; produce high-sulphur product for lower returns; or turn away from gaso- line to other growth areas, such as petrochemicals. ERTC attendees will benefit from this discussion on the new IMO regulations and what the sector needs to do as they come into force. The discussion aims to help refiners look at their options as they deter- mine the next steps they need to take. Wood Mackenzie prides itself in offering objective, independent, commercial analy- sis and advice on assets, companies and markets. ■ How can refiners remain sustainable and competitive in a strong European downstream industry? Alan Gelder Wood Mackenzie Arkema 9 Axens 2 BASF Refining Catalysts 13 Criterion Catalysts & Technologies 11 Crystaphase Products 20 DigitalRefining.com 16 Haldor Topsoe 12 Inovacat 7 Neste Jacobs 17 Sabin Metal 14 Shell Global Solutions 10 World Refining Association 19 Process selection: a refinery study of FCC vs Gasolfin for naphtha cracking into propylene 12 Creation of energy efficiency action plan for oil refinery with advanced energy analysis 13 Precious metals catalyst: understanding the technology 9 Operating in the jungle of renewables 15 Online Cleaning technology applied to a major European refinery 15 Accurate, real-time H 2 S measurement achieved with in-line analyser 16 High-efficiency filtration extends SRU cycle length 17 High-performance catalysts and technology in action 18 Capex Residue conversion, % Crude flexibility Deep-flash VDU SRU revamp SDA + HCU revamp Coker debottlenecking with SDA Add vacuum flasher downstream VBU SDA + residue gasification revamp High capex, medium to low ROI Medium capex, medium to high ROI Low capex, high ROI Delayed coker/flexicoker SDA + ebullated bed HCU Residue slurry HCU Gasification Energy analysis Creation of improvement opportunities Action plan Creation of energy baseline Recording and modelling the current situation • • > > > • • Identification of improvement potential Selection of the most feasible options Pinch Benchmarking Energy optimisation workshop >Verified by the customer >Includes responsibilites >Ready for implementation Action plan Input data delivery Site visit and review Workshop for screening of improvement opportunities Presentation of results; Final reporting advertisers Official newspaper published by Crambeth Allen Publishing Shell Global Solutions Co-Sponsors of the Gala Dinner
Transcript of ERTC 13-15 November 2017 2017 Shell Global Solutions ... his opening keynote presentation, ......
ERTC 201713-15 November 2017
It seems that only yesterday European refiners were fac-ing catastrophic decline. With three million barrels of annual capacity taken off-line in the years following 2008, the road ahead had turned into a slippery slope.
But what a difference stable lower prices for crude, coupled with a recovery in regional economic performance, can make.
Diesel emissions scandal? Electric vehi-cles? As Europe’s premier meeting for the refining industry made its preparations, fur-ther correction in European refining capac-ity to match dwindling internal demand, along with competition from alternative technologies and expanding Asian suppli-ers, had receded into the distance.
The talk now is about whether refin-ing capacity in Europe can keep up with internal demand for fuels in the coming years. It is as well to note, despite those stressful recent years, that Europe is a bigger consumer of oil products than the much-vaunted Chinese market. Provided that steady growth continues in Europe’s national economies – especially in central
Refiners respond to challengeand southern Europe – the comparison is unlikely to change for some time to come.
In his opening keynote presentation, Grigoris Stergioulis, chief executive of ERTC co-host Hellenic Petroleum, is addressing the challenges for a European refiner of maintaining a healthy margin whilst keeping a wary eye on external com-petition (in this case, Middle East refiners).
Mr Stergioulis will describe some of the practical steps his company is taking to maintain a competitive edge. In light of the morning’s following discussions on marine fuels, there will be interest in the upgrading of a refinery into a modern hydrocracking refinery with zero fuel oil production.
For refiners and their technology provid-ers, tightening environmental legislation is among life’s certainties. Next on the list of clean fuels targets is the 2020 deadline set by the International Maritime Organization for a 0.5% cap on the sulphur content of marine fuels. With just two years to that deadline, techno-economic choices on how to achieve that target need to be made.
In light of the build-up to the new IMO regulations, the choice of Athens as the venue for ERTC 2017 is especially appro-priate. The city’s great port, Piraeus, not only has a history of sea-going activity sec-ond to none, today it is Europe’s largest sea
passenger terminal and a regional leader in container traffic.
The continuing debate about how to reduce emissions from Europe’s marine industry currently concerns whether to consume fuels that are appropriately lower in sulphur, as per the 2020 regulations, or to achieve a similar outcome by exemp-tion. In view of the very high cost of equip-ment for scrubbing, the smart money is on shippers absorbing the expense of lower- sulphur fuels.
A major topic for debate at ERTC is how to meet the new target for marine fuels most effectively whilst avoiding currently healthy refinery margins taking too big a hit. Should refiners boost their hydrotreat-ing capacity, for instance, to desulphurise residual fuel oil for blending with gasoils, or add coking capacity to upgrade residue? Or would it be more economically effec-tive to switch to a sweeter crude slate for higher operating rather than capital costs?
The answers, in light of movements in oil prices, global markets and geopolitical trends, are best left to the experts on the opening morning of ERTC’s presentation sessions when an IMO keynote presenta-tion and panel discussion will examine the specifics and wider issues of further reduc-ing sulphur in fuels. ■
Key steps for refiners ahead of IMO 2020 3
inside
Chris Cunningham Editor of PTQ magazine
Maximising FCC performance and yields with catalyst innovations 8
Alan Gelder, VP Refining, Chemicals & Oil Markets at Wood Mackenzie, will provide an over-view on how refin-ers should approach the challenging new market environment and improve their long-term viability.
The downstream and chemical indus-tries are continuously evolving, and as we move towards a more sustainable mar-ket environment over the next few years, refiners face a number of challenges. One of them is new bunker fuel regulations, put in place by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The new rules require a reduction in the sulphur content of ship-ping fuels. Specifically, sulphur needs to be significantly reduced from 3.5 to 0.5% by 2020. Although shippers have various
options, there will, no doubt, be implica-tions for the refining sector.
At the moment, a key challenge facing refiners is the uncertainty of how these regulations will evolve and the impact they will have on the sector. Moderating the Keynote Leaders Panel, Mr Gelder discusses how refiners are addressing these issues.
Refiners must work within the tight timeframe the IMO has set for the imple-mentation of the new fuel standards. Mr Gelder will also highlight how the market could evolve and how it could affect the refining sector.
Mr Gelder is also moderating a panel assessing how European refiners can con-tinue to be sustainable and competitive. The downstream sector has undergone significant changes in recent years. And, as European demand for refined products is expected to fall, refiners in the region
need to ensure they can access profitable export markets.
Changes in the US and Middle East add to the pressure on European businesses to revise and strengthen their strategies in order to remain competitive. Refiners do have options to explore: adjust pro-duction to meet demand from other con-sumers; produce high-sulphur product for lower returns; or turn away from gaso-line to other growth areas, such as petrochemicals.
ERTC attendees will benefit from this discussion on the new IMO regulations and what the sector needs to do as they come into force. The discussion aims to help refiners look at their options as they deter-mine the next steps they need to take.
Wood Mackenzie prides itself in offering objective, independent, commercial analy-sis and advice on assets, companies and markets. ■
How can refiners remain sustainable and competitive in a strong European downstream industry?Alan Gelder Wood Mackenzie
Arkema 9 Axens 2 BASF Refining Catalysts 13 Criterion Catalysts & Technologies 11 Crystaphase Products 20 DigitalRefining.com 16 Haldor Topsoe 12 Inovacat 7 Neste Jacobs 17 Sabin Metal 14 Shell Global Solutions 10 World Refining Association 19
Process selection: a refinery study of FCC vs Gasolfin for naphtha cracking into propylene 12
Creation of energy efficiency action plan for oil refinery with advanced energy analysis 13
Precious metals catalyst: understanding the technology 9
Operating in the jungle of renewables 15
Online Cleaning technology applied to a major European refinery 15
Accurate, real-time H2S measurement achieved with in-line analyser 16
High-efficiency filtration extends SRU cycle length 17
High-performance catalystsand technology in action 18
Cap
ex
Residue conversion, %
Crude flexibility
Deep-flash VDU
SRU revamp
SDA + HCU revamp
Coker debottlenecking with SDA
Add vacuum flasher downstream VBU
SDA + residue gasification revamp
High capex, medium to low ROI
Medium capex, medium to high ROI
Low capex, high ROI
Delayed coker/flexicoker
SDA + ebullated bed HCU
Residue slurry HCU
Gasification
Energy analysis
Creation of improvement opportunities
Action planCreation of energy baseline
Recording and modelling the current situation
• •
>>>
• •Identification of improvement potential
Selection of the most feasible options
PinchBenchmarkingEnergy optimisation workshop
> Verified by the customer
> Includes responsibilites
> Ready for implementation
Action plan
Input data delivery
Site visit and review of input data
Workshop for screening of improvement opportunities
Presentation of results; workshop for action plan
Final reporting
advertisers
Official newspaper published by Crambeth Allen PublishingShell Global Solutions
Co-Sponsors of the Gala Dinner
ERTC 2017
2
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ad_corporate_297X420mm.indd 3 19/09/2017 14:45:36
ERTC 2017
3
The reality is that many refiners remain unprepared for IMO MARPOL 73/78 Annex VI (IMO 2020). These regulations, which will substantially tighten the global cap on the maximum sulphur content of marine fuel oil, could have a major impact on an ill-equipped refiner’s profitability. Fortunately, it is not too late; they could implement several low-cost solutions in the next two years to safeguard their competitive position.
Because of IMO 2020, which will cut the allowable sulphur content of marine bun-ker fuels from 3.5 to 0.5%, from 2020 refiners can expect demand for high- sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) to fall, demand for low-sulphur fuel oil (LSFO) to increase and a corresponding price differential between the two to open up.
This is because ships will only be able to continue using HSFO if they are fitted with on-board scrubbers, but these are costly and it will only be possible to convert a modest percentage of the world’s fleet before the new global cap comes into force. Liquefied natural gas conversions are inappropriate for most ships, so the majority will turn to LSFO from 2020.
Fortunately, the LSFO–HSFO price differential is likely to close partially over time as scrubber technology improves and conversion facilities are built. So, there will still be a market for HSFO and refiners do not necessarily need to eliminate their HSFO exposure entirely, but they would be well advised to reduce it to sustain their competitiveness.
How should you respond? Figure 1 shows some of the technol-ogy solutions to be considered, but there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Your optimum solution depends on various fac-tors, including your existing configuration, strategy, available capital and location.
For example, the highest residue con-version technologies, which include ebullated-bed residue hydrocracking and slurry-phase residue hydrocracking, will not provide the optimum solution for many refiners, in part because they are extremely capital intensive.
Similarly, the answer may be different for those who have a need to improve their crude flexibility in order to improve margins, or those who have secure, reliable HSFO outlets, or those who have key constraints in key units such as the vacuum distillation unit or hydrocracker.
Shell’s response to IMO 2020At Shell Global Solutions, we have been looking at our own facilities and those of our customers to help identify the best responses. The business case for some of the integrated solutions, which often involve revamping an existing process unit, has tended to be far stronger than for installing new high residue conversion technology.
For example, a solvent deasphalting (SDA) unit can be added for comparatively moderate capital expenditure (capex).
Key steps for refiners ahead of IMO 2020
Simultaneously revamping the hydrocracker can help to reduce HSFO production by almost 50%, increase middle distillates yield and improve crude flexibility.
The combination of SDA and deasphalted oil hydrocracking, or SDA and thermal conversion, which is another moderate-capex response option, has another important advantage: it retains high levels of crude flexibility. This is becoming an increasingly important profitability driver for refiners. There are large opportunities for refiners to increase margins by including lower-priced, opportunity or niche crudes in their diet, so you should always evaluate the effect that your investments will have here.
Another crucial consideration is the refinery’s back end. When increasing the level of residue conversion, by either revamping process units or installing new ones, the treating and utility systems and logistics infrastructure can often be key constraints. Additional capacity is likely to be required for sour water strippers and wastewater treatment plants, and particularly the sulphur recovery unit. Fortunately, the state of the art has recently advanced here with the development of Shell’s next-generation tail gas treating process, SCOT ULTRA, which offers a performance step change for minimal investment.
Of course, the gestation period of all such projects is likely to extend beyond 2020, so it may be too late to initiate such a response now to reap the benefits of the expected LSFO–HSFO price differential. They may remain options for the long term however, although refiners who have not already committed to this type of long-term high-capex investment are likely to delay making an investment decision until at least 2019 when the supply, demand and economic implications of IMO 2020 should become clearer.
So what changes could you implement
before 2020? Among the low-capex, quick-win solutions that have scored highly in our analyses is Shell’s deep-flash technology, which can help to lift more and better quality vacuum gas oil (VGO) from the vacuum distillation unit and reduce HSFO production. Another popular solution is installing latest-generation reactor internals and catalysts, which can enable the hydrotreating and hydrocracking of heavier and more difficult feeds such as deasphalted oil, heavy VGO and visbreaker VGO, and increase conversion capability.
Another quick-win opportunity is to change the crude diet to include a propor-
tion of opportunity crude. For a typical 200,000 bbl/d refinery, the inclusion of 10% of an opportunity crude with a rela-tive discount of $1/bbl could increase the gross refinery margin by some $7 million a year. Moreover, this will typically require no capex.
The importance of first developing a robust investment plan tailored to your specific circumstances cannot be overemphasised. You can only identify the optimum solution by taking into account your specific constraints and by using tools such as scenario planning to help you take a view of the future market in which you will be operating.
Jock Hughson, Biliana Oettler Shell Global Solutions
Residue upgrading beyond IMO 2020IMO 2020 is a short-term trigger, but the business case for residue upgrading projects is likely to remain strong beyond 2020. Margin improvement will probably still be strategically important and so reducing the yield of low-margin fuel oil in favour of a higher-margin product slate will be key for the longer term.
The takeaways IMO 2020 will have a disruptive effect on refiners in several ways. It will cause a price gap to open up between LSFO and HSFO that only the best prepared and equipped refiners will benefit from, and this gap will close partially over time. To fully reap the benefits of this price gap, a refiner would need to have already invested in a medium- to high-capex solu-tion that suits their particular circum-stance. Those who have not chosen to make a significant investment by now are likely to continue evaluating the various options and will not initiate a full response in time for 2020.
Nevertheless, refiners would be well advised to focus on what they can achieve ahead of 2020. From installing deep-flash technology and revamping with latest-generation catalysts and reactor internals through to including low-cost opportunity crudes in the refinery diet, there are many steps for strengthening competitiveness ahead of the disruption that is inevitable in 2020.
Furthermore, they should remember that IMO 2020 is only the start. Post-2020, residue upgrading investments will continue to provide important margin improvement opportunities as they increase the volume of value-added products. ■
SCOT is trademark owned by the Shell group of companies.
Contact: [email protected]
Figure 1 Some of the technology solutions that can help refiners to respond to IMO 2020
Did you know: Shell’s fouling
abatement technologies can
help increase cycle length by up
to 300%?
Cap
ex
Residue conversion, %
Crude flexibility
Deep-flash VDU
SRU revamp
SDA + HCU revamp
Coker debottlenecking with SDA
Add vacuum flasher downstream VBU
SDA + residue gasification revamp
High capex, medium to low ROI
Medium capex, medium to high ROI
Low capex, high ROI
Delayed coker/flexicoker
SDA + ebullated bed HCU
Residue slurry HCU
Gasification
16.35 A: Solutions to Develop Innovative Advances in Delayed Coking EquipmentLed by: DeltaValve
B: Improving FCC Yields through Catalyst and Process Technology AdvancesLed by: Roger Hage, Business Development Manager, Filtration & Separation, Royal Dahlman
C: Recovering Spent Catalysts from Chemical Processing to Further Maximise Returns and Lower Costs Led by: Brad Cook, VP Commercial Operations, Sabin Metal
D: Ask the Experts For engineering students to ask more informal questions to experts about what a career in the industry may look like, advice and tips, as well as the challenges and opportunities Moderated by: Angeliki Lemonidou, Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering School of Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Experts: Dimitrios Karonis, Associate Professor, National Technical University of Athens Vassilios Petoussis, Planning & Economics Section Engineer, Motor OilAnastasios Alexandridis, Strategic Planning & Intelligence Engineer, Hellenic Petroleum
E: Fuel Oil and Bottom for the BarrelLeb by: Lee Hermitage, Marketing Director, Europe, Africa & CIS, Honeywell UOP
16.35 A: Integration of Bio Feedstocks in Petrochemical PlantsRoger Green, Vice President, Chemical Consulting - Europe, Africa & CIS, IHS Markit B: Methanol as an Alternative Energy and Feedstock SourceEelco Dekker, Chief Representative Europe, Methanol Institute
08.00 Registration
ERTC & GLOBAL PETROCHEMICALs SUMMIT PLENARY08.30 Opening Remarks from the WRA and Conference Chair Hannah Wharrier, Managing Director, World Refining Association Alan Gelder, VP Refining - Chemicals & Oil Markets, WoodMackenzie DEVELOPING A STRONG AND COMPETITIVE EUROPEAN DOWNSTREAM INDUSTRY08.40 HOST KEYNOTE Greece’s Refining and Petrochemical Industry – Remaining Competitive in a Highly Challenging Market,Grigoris Stergioulis, CEO, Hellenic Petroleum
08.55 HOST KEYNOTE Recent Regulatory Developments at IMO to Address Emissions from International Shipping: Entry into Effect in 2020 of 0.50% Sulphur LimitDr Edmund Hughes, Head, Air Pollution and Energy Efficiency, Sub-Division for Protective Measures, Marine Environment Division, IMO
09.15 PANEL DISCUSSION Working Towards a Common Goal For the Development of a Sustainable and “Cleaner” IndustryModerated by: Alan Gelder, VP Refining, Chemicals & Oil Markets, WoodMackenzie Panelists: Francisco Vázquez, Refining Executive Director, RepsolJohn Cooper, Director General, Concawe Dr Edmund Hughes, Head, Air Pollution and Energy Efficiency, Sub-Division for Protective Measures, Marine Environment Division, IMO Dea Forchhammer, Senior Regulatory Affairs Manager Public Affairs, Maersk Dr Dawood Nassif, Board Director, Bapco
10.00 Networking Coffee Break
10.30 KEYNOTE LEADERS PANEL Steps to Success - Boosting Margins and Europe’s Competitive Positioning Moderator: Alan Gelder, VP Refining, Chemicals & Oil Markets, WoodMackenzie Panelists: Lars Rosenløv, Senior Vice President, Downstream Operations, StatoilIoannis G. Kioufis, Deputy Manufacturing General Manager, Motor Oil Dr Mateusz Aleksander Bonca, Chief Strategy & Development Officer, Grupa LOTOS S.A.
11.20 IOC KEYNOTE How BP is Shifting its Business Model to Comply withNew Market RealitiesLuis Aires, VP Strategy & Portfolio, BP
11.40 TECHNOLOGY TREND SETTERS PANEL The Role of Technology in Securing Future Routes to CompetitivenessPanelists: Süleyman Özmen, Vice President, Refining and Chemical Licensing, Shell Global SolutionsSean Smyth, Vice President, ExxonMobil Catalysts and Licensing Guy Lewis, Vice President Strategic Marketing and Commercial Excellence, Honeywell UOPEli Ben-Shoshan, Global Business Leader, DuPont Clean Technologies 12.30 Interactive Roundtables – Which will you choose? Quick one-minute teasers from our leaders on what is in-store at their roundtable session
12.40 Networking Lunch
ERTC Stream ACatalyst Advances
Sponsored by BASF
14.00 Strategies for Metals Management in Residue FCC UnitsVasileios Komvokis, Regional Technology Manager – Europe, Middle East and Africa, BASF Refining Catalysts
14.25 Improving FCC Unit Profitability Emmanuel Smaragdis, Technical Sales Manager, GraceDimitrios Gkanis, FCC Process Engineer, HELPE
14.50 Removing Barriers in Steam Methane Reforming using CATACELJM SSRTM Step-Out Technologies Michael Hepworth, Johnson Matthey
15.15 TOTSUCAT EZload: Activated Catalyst Made Non Self-Heating for Delivery in Big BagsReinder Van Bruggen, Area Sales & Totsucat Product Manager, EURECATIon Dimitriev, Process Engineer, Petrotel-Lukoil
15.40 Maximising Octane Barrels From Your Gasoline Hydrotreating UnitJignesh Fifadara, Global Business Manager, Refining Solutions, Albemarle
Tuesday 14th November 2017
ERTC Stream B:Energy Efficiency & Environmental
Chairman: Jake Gotham, Director, InSite Technical Services
14.00 Sustainable Energy in Oil Refining: Case Study of Refining Energy Efficiency ProgrammeIgor Šepić, Director of Energy Department, INA - Industrija nafte, d.dKari Kunnari, Energy Efficiency Expert, Neste Jacobs Oy 14.25 Residue Hydrotreating in a 0.5% Sulphur Bunker Fuel World Will Address all the ChallengesJoris Mertens, Senior Staff Consultant, KBC
14.50 Waste Water Treatment 4.0 – A Paradigm Shift in Design Thinking RequiredSneha Verma, Process Speciality Engineer, Fluor
15.15 Make Your Energy Efficiency Project Fly!Evae Andersson, Refinery Industry Manager, Global Technology, Alfa Laval Lund AB
15.40 Maximising Value Addition Through Flexible Upgrading of Crude to Transportation Fuels and PetrochemicalsUjjal Mukherjee, VP Technology, Chevron Lummus Global
ERTC Stream CNew Processes & Technologies
Sponsored by Alpha Robotix srl
14.00 Drones in the Refining Industry: The Good, the Bad and the UglyGiovanni Brambilla, Business Development Manager, Alpha Robotix srl
14.25 Plant Performance VisualisationArne Aase, Advisor, Statoil Mongstad Refinery
14.50 The Experience of a Team of Experts to Resolve Severe Regenerator MaldistributionPeter Blaser, Vice President of Engineering Services, CPFD Software
15.15 Transforming Waste Heat to New Process Heat with the Qpinch Heat TransformerErik Verdeyen, Chief Marketing Officer, Qpinch 15.40 First Commercial MethaformerStephen Sims, President North America, NGTS Global
GPS STreamRefining: Petrochemical
Opportunities
14.00 Oil-to-Chemicals – in Search of the Holy GrailJelle Ernst Oude Lenferink, Process Engineering Manager, Fluor
14.25 Fuels and Chemicals from the Sun and Air: First Experiences from the Integration and Test CampaignsPekka Simell, Principal Scientist, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
14.50 Rompetrol Maximises Propylene to Increase FCC ProfitabilityLjubica Simic, Technical Sales Manager CEE, GraceGeorge Valentin Nilca, FCC Unit Process Engineer, Rompetrol Rafinare
16.05 Afternoon Networking Break
ERTC Roundtables Sign up to the roundtable you want to attend
17:20 End of Conference Day One 18.30 Buses Leave for the Gala Dinner at the Vorres Museum
Monday 13th November 201717:30 Registration & Welcome Reception
GPS Roundtables
08.30 Registration
REFINERIES OF THE FUTURE09.00 Chair’s Opening RemarksStefano Milanese, Partner, Ad. Little 09.10 In-Conversation with….. ENI R&MMichele Viglianisi, Vice President, ENI R&M Interviewed by: Stefano Milanese, Partner, Ad. Little 09.30 PANEL DISCUSSION Clean Energy and Sustainability: What the Growing Renewable Fuels Market Means for RefinersModerator: Stefano Milanese, Partner, Ad. Little Panelists: Megan Richards, Director Energy Policy, European Commission Teemu Lindberg, Director, Refining, Biofuels Development, UPM BiorefiningMichele Viglianisi, Vice President, ENI R&MJacek Smyczyński, Director, Production Efficiency and Optimisation Office, PKN ORLEN S.A.
10.10 European Refining Outlook – How is the Industry Performing? Stephen Wright, Vice President - Europe, Russia, Africa Operations, Solomon Associates
10.30 Rising Stars Celebrating the Future Leaders of the Refining and Petrochemical Industry
11.00 Networking Coffee Break
wednesday 15th November 2017
GPSERTC
08.30 Registration
MARKET TRENDS FOR THE GLOBAL PETROCHEMICAL INDUSTRY09.00 Chair’s Opening Remarks
09.10 MARKET KEYNOTE Exploring the Petrochemical Industry in a Global Competitive LandscapeRoger Green, Vice President, Chemical Consulting - Europe, Africa & CIS, IHS Markit
09.30 PANEL DISCUSSION Petrochemical Demand Drivers – Connecting Products With Consumer MarketsModerator: Roger Green, Vice President, Chemical Consulting - Europe, Africa & CIS, IHS Markit Panelists: Dorothee Arns, Executive Director, Cefic Petrochemicals ProgrammeTim Stedman, Senior Vice President and Business President, Basic Plastics and Feedstocks, Trinseo Krisztina Petrényiné Szabó, Head of Group Petrochemicals Product Management, MOL Dr Hatem Belfadhel, Director, Global Technology Programming, CHSBU, Technology Management, SABIC
10.10 CASE STUDYOn-Purpose Production: Giving Feedstock to Petrochemicals as a By-productKrisztina Petrényiné Szabó, Head of Group Petrochemicals Product Management, MOL
10.30 KEYNOTEDeveloping Partnerships to Access New Markets and Diversify Portfolios Dr Hatem Belfadhel, Director, Global Technology Programming, CHSBU, Technology Management, SABIC
ERTC Stream DProcess Optimisation & Design
Chaired by Baker Hughes
ERTC Stream EAdvances in Biofuels &
Alternative Fuel Production
ERTC Stream FRefinery Configuration
Analysis
GPS Stream New Technologies &
Innovations
11.30 Uniflex Technology – Maximising Profitability with High Residue ConversionGary Brierley, Senior Manager for Uniflex Commercialisation, Honeywell UOP
11.55 Smart Solution for Improving Isomerisation Performance through Purification of Hydrogen Supply Maxime Vassieu, Technologist, Gasoline & Aromatics Business Line, AxensAfroditi G Pourtoulidou, Chemical Engineer, Hellenic Petroleum
12.20 Reactive Adjunct Chemistry – Improve Profitability with Lower Downstream Reliability IssuesErwin Leitner, Sr. Vice President, Dorf Ketal
12.45 Networking Lunch
14.15 Determination of Residue Quality and Yields from 1H NMR Spectra of Crude Oils and Chemometrics for Process Optimisation Lorenzo Sassu, Programme Manager, Sartec Saras Ricerche e Tecnologie Srl
14.40 Best Practices in a Refinery Wide Implementation of APCEleni Zouridaki, Chemical Engineer, Motor Oil Hellas (MOH)Maurizio Rossi, Technical Manager, Alpha Process Control
15.05 Optimising The Never Ending History – Integrated Operation and Simulation of MHC-FCCMaria Nieves Alvarez, Process Development Advisor, Repsol
15.30 Crude Oil Blend Optimisation Allows Higher Margin without UpsetFrancesco Ragone, Product Manager, Chimec S.p.A
11.30 The bioCRACK Process – a Refinery Integrated Biomass-to-Liquid Concept to Produce Diesel from Biogenic Feedstock Dr Edgar Ahn, Member of the Management Board, CSO, BDI – BioEnergy International AG
11.55 IH2 Technology in Operation Dr Alan Del Paggio, Vice President, CRI Catalyst Company
12.20 Bio-Oil: an introduction to the Next Opportunity Feedstock for FCC – BiofuelsSteve Shimoda, Program Director FCC Technology, TechnipFMC
14.15 Advances in Bio Jet Fuel Technology Using Non-Food Renewable SourcesJuan Manuel Anzaldo Trejo, Process Engineer, Instituto Mexicano del Petróleo 14.40 Technical Economic Evaluation of Renewable Jet Fuel from Power Biomass and or Carbon DioxideDr Ralph-Uwe Dietrich, Research Area Manager Alternative Fuels, German Aerospace Center
15.05 Improvement of Transportation Fuels Sustainability via Co-Hydroprocessing of lipid-Feedstocks and Petroleum FractionsStella Bezergianni, Principal Researcher, Hellenic Petroleum and Centre for Research & Technology Hellas (CERTH)Vassilios Dimitropoulos, Chemical Engineer, Refinery Process Engineering Section, Hellenic Petroleum 15.30 The Potential Feedstock for the Production of Advanced Biofuels in CroatiaVesna Kucan-Polak, Advance Techn.& Product Dvlp Chief Expert, INA-industrija nafte d.d.
11.30 Capturing the Maximum Value from the Bottom of the BarrelJock Hughson, Licensing Technology Manager, Shell Global Solutions International B.V.
11.55 Achieving Ultra-Low Sulphur Diesel with IsoTherming TechnologyMatthew Clingerman, Regional Engineering Manager, DuPont
12.20 Carbon Taxation to Meet Climate Change Targets – Impact on Refinery Process Configuration and OperationMichel Lenoel, Founder, GreenAlyze
14.15 Enabling Access to New Markets by Leveraging Isomerisation Dewaxing Technology Louis Burns, Global Licensing Manager, Fuels Applications, ExxonMobil Vassilios Dimitropoulos, Chemical Engineer, Refinery Process Engineering Section, Hellenic Petroleum
14.40 Challenges in Co-processing of Renewable feedstocks Jostein Gabrielsen, R&D Senior Manager, Haldor Topsoe
15.05 Expert Solutions for Customised Performance – Precision Tuned Stacked Catalyst SystemsAmin El Aissami, Technical Service Engineer, Criterion
15.30 MSAR – Fuel for Power Generation, Marine Bunkers and Refinery UsesMatthew Bridgeman, Process Engineer, Quadrise International Limited
13:45-15:15 Business Coaching Workshop – Presenting with Impact Led by: Alan Donegan, PopUp Business School
ERTC Stream GHydroprocessing
11.30 Maximizing C3 and C4 Olefin Production from the FCC via Catalyst TechnologiesCarl Keeley, Regional Marketing Manager – Europe, Middle East and Africa, BASF
11.55 Paraxylene Production via BP Crystallisation Technology Nicholas Kinnis, Contract Development Manager, Aromatics & Higher OlefinsPetrochemicals, CB&I
12.20 TAR Vessel Entry Best Practices – Reducing Total Downtime and EffluentJoshua Ackerman, Technical Sales Engineer, Petrochemicals, ZymeFlow Decon Technology
14.15 Regional Feedstock Availability and Alternative Approaches to Chemicals Value Chains Abeer El-Sherbiny, Business Development Engineer Marketing & Business Development Division, The Egyptian Petrochemicals Holding Company (Echem)
14.40 Optimsation Ethylene Technologies – With More Flexibility, Productivity and Profitability Yang Zhigang, Regional Representative, Sinopec
15.05 An Insider’s View of Dividing Wall ColumnsJoseph C Gentry, Vice President, Licensing & Technology, GTC Technology
15.30 Improve Decision Making Through Model Based on Material Qualities EstimationMarco Lanteri, Industry Principal Refining and Petrochemicals, PimsoftDomenico Napoli, IT Project Manager, ENI
15.55 Networking Coffee Break
16.15 WRAP UP PANELEnsuring ERTC and GPS 2017 Make a Difference to Your Next 12 Months Panelists: Grigoris Stergioulis, CEO, Hellenic Petroleum
17.00 Closing Remarks from the Chair
17:00-18:30 Business Coaching Workshop – Building Your Personal Brand
18:00 NETWORKING DRINKS 4.0
*Agenda correct at the time of printing
6
08:30 Welcome Coffee
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION09:00 Opening Remarks
09:10 KEYNOTE Adnoc Refining’s Digital Transformation of Refining OperationsFuad Al-Ansari, Vice President Information Technology Division, Adnoc Refining
09:30 EXPERTS IN ACTION MOL’s Process Optimisation Using Machine LearningTibor Komróczki, Head of the Process Information and Automation, MOLMicrosoft Senior Representative
09.50 EXPERT PANEL Digital PlantsTibor Komróczki, Head of the Process Information and Automation, MOLPaul Bonner, Vice President Consulting & Analytics, Honeywell Connected PlantPaolo Leonardi, Technical Services Manager, ENIAurelien Galicher, Group Data Architect, Total
10:40 EXPERT IN ACTION Cloud Based Performance Assurance – the Next Generation of Performance Management SystemsTim Shire, Senior Staff Consultant, KBC
11:00 Speed Networking
11:20 Networking Break
11:40 EXPERT PANEL IIoT & Data Handling Johan Ferket, Consultancy Manager, Stork, a Fluor Company Joe McMullen, Marketing Director, Schneider ElectricEmerson Senior Representative
12:20 EXPERT IN ACTION Digital Transformation: Digitising Refineries Leveraging IIoT Joe McMullen, Marketing Director, Schneider Electric
12:40 EXPERT IN ACTION IIoT-enabled Asset Information and Performance Management – Key EnablersJohan Ferket, Consultancy Manager, Stork, a Fluor Company
13:00 EXPERT PANEL Cyber Security
13:40 Networking Lunch
thursday 16th November 2017
ERTC 4.0 – dedicated to the next refining revolution
14:50 The Real Meaning of IIoT – Maximising its Full Potential to Help your Day to Day OperationsLed by: Tim Shire, Senior Staff Consultant, KBC
Digital Asset Life Cycle Management
How Digitalisation is Changing People’s Roles Within an Organisation
interactive workshops
16:50 CLOSING KEYNOTE Digitalisation in (Best) Practice – Plant 4.0Aurelien Galicher, Group Data Architect, Total
17:10 Closing Remarks and End of ERTC 4.0
Five top tips to maximise your time at ERTC:1. Be clear on your goalsA. Do you want to consolidate existing relationships or meet new people?B. Do you want to acquire ‘how to’ expertise or gather industry insights and intelligence?C. From a personal standpoint, are you trying to grow your ‘personal brand’ or make connections with others?D. Do you want to learn more in order to do your current job better, or to get to the next level?
2. Attend sessions you do not already know a lot about When multiple sessions happen simultaneously, you should consciously choose to attend those on topics you do not already know a lot about. All of us have a predisposition to be attracted to the familiar, and when you are surrounded by strangers at a conference you will naturally gravitate to those subjects you already feel more comfortable with. But resist that temptation.
3. Listen to case studies Sessions involving detailed, single-company case studies – often delivered by the person at a company who was in charge of the project – can be very informative and interesting. Let’s face it: no-one learns as much from a success as they do from dealing with a problem or a mistake. And case study presentations at conferences are the one venue where you might get genuine insight about the kinds of things that went wrong and should perhaps have been done differently.
4. Ask questions!
Use the Q&A period after presentations to ask about problems and obstacles encountered and how they were overcome. And ensure you get the answers that will be the most valuable to you personally.
5. Use a checklist each morning before leaving your hotel room to make sure you do Not forget something
1. Business cards. Take a LOT of them, and always have a supply on your person.2. Conference agenda with sessions marked.3. List of companies or attendees you most want to meet or connect with.4. Laptop or tablet. Capture notes electronically so you can more easily retrieve and use them later.
Speed NetworkingSpeed networking ensures you do not miss out on that vital introduction. You will be at a table with six of your peers for three minutes. When the bell rings, pick up your business cards and move to the next table for more introductions.
A great ice-breaker that sets up further discussion later on at the show. Remember to bring lots of business cards!
RoundtablesRoundtables are an opportunity to debate a topic or problem in more depth. You have the opportunity to opt in and select the roundtable that is right for you. Small groups of 10 people discuss a topic around tables, with individuals switching tables periodically and getting introduced to the previous discussion at their new table by a table host.
Business Coaching Workshop Presenting with ImpactUnderstand the difference between a great presentation and an average one:• The mistakes everyone makes• How to bring messages to life• Inspiring and captivating the audience you are talking to
Come along prepared to see presenting slightly differently and have a little fun!
ERTC offers a platform for valuable and facilitated discussions:
Head of Strategy for Manufacturing Operations, Hellenic Petroleum
7
ERTC 2017
INOVACAT B.V. • A.M. van Schuurmanlaan 11 • 3818 LS Amersfoort • The Netherlands • www.inovacat.comEurope: +49 172 143 2333 or +31 6 3837 3289 | USA: +1 912 996 5435 | Email: [email protected]
Looking ahead with pride
World’s most agile process for maximum propylene and maximum aromatics from any naphtha.
INTRODUCINGGASOLFIN™
Q&A with Diomidis Stamoulis
What do you think the impact of COP 21 will be on the refining industry?It will have a huge impact on the refining industry in Europe and will play a crucial role in future legislations and agreements. We are already operating in a heavily legislated environment and I feel that, as refiners in Europe, we have additional expenditures compared to those regions that surround Europe. We need to anticipate increased competition due to the fact that Europe will have a common legislation, but in surround-ing regions the legislation could be vastly different. An example of this is Greece, which sits at the edge of Europe and com-petes with refineries in Turkey and the Middle East, where the regulations for sus-tainability are not mandatory; in this sense, COP 21 will have critical implications for the economic balance. It may cause an une-ven situation among refineries and become a catalyst for increased competition.
Do you think the European Commission is doing enough to help refiners?The European Commission has to find a balance between opposing forces within the region. On the one hand, it is difficult for the European Commission to ignore the impact that refining has had on the current
climate change crisis, with many people and NGOs vocally opposing the industry. However, it is also true that the industry serves around 95% of our transport needs, produces products that people use in their daily lives and provides jobs for thousands of individuals. If products produced by the refining industry ceased to exist, we cannot imagine what the repercussions would be.
Personally, I believe that until now the European Commission has tried to remain on the side-lines of the criticism of the refin-ing industry, but it will become increasingly difficult in the future to avoid confronta-tion due to regulations concerning carbon emissions. We are slowly phasing out fossil fuels, and refining will have to bear the cost of that.
Do you think that operational excellence still separates the best and worst performers in downstream?Absolutely yes! Throughout my years in this industry, I have seen a vast amount of pro-gress in technology advances, and I believe that trying to be efficient in all processes is a daily job for every refiner. In order to survive, preparation and adaptability are key. Focusing on long-term vision is part of the culture of operational excellence, cen-tring on where the technology is making advances while taking into consideration that refining technologies may take years to implement.
Operational excellence can also be seen
in short-time business strategy in the daily scheduling of your operation to be optimally efficient. I strongly believe in operational excellence and think it is a crucial process that has to take place continuously in our industry in order to drive success.
Are energy costs and efficiency still important to Europe, global refiners and petrochemical producers?People sometimes forget that the oil price has lowered and continue to try and make savings as the cost of energy becomes higher. I believe you should always prepare yourself for the worst, and even in this envi-ronment of low oil prices you should not reduce investments. Doing this can place you in a dangerous position in the future when prices may spike again; being efficient is something that should be continuously designed and implemented.
Will we see an increasing move towards greater digitalisation, such as supply chain (supply and demand market analytics, digital processes), predictive maintenance, operations intelligence and digital workers/remote operations?
Digitalisation it is a matter of cost benefit analysis; refiners who have simple, repeti-tive operations and are not continuously evolving will hesitate to invest in digi-talisation on an operational level. Like all systems, it is not a matter of buying new software, it is the mentality and culture
of the business that is key. What we have observed in several digitalisation products is that businesses are very eager to buy the tools and the right technology to help move their businesses forward. If a com-pany wants to invest in this technology and make it as cost-effective as possible, it needs to ensure it has the right mentality towards digitalisation, otherwise success is not guaranteed. Digitalisation will play a crucial rule in this industry, and if we ignore it we are ignoring reality.
What are you most looking forward to at this year’s ERTC event?Last time I participated, I was really impressed with the variety of topics dis-cussed, and how the event addressed the challenges of our time, both technical and through long-term vision.
What do you think the benefits of events such as ERTC are for the industry?The atmosphere of the event, the discus-sions and presentations are the catalysts that invite key conversations between participants. It is a great gathering of the refining industry, and the fact that it is held yearly means it can always include recent developments. I think that the variation of participation from various areas is impor-tant. The participants are a good mix of refiners, suppliers and technology experts who have an excellent opportunity to share knowledge and opinions. ■
8
ERTC 2017
BASF analyses equilibrium catalyst (Ecat) and operating data from over 200 units worldwide. These data provide valuable information on refinery conditions and are used to anticipate future catalyst needs.1 There is a trend to increase the proportion of heavy feed processed by FCC units. At the same time, there is decreasing demand for high-sulphur fuel oil and strong demand for lighter fuels. This confirms that refiners need advanced FCC catalyst and additive technologies to achieve multiple targets.
Maximisation of liquid yields and destruc-tion of slurry remain the top objectives for the FCC unit. To minimise slurry, good sur-face porosity, the right pore dimensions, good pore connectivity, and sufficient pore volume are vital. With the right pore archi-tecture, heavy molecules can diffuse to cracking sites easily. BASF enables this via its in-situ manufacturing process to engi-neer catalysts. For example, its Distributed Matrix Structures (DMS) technology is designed to provide enhanced diffusion of feed molecules to cracking sites located on the external, exposed surface of highly dis-persed zeolite crystals. The feed first cracks on the external acid sites of the zeolite itself, rather than on an active amorphous matrix material, providing improved reac-tion selectivities. Liquid yields are improved via selective bottoms conversion.2
To drive a high conversion, good coke selectivity is also required. This is demand-ing on the FCC catalyst, as metal contami-
Maximising FCC performance and yields with catalyst innovations
nants drive dehydrogenation reactions which lead to increases in H2 and coke. Therefore, good pore architecture and good metal passivation are essential to minimise contaminant coke production. Different metals passivation technologies are avail-able depending on the metal mobility (see Table 1).3 For high conversion, catalysts from BASF’s DMS and BBT platforms deliver maximum yields. To optimise the gasoline/cycle oil split, Prox-SMZ technol-ogy can be used.4
With increasing fuel and petrochemicals demand, refiners are looking to optimise the olefins production and LPG/gasoline split. The BASF approach is:1. Optimise zeolite and matrix cracking to generate olefins. 2. Optimise the rare earth per zeolite to tai-lor the LPG/gasoline selectivity. 3. Use additives to fine-tune yields of C3s and C4s.5
The use of heavier feeds may introduce more sulphur and nitrogen. As sulphur in the products and SOx emissions must be minimised, refineries can utilise the follow-ing solutions to reduce sulphur compounds: • Capture sulphur using SOx reduction additives, convert this to H2S in the riser, and remove H2S from the LPG using amines or adsorbents.• Minimise the gasoline sulphur using sul-phur reduction additives.6
Nitrogen is a concern as it is a temporary acid-site poison and can increase nitro-gen oxide (NOx) emissions. Refiners can address these concerns through:• Optimised acid-site density to compen-sate for temporary deactivation.• Using a NOx reduction additive and low-NOx CO combustion promoter.
Safe, reliable and economic FCC opera-tion requires refiners to achieve multiple targets. There is a broad array of FCC cata-lysts and solutions available to meet these demands. BASF has introduced new FCC catalyst innovations for refiners process-ing moderate to heavy resid feedstock; wanting lower hydrogen and coke yields; and desiring deep bottoms conversion and higher liquid product yields (see Table 2).
Fortress NXT is based on the DMS plat-form and integrates a new nickel passivation technology and separate particle vanadium trap. This approach minimises non-selec-tive secondary metals-catalysed reactions that result in increased gas and coke for-mation. In a commercial trial, Fortress NXT enabled the refinery to maximise resid feed rate and gasoline yield, while minimising slurry. The unit’s main constraint was a high regenerator temperature and dry gas yield. As the proportion of Fortress NXT catalyst increased in the inventory, a reduction in regenerator temperature was observed, which moved the unit away from a con-straint and allowed the refinery to increase the proportion of resid in the feed. This
Carl Keeley, Vasilis Komvokis, Kitty Cha BASF Refining Catalysts
benefit was enabled by a clear reduction in catalyst gas and coke factors.
Even with more resid in the feed, the refin-ery reduced the slurry yield and increased the gasoline yield. Furthermore, a signifi-cant reduction in catalyst addition rate was achieved, because Fortress NXT has ultra-low sodium on fresh catalyst. Thus, Fortress NXT is inherently resistant to sodium plus vanadium deactivation.7 The overall trial performance is summarised in Table 3. The refinery continues to use Fortress NXT. ■
1 Lessons from FCC history, PTQ Catalysis 2017, 37-45.2 Distributed Matrix Structures, NPRA AM-03-38.3 Applied Catalysis A 495, 2015, 39-44.4 The Stamina Test, Hydrocarbon Engineering, Sept 2010.5 ZSM-5 Additive Maximises Propylene, PTQ Catalysis 2015, 31-33.6 Meeting Gasoline Sulfur Requirements, NPRA AM-05-60.7 Journal of Catalysis 207, 2002, 237-246.
Contact: [email protected]
Grigoris Stergioulis, CEO, Hellenic Petro-leum, will discuss market demands and how to sustain a strong business in such a competitive environment.
South East Medi-terranean refineries have been under ongo-ing pressure to keep up with competition in the Middle East. In an arduous economic environment that involves higher salaries, energy costs, stricter environmental regu-lations and safety protocols, the only way to stay in business is through operational
excellence. The latter is collectively mani-fested under the term ‘over-performance’, which is the difference between true oper-ating margins and international benchmark margins. The five pillars to a healthy over-performance that will secure the sustain-ability of the SE refiners are:• High asset utilisation• Energy efficiency• Global optimisation among the process sites AND the various business units• Crude slate enhancement• Human capital development.
Mr Stergioulis will also speak about the initiatives undertaken in the last few years to secure refinery operation and keep
Hellenic Petroleum afloat amidst a multi-tude of adverse events (such as the deep recession in the domestic market and fall-ing regional oil products demand).
For example, Hellenic Petroleum has recently upgraded the old Elefsina top-ping refinery into a modern hydrocracking refinery with zero fuel oil production. The group had to deal with a significant change in product volumes and slate that called for a more export-oriented approach for the company.
Finally, a joint venture comprising of Total (operator), ExxonMobil and Hellenic Petroleum expressed interest in exploring hydrocarbons in two offshore blocks south
of Crete. The Group aspired to contribute substantially to the efforts of the country to revert to steady growth rates and to becom-ing an energy hub of significant importance for the wider region of SE Europe. If indeed the existence of exploitable hydrocarbons is verified, it is certain that Greece will enter a new era, with tangible benefits for the national economy and the local commu-nities, and will contribute to the geopolitical and energy upgrade of Greece.
Mr Stergioulis and other representatives of the group aim to inspire and encour-age other businesses to be proactive, and respond to their challenges with a flexible and resilient mind set. ■
European refineries towards a sustainable worldgrigoris stergioulis Hellenic petroleum
Metal Effect Metal mobility Catalyst technologies
Nickel Dehydrogenation: increase H2 and coke Low mobility Speciality alumina
Boron based technology (BBT)
Vanadium Zeolite destruction Activity reductionDehydrogenation
High mobility Rare earth basedCalcium and magnesium based
High zeolite content
Iron Added iron can block catalyst surface, hindering access to pores
Dehydrogenation; CO promotion; increases SOx
Low mobility Catalyst with high surface porosity and engineered pore architecture
Table 1 Contaminant metal mobility and catalyst technologies
Trial achievement Improvement observed
Notes
Coke factor Reduced by 18% Reduction in regenerator
temperature allowed feed quality to be
deteriorated
Gas factor Reduced by 2%
Resid in feed Increased by 7% These benefits allowed the refinery
to increase FCC profitability
Bottoms yield (slurry) Reduced by 4%
Gasoline production Increased by 2%
Catalyst addition rate Reduced by 5%
Table 3 Refinery improved FCC performance and yields
Ecat Equivalent Ni
FCC objectives
Lower gas and coke improved
conversion
Lowest gas and coke conversion maximisation
Resid feed
High Fortress NXT BoroCat
Moderate Endurance Borotec
Table 2 Resid-FCC catalyst solutions
Did you know: BASF has the
world’s fastest equilibrium catalyst
(ecat) analysis turnaround time?
ERTC 2017
9
The Catalyst Life-CycleThe vast majority of petroleum and pet-rochemical processors use catalysts that contain one or more precious metals such as platinum, palladium, ruthenium, and rhodium (commonly referred to as plati-num group metals, or PGMs). In addition to PGMs, many of these catalysts con-tain another valuable precious metal, rhe-nium (Re), which is most typically used in combination with platinum for reforming naphthas. Whatever their precious met-als composition, all PGM and rhenium-bearing catalysts must eventually be replaced with fresh catalysts (or ‘changed out’) to restore efficacy to the process or speed up process reactions. The spent catalysts are then sent to a precious met-als refiner to recover the value contained.
What happens to the catalyst over the course of its production cycle can have a dramatic effect on the precious metals refiner’s ability to recover the PGMs and especially rhenium.
Recovering Your Precious MetalsTraditionally, precious metals catalyst refiners recover PGMs and rhenium by dissolving the spent catalysts in strong caustics or acids. This hydrometallurgical recovery process is commonly referred to in the industry as ‘digesting’.
Digestion serves well to recover the pre-cious metals from spent process catalysts in most cases. Certain events and circum-stances encountered over the life of the catalyst, however, can create many prob-lems when trying to digest:• Overheating during operation can harden substrates (gamma alumina con-verting to theta or alpha alumina), ren-dering them insoluble to even powerful solvents.• Excessive fines or carbon content can prevent the exposure of the catalyst sur-face area to the solvents.
Precious metals catalyst: understanding the technology
• Metals present in the feed, or additives introduced to extend catalyst life, can cre-ate chemical imbalances and interfere with the desired chemical reaction.
Individually, each of these factors can reduce precious metals recovery, and in combination these effects can be great. In some cases, as much as 20 or 30% of the rhenium contained can remain insoluble.
Should the insoluble materials still hold precious metals, the hydrometallurgical refiners must send them out to a copper smelter to recover the platinum group met-als, but the rhenium is lost.
A refiner who uses pyro-metallurgical technology (for example, Sabin’s Pyro-Re process) can recover virtually all of the Re from spent catalyst lots, maximising the return value, because you – the catalyst owner – are paid based on the total pre-cious metals content.
Take Away Customers are wise to watch the precious metals refinery contract lan-guage very carefully: terms regarding the values being returned should be based on total precious metals contained and not on acid-soluble precious metals content.
Removal of ContaminantsAll spent catalysts are contaminated to some degree with unwanted materials and elements such as sulphur, carbon, moisture,
and solvents. The pre-reclaim burn process, or kilning stage, assures spent catalysts are freed from the accumulated contaminants and that materials are free flowing for high-est possible sampling accuracy.
Take Away Pre-burning may be performed at the precious metals refiner’s site or elsewhere. Significant cost and time sav-ings can be realised if your precious metals refiner is able to provide all services from one location.
Importance of Accurate Sampling AssayingIn order to determine the precise amounts of precious metals contained in any given shipment of hydrocarbon catalyst, the process must begin with a series of steps designed to create uniformity. Once the catalyst batch is free-flowing and free from contaminants, carefully controlled sampling measures can draw a sample that is truly representative of the whole.
Most hydrocarbon processing catalysts are sampled by a process known as dry sampling, which involves the use of mesh screens, vibratory feeders, rotary sam-
Bradford M Cook Sabin Metal Corporation
plers, and other specialised equipment. Once accurate samples are obtained,
the precious metals refiner and the cata-lyst owner can analyse the samples for their precious metals content indepen-dently. Most precious metal assay labora-tories perform assays in triplicate by more than one method to ensure accuracy. The goal is for these independent assays to return values that are in close agreement. If this is the case, their values are averaged to arrive at a ‘mean’ valuation of the PGMs in the spent catalyst.
In a small percentage of cases, the val-ues of the two independent assays are not within agreed tolerances, and a third sam-ple (known as the ‘umpire’) is sent to an inde-pendent laboratory to settle the dispute.
Take Away Catalyst owners should audit their precious metals refiners and their independent laboratories at least annually, and always utilise third-party representa-tion to ensure all processing and weighing takes place precisely as intended. ■
Contact: [email protected]
DID you know: Sabin Metal is hosting a RoundTable on
Recovering Spent Catalysts on
Tuesday at 16.35?
ERTC 2017
ERTC 2017
10
HYDROTREATER
SRU/GAS PROCESSINGCANSOLV/CO2 CAPTURE
RESIDUE GASIFICATIONCRUDE TANKS
ATMOSPHERICDISTILLATION
ROSE® SDA
HYDROCRACKER
PRODUCT TANKS
RESIDUE HYDROCONVERSION VISBREAKER
INTEGRATIONOPPORTUNITYSDA + DAO hydrocrackingA low capital cost option for residue conversion
INTEGRATION OPPORTUNITYSDA + visbreakerA low capital cost option for residue conversion
RETROFIT OPPORTUNITYResidue upgrading catalysts Raise conversion levels,process heavier feeds
INTEGRATION OPPORTUNITYDeep-flash VDUIncrease VGO lift
REVAMP OPPORTUNITYReactor internals and catalysts Increase bottoms conversion
REVAMP OPPORTUNITYHydrocrackerIncrease feed and product flexibility
MARGIN OPPORTUNITYCrude flexibilityIncrease margin by $1/bbl
INTEGRATION OPPORTUNITYSDA + residue gasificationA low capital cost option for residueconversion
EMISSIONS MANAGEMENTOPPORTUNITYSCOT ULTRA or CANSOLV SO2 Increase sulphur recovery efficiency
VACUUM DISTILLATION
ROSE is a trademark of KBR Inc.
Shell Global Solutions
228891_A3Advert_SGS_Criterion02.indd 2 31/07/2017 14:26
ERTC 2017
11
HYDROTREATER
SRU/GAS PROCESSINGCANSOLV/CO2 CAPTURE
RESIDUE GASIFICATIONCRUDE TANKS
ATMOSPHERICDISTILLATION
ROSE® SDA
HYDROCRACKER
PRODUCT TANKS
RESIDUE HYDROCONVERSION VISBREAKER
INTEGRATIONOPPORTUNITYSDA + DAO hydrocrackingA low capital cost option for residue conversion
INTEGRATION OPPORTUNITYSDA + visbreakerA low capital cost option for residue conversion
RETROFIT OPPORTUNITYResidue upgrading catalysts Raise conversion levels,process heavier feeds
INTEGRATION OPPORTUNITYDeep-flash VDUIncrease VGO lift
REVAMP OPPORTUNITYReactor internals and catalysts Increase bottoms conversion
REVAMP OPPORTUNITYHydrocrackerIncrease feed and product flexibility
MARGIN OPPORTUNITYCrude flexibilityIncrease margin by $1/bbl
INTEGRATION OPPORTUNITYSDA + residue gasificationA low capital cost option for residueconversion
EMISSIONS MANAGEMENTOPPORTUNITYSCOT ULTRA or CANSOLV SO2 Increase sulphur recovery efficiency
VACUUM DISTILLATION
ROSE is a trademark of KBR Inc.
Shell Global Solutions
228891_A3Advert_SGS_Criterion02.indd 2 31/07/2017 14:26
ERTC 2017
12
Process selection: a refinery study of FCC vs Gasolfin for naphtha cracking into propyleneBart de Graaf, Ray Fletcher, Herman van den Bold InovaCat B.V.
European refineries have experienced challenging market conditions over the past decade. Between 2008 and 2013, European refining capacity decreased by 3 mbpd or 15% of its total capacity, and between 2011 and 2016 Europe’s larg-est refiner, Total, slashed its European refinery capacity by 20%. During the same period, refining capacity in North America increased from 17.6 mbpd in 2008 to 18.4 mbpd in 2016, with refinery utilisation rates increasing from 83% to nearly 90%.1
There were several factors contributing to this shift, including excess global refin-ing capacity, shifting fuel demand patterns (and fewer gasoline exports to the US), relatively high costs and regulatory bur-dens at both national and EU levels. But probably the most important contributing factor was a lagging European demand due to slow recovery from the economic crisis. Fortunately, there are early indica-tions of recovery, with oil demand showing a strong increase, especially in Central and South East Europe. This stems from local economic development as refineries in this part of Europe concentrate on supplying local markets and are less oriented on fuel exports, especially to the US.
An additional global trend is an increasing focus on petrochemicals. The global growth of propylene is projected to increase by 4.5% in the next few years compared with the projected fuel consumption increase in the automotive sector of 0.9% per year for the foreseeable future.3
For this purpose, a European refinery has performed a study on maximisation of propylene due to its long-term strategic goal of shifting from a fuel-based refinery to supplying petrochemical facilities. This will be achieved by either an increase in FCC severity with the use of ZSM-5 addi-tive or by adding a separate conversion unit for post-processing of the FCC naph-tha – the Gasolfin process as developed by InovaCat. For this study, the refiner sent FCC naphtha to be processed in a dedi-cated pilot plant at CPERI laboratories in
Thessaloniki, Greece. Although no details of the economics can be presented as yet, the results clearly favoured the post-pro-cessing of naphtha in a separate conver-sion unit. It must be noted that this result was obtained without taking into account optimisation of all naphtha-range products available in this refinery, including light straight-run and delayed coker naphtha.
For this study, three different catalytic systems were tested in the pilot plant. The catalytic system for Gasolfin consists of a dehydrogenation catalyst and a crack-ing component. FCC naphtha contains a substantial concentration of olefins. This changes the concentration profile in the fixed-bed reactor system between both catalytic components. Initially, it was assumed that due to the presence of ole-fins less dehydrogenation catalyst would be required. Surprisingly, pilot plant studies showed that when the cracking component is the minority component of the catalyst blend, this favours the stability of the sys-
tem, increases cycle length, and improves the selectivity towards LPG olefins over the formation of light gases.
In this study, the latest generation of Gasolfin catalysts have been employed. In prior studies, propylene yields up to 28 wt% have been obtained. In this study, throughout the cycle length, all three cata-lytic systems showed around 40 wt% pro-pylene selectivity (on naphtha feed basis,
including the non-reactive aromatics in the feed. When excluding the aromatic con-tent propylene selectivities, up to 50 wt% is observed). Propylene yield for these catalytic systems is 40% higher than in the first generation of Gasolfin catalysts, thus highlighting the optimisation poten-tial in the catalytic system. Separately, the propylene selectivity approaches a linear dependency on the presence of the crack-ing catalytic component of the catalytic system. These selectivities are substan-tially higher than the 5-8 wt% propylene yield observed in the standard FCC unit or the 17% propylene typically observed in conventional naphtha steam cracking. Major improvements in the catalytic sys-tem stem mostly from improved selec-tivities of the dehydrogenation catalysts, reducing the aromatic by-products when operating in propylene mode.
Some considerations in the economic evaluation are: why do the economics show a clear preference for a separate conver-sion unit over maximising the propylene yield in the FCC unit? Although this is refin-ery specific, a refinery operating in a gaso-line market will most often maximise profit via operation of the FCC unit in maximum
gasoline mode. Combining the flexibility to operate the FCC unit at maximum charge rate with optimised motor fuels production plus the ability to shift production propyl-ene (or butylenes for alkylation feed) to a second unit (Gasolfin) offers the refiner an additional degree of freedom. This mode of operation frequently releases existing FCC constraints. ■
ConclusionsThis study shows the potential of adding an extra degree of freedom in the opera-tion of a fuel-based refinery desiring to shift towards an integrated petrochemical platform. The most surprising result of this study next to the 50% propylene selectiv-ity in naphtha cracking is that the simple payout of the additional capital expenditure is less than 18 months of operation.
1 U.S. Energy Information Agency, U.S. Operable Crude Oil Distillation Capacity and U.S. Percent Utilization of Refinery Operable Capacity, www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/pet_pnp_unc_dcu_nus_a.htm2 http://blogs.platts.com/2017/10/16/europe-oil-economy3 BP Energy Outlook 2017.
Contact: [email protected]
Figure 1 LPG olefin selectivity of the Gasolfin process obtained in pilot plant in high conversion mode, using three separate catalytic systems
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0Time on stream
Cat system 2Cat system 3
Cat system 1
ERTC 2017
13
Creation of energy efficiency action plan for oil refinery with advanced energy analysisIgor Šepić INA Kari Kunnari Neste Jacobs Oy
The INA Group plays a major part in the exploration, refining and distribution of oil, gas and oil derivatives in Croatia, and has a number of affiliates fully or partially owned by INA d.d. INA has upstream pro-jects in Angola and Egypt, refineries in Rijeka and Sisak, and its retail network consists of 438 petrol stations in Croatia and other regions.
INA d.d. introduced its Energy Management System (EnMS) in 2015. It has since been through recertification and continuous improvement audits, and is now developing a sustainable energy platform. Based on the ISO 50001:2014 standard, the EnMS team has created a platform to raise energy performance to the next level by applying the plan–do–check–act cycle. A certified EnMS con-firms that the company is committed, and working continuously and strategically to:1. Decrease energy consumption2. Optimise the use of energy sources3. Introduce best available techniques in the field of energy.
The energy efficiency programme for the Rijeka refinery was based on these three objectives.
The joint Neste Jacobs and INA EnMS team carried out a study of energy effi-ciency improvements in 2016. The objec-tive was to identify feasible, practical and proven energy performance improvement opportunities. The study was refinery wide, and included process units, power plant and logistics, as well as current EnMS practices and development plans. The energy performance of the refinery was benchmarked lower than average, partly because the refinery was not run-ning at full capacity.
The energy analysis was executed using the following phases:1. Baseline phase – site review and crea-tion of comprehensive and presentative energy baseline.2. Analysis phase – identification and cre-ation of improvement opportunities.3. Action plan – prioritisation and creation of implementation plan for improvements.
The baseline phase started with the request and review of input data. Based on these data, preliminary benchmarking was carried out by calculating energy per-formance indicators (EnPI) for processes and main equipment.
One of the main events of the pro-ject was the site reviews of the refin-ery, which included kick-off meetings, mechanical field reviews, interviews with operating staff and input data verifica-tion. Based on these site reviews, as well as DCS and laboratory data, process simulation models were created from all major energy consumers. A utility simu-lation model was created from energy systems and production, including com-prehensive steam balance. Detailed heat and material balances from more than 95% of energy consumption were also created. To achieve a common under-standing between Neste Jacobs and INA, and provide a firm basis for analy-sis, all relevant data were issued as a baseline report for commenting and veri-fication by INA’s experts.
During the analysis phase, energy per-formance of the baseline was analysed to identify the potential for improvement. The main tools used for this were pinch analysis, best technology and practices benchmarking, as well as energy optimi-sation workshops.
Pinch methodology was used to evalu-ate the current level of heat integration and provide targets for improvement. Composite curves were created to define targets for minimum potential consump-tion and also to determine key areas where improvements could be achieved. Utility grand composite curves were used to define optimal energys source and util-ity temperature levels. This expanded to site level with the utility simulation model. All sources of excess heat were also listed systematically.
Best technology benchmarking was used to identify the performance gaps between current performance and best technology performance defined by Neste Jacobs. This was applied to pro-cess energy intensity, heat integration performance, fired heater and boiler per-formance, as well as pump and compres-sor performance. In the field of energy management, the current situation was assessed against best practices in areas of organisation, energy monitoring and energy planning.
Workshops that employed a HAZOP-style process for systematic energy optimisation of the industrial process screened every part of the process based on Neste Jacobs’ procedures to identify improvement opportunities. Energy baseline, pinch analysis and best technology benchmarking results formed the basis of the workshop. The result was a list of improvement oppor-tunities that were believed to be practi-cal, proven and feasible. Together, INA’s and Neste Jacobs’ experts decided on opportunities to be evaluated further via detailed cost-benefit analysis.
At the action plan phase, cash flows and a preliminary implementation plan were created for the most feasible
improvement opportunities. This included project packages for quick wins (operations and maintenance), small and major invest-ments, as well as preliminary responsibili-ties and implementation schedules.
After the establishment of INA’s EnMS, trends showed a decrease in energy costs, an optimisation in energy use, and the intro-duction of best technology in investment projects categorised as relevant to energy.
With the energy management practices and the investment portfolio proposed in the action plan, major energy savings could be achieved on a site scale, with a significant effect on operating costs, refin-ing margin and the overall profitability of the Rijeka refinery. ■
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Figure 1 Execution of energy analysis
Energy analysis
Creation of improvement opportunities
Action planCreation of energy baseline
Recording and modelling the current situation
• •
>>>
• •Identification of improvement potential
Selection of the most feasible options
PinchBenchmarkingEnergy optimisation workshop
> Verified by the customer
> Includes responsibilites
> Ready for implementation
Action plan
Input data delivery
Site visit and review of input data
Workshop for screening of improvement opportunities
Presentation of results; workshop for action plan
Final reporting
14
ERTC 2017
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The whole European community, including petroleum refineries and fuel distribution companies on the supply side and the transportation sector at the demand side, is under ongo-ing pressure to significantly reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and develop a more environmentally friendly footprint.
Renewable components in European refining companies
Fuel oil consumption is under increasing environmental pressure, with stricter regulations on use in marine trans-portation. Emissions from diesel fuels from fossil sources have been under scrutiny from regulators and public opin-ion. Companies are striving to become more sustainable by replacing traditional fuels with a renewable alternative, such as biofuels. Different energy sources for mobility have recently emerged around the concept of electric vehicles and fuel cells and are penetrating the transportation market.
Stefano Milanese Arthur D Little
How can refiners respond to the new trend and market developments?There are different potential insertion points for biofu-els or biomass at the fuel production value chain. The simple one is to replace part of the crude oil at the dis-tillation process with renewable feedstock. This has limited viability unless the material is purely composed of carbon and hydrogen, with minimal levels of olefins.
The most interesting insertion point for renewables into refineries is as ‘biomass/renewable intermediate’ fed into conversion processes, finishing processes or speciality units. The lower risk and lower effort insertion point is to blend biocomponents into near finished fuel.
Strategies for refinersMajor players in the downstream industry are at an institutional level looking to switch to an industrial and commercial configuration, where renewable fuels take a larger share, but they have not yet adopted this option on a broad basis. There would be incentives for refiners who want to move to biofuels and specifi-cally the use of second- and third-generation fuels for their production.
Refining is a well-established business, with rela-tively standard configuration and operations, so any industrial and commercial strategy for switching to a more renewable feedstock will need time to be implemented, adjusting plant to produce efficiently and training personnel accordingly. Refiners are aware that this switch does not come without costs and they will need to make significant investments. European refineries need to monitor and consider on a broad basis the range of biocomponents available for their industrial and commercial operations in a flexible manner.
Options for refinersAt ERTC, Mr Milanese will be addressing the range of different clean component options refiners can exploit, such as methanol and more sophisticated components. Methanol or ethanol have been an option for refiners in the US, and are highly developed in the region due to the amount of resources available. In Europe, methanol will be hard to produce as it requires relevant land use. European policies and directives urge transport fuel suppliers to provide an increas-ing share of renewable and low-carbon fuels, includ-ing advanced biofuels, renewable transport fuels of non-biological origin, waste-based fuels and renew-able electricity.
The European Union is encouraging research into renewable fuels and investment in innovation by sup-porting companies and research institutions finan-cially. European refiners will need to look at the entire fuel and energy value chain, and seek alternative options that will be better suited to them.
Operational and commercial flexibility of European refineries is fundamental to establishing a solid plat-form for the future, and it is very likely that it will imply a radical reorganisation in the light of more integrated energy companies.
The future for refineriesRefiners are aware that the market is evolving and that their role is changing. It is as yet unclear when renewa-ble fuels and components will take on a significant role, but there is no doubt that renewables are taking over and, now more than ever, companies are working hard toward achieving cleaner production. There are numer-ous opportunities for European businesses to ‘go green’, but that change needs to be embedded within an industrial and commercial strategy if the companies are to prosper and remain competitive.
Stefano Milanese will be moderating a session on Wednesday 15th November. ■
15
In Europe, 10% of transport fuels should come from renewable sources by 2020. This will partially be achieved by hydropro-cessing renewable feedstocks. However, compared to the processing of fossil fuels, the conversion of renewables to transport fuels poses new challenges. New types of contaminants, such as phosphorus, are introduced, large exotherms arise, and corrosion due to oxygenated compounds needs handling.
The key objective for each renewable pro-cessor is to find the optimal solution based on feed properties and the required prod-uct specifications. These parameters will impact the choice of technology and cata-lyst solution. This is best done by having a strong dialogue and collaboration with the technology and catalyst vendor, so that the introduced challenges specific to renewa-bles are addressed to ensure the most opti-mal performance.
As with fossil fuels, variations in renew-able types are many (vegetable oils, animal fats, used cooking oils and pyrolysis oils, residues from pulp mills). To successfully produce fuels from renewables, the feed-stock needs to be evaluated with regard to: - Fouling tendency and grading catalyst requirements: Which contaminants will af-fect the cycle and to what extent (deactiva-tion, pressure drop)?- Activity: Can the oxygenated compounds be easily hydrodeoxygenated (HDO)? Is organic nitrogen a concern due to its inhibit-ing effect on hydrotreating activity?- Yield structure and product properties:
Operating in the jungle of renewables
The feedstock composition will have a huge influence on the end products and the end product properties. For example, some tri-glycerides may contain fatty acids with high carbon numbers that would produce mol-ecules outside the desired fuel range. - Deactivation: Phosphorous and silicon are known to deactivate the catalyst even at very low concentrations (a few ppm) and may deactivate the bulk HDO catalyst with-out a proper grading.- Heat balance and hydrogen consump-tion: High oxygen content and unsaturated compounds will give rise to large exotherms and will also strongly affect the hydrogen consumption.
- Mechanical: The acid number and by-product of the feedstock will affect to which degree corrosion will be an issue for the unit.- Unit operations: The handling of a wide operating window requires strong expe-
Kiki Larsen, Sylvain Verdier Haldor Topsoe
Feed Plant triglyceride
Animal triglyceride
Tall oil Sulphate triglyceride
Hydro-thermal
bio crude
Pyrolysis oil
Algae-dervived
pyrolysis oil
Derived from Various vegetable oils
Animal fat Wood Wood Biomass or coal
Biomass Algae
Main product Diesel and jet Diesel Diesel Gasoline Jet fuel Gasoline + diesel
Gasoline + diesel
Topsoe R&D tested Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Industrial operation (Topsoe’s catalyst)
Yes Yes Yes No No No No
Table 1 List of different renewable feedstocks, the main product derived from them, and Topsoe’s experience in handling them
A major European refinery processing a variety of light, heavy and opportunity crudes, along with slop and gasoline con-densate, faced high delta P on their CDU pre-flash tower in excess of 0.35 kg/cm2, while the normal operating delta P was 0.15 kg/cm2. The high delta P prevented the entire crude distillation unit being run at its maximum throughput.
In particular, the light straight-run naph-tha product was coloured and off-spec, so the CDU had to run at a significantly lower capacity or accept non-optimised process conditions, with related losses.
In addition, the delta P was variable and sensitive to both crude quality and flow rate, which forced the refinery to make con-tinuous operating condition adjustments.
Typical mechanical cleaning would have forced the refinery to shut down the CDU for about two weeks, with a severe impact on refinery production and conse-quent financial losses, not to mention the mechanical cleaning costs and the associ-ated safety and environmental concerns. Instead, they decided to ask ITW to repeat the pre-flash tower Online Cleaning (OLC)
Online Cleaning technology applied to a major European refinery
method they had successfully performed two years earlier.
ITW’s OLC technology is able to clean an entire production unit or any equipment with the use of patented cleaning meth-ods and chemicals, together with a propri-etary monitoring system. The technology is capable of dissolving and stabilising any precipitated asphaltene or coke-like deposits on a closed loop basis in less than 24 hours. The deposits are turned into a stable liquid, which can be fully reused and reprocessed.
The ITW patented chemical was injected into the bottom of the pre-flash tower through a temporary line, and circulated together with a refinery stock used as a carrier on a closed loop basis. In about 24 hours, the OLC cleaning procedure was complete and the unit resumed production straight away. Within about one day, the unit was at its maximum capacity, with all products on-spec and the pre-flash tower delta P back to its normal level of 0.15 kg/cm2. In addition, the achieved delta P was very stable and operating conditions were running smoothly.
Marcello Ferrara ITW
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Maximum and stable throughput after ITW online cleaning
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∆P on-spec and stable after ITW online cleaning
rience in layout, control, and handling of upset situations.
On top of the feedstock evaluation comes the fuel specifications. The three main fuel specifications are listed below: • EN-590 based mainly on 100% HDO and dewaxing for cloud point requirements.• MK-I, as EN-590, but the aromatic speci-fications are tightened to yield max 5% total and 200 ppm PHA. The T95 end point is also lower than the EN-590.• HVO-100, as MK-I, but the aromatic spec-ifications are further tightened to max 1.1% total, and with lower density requirements.
To reach these specifications, a variety of solutions exists:• Graded beds for activity and guards against renewable impurities.• Combined isomerisation and cracking catalyst to improve cold flow properties and reduce heavy ends.• Isomerisation catalyst in sour mode for cloud point improvements with low yield
loss. It can be combined with cracking cata-lyst if heavy end reduction is required.• Isomerisation catalyst in sweet mode for cloud point improvements and reduction in aromatic content. It can be combined with cracking catalyst if heavy end reduction is required.
To get the optimal performance of a renewable processing unit, feedstock, tech-nology, and end product need to go hand in hand. This requires a close collaboration between the technology/catalyst vendor and the refinery.
Topsoe’s strengths as a technology and catalyst vendor include strong research and technology developments, plus extensive experience within design and field support. Table 1 lists the different renewable feedstocks, the main products derived from them, and Topsoe’s commer-cial experience. ■
Contact: [email protected]
The entire OLC procedure was com-pleted without opening any of the equip-ment involved in the cleaning process, and without any waste generation since all of the washing fluids were fully repro-cessed. Based on data collected during the monitoring period, it was estimated that a total of 14 tons of coke-like material was removed during the OLC process.
The refinery is now considering ITW’s OLC technology as an operational excel-lence tool to postpone or completely avoid any major mechanical cleaning, and main-tain the unit at its maximum performance, maximising profitability. ■
Contact: [email protected]
Figure 1 CDU pre-flash tower – delta P vs throughput
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ERTC 2017
ERTC 2017
16
Arkema, in keeping with its policy of inno-vation, introduces an additional service to its current Carelflex service that helps refiners to perform the sulphiding of their hydroprocessing catalysts with dimethyl-disulphide (DMDS) Evolution E2 during the start-up phase of their units. During this critical period, the temperature ramp-up and DMDS Evolution E2 flow rate are adjusted depending on the H2S concentra-tion in the recycle hydrogen.
Today, refiners manually obtain every hour the H2S concentration information with H2S reactive tubes. Due to the high toxicity of H2S and flammability of hydro-gen, this measurement is a risky operation, and the refinery has to dedicate workforce to this task during the busy unit start-up period. Moreover, the accuracy of the result depends on the experience of the operators, and a faster response analysis than every hour would also be welcome to anticipate decisions for a quicker and more efficient catalyst activation.
Arkema has developed multi-step chem-istry and processes based on H2S. Thanks to its know-how in handling this danger-ous gas and extensive experience in the hydroprocessing catalyst sulphiding pro-cedure with DMDS Evolution E2, Arkema has designed (patent filed) an in-line H2S analytical tool that addresses all refinery concerns:
• Accurate and continuous measurement of H2S concentration, from 0.03 to 5%.• Tightly closed system, without any risk of exposure to H2S to workers.
The core of this equipment is a spec-trometer that has benefited from the latest advances in electronics and signal treat-ment to drastically improve the sensitivity and selectivity of the H2S determination in a complex gas.
Equipment deployed A full set of analytical equipment is deliv-ered with the current equipment required to inject DMDS. All the electric equip-ment of the H2S analyser complies with the European ATEX certification (EC II 2 G EExd IIC T4) and can be implemented
Accurate, real-time H2S measurement achieved
with in-line analyserFrancis HUMBLOT ARKEMA
safely near the hydrogen sampling point of the hydroprocessing unit.
A small flow of the recycle hydrogen is sampled at high pressure. For an accurate and stable measurement, the gas pressure is reduced to almost atmospheric pressure before entering the analyser. The outlet gas that exits the analyser is injected into the flare network of the refinery to avoid any atmospheric release. All gas connec-tions are achieved with high-pressure hoses and quick couplings for a fast and safe implementation.
Service descriptionThe H2S analyser equipment is delivered with the standard Carelflex equipment needed for DMDS injection. The Carelflex team implements and tests both sets of equipment the day before the sulphiding operation. During catalyst activation, a Carelflex operator puts the H2S analyser on stream and monitors all the equip-ment, checking that a continuous gas flow is fed in and the H2S analyser is running normally. H2S concentration informa-tion is refreshed every two seconds and available throughout the activation pro-cess. On request, this analytical tool can even stay on stream after the comple-tion of the DMDS injection and during the start of the production mode. The H2S concentration is automatically recorded each minute on a memory stick, and the
resulting data are included in the final Carelflex report.
Benefits and Market feedbackThanks to a versatile pressure reducer, this equipment has successfully been used to monitor H2S in the recycle hydrogen of hydrocrackers units, gasoil hydrodesulphurisation units and naphtha hydrotreaters.
Commercially launched in Europe by Arkema at the start of 2017, this new service has proved to be a great success because it offers:• Very safe equipment: since the start, workers have never been exposed to any H2S leak.• High reliability and excellent accuracy: continuous H2S monitoring has been achieved at all the refineries that asked for such a service, and H2S concentra-tion has always been in line with other analytical methods (reactive tubes, online GC).• A useful tool to better manage the cat-alyst sulphiding operation according to catalyst manufacturer procedures and guidelines.• Continuous H2S indication that helps to anticipate DMDS flow rate changes.DMDS consumption and sulphiding time can be reduced significantly. ■
Contact: [email protected]
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Arkema H2S analyserRefinery H2S lab analysis
DMDS flow rate
Refinery H2S reactive tubes
Did you know: ARKEMA now provides an
in-line H2S analyser service during
Hydroprocessing catalyst activation?
Figure 1 H2S in-line analyser service at a European gasoil HDS unit
ERTC 2017
17
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At a facility in the heart of Western Europe, engineers had all but resigned to their fate: every 60 days, they would have to take down a whole section of their opera-tion just to change out their sulphur recov-ery unit.
The de facto standard procedure was to load their Claus reactor with ceramic spheres for filtration. After countless cycles of trial and error, engineers had settled on a grading system of 6.4 to 12.7mm spheres. The bed of spheres was already as deep as they could manage; any deeper would cut further into valuable space for catalyst. Besides, it was unclear if a deeper bed would help. Sixty days seemed like the most they could get out of the unit, whatever they tried.
The attitude toward this unit had long been ‘cheap and fast,’ but pressure on the engineers was rising. The SRU was not a profit centre for the company, yet it was absolutely essential to the operation. Other units simply could not run with-out the SRU. Everything depended on it. Desperate for relief, one engineer set out to find a better way.
Since this company was not strictly in the petroleum or petrochemicals sectors, its engineers were not already familiar with the wide reputation of CatTrap tech-nology for controlling pressure drop and
High-efficiency filtration extends SRU cycle lengthextending reactor cycles. But when an SRU case study on crystaphase.com seemed far too familiar, the engineer con-tacted Crystaphase.
At the very next changeout, which wasn’t far off, the company collected samples of the previous loading and sent them to Crystaphase for analysis. In their foulant lab, the company’s technicians found car-
bon soot deposits in the catalyst bed. It was an answer that raised a question: how was the soot breaking through? Turning to particle size distribution analysis, techni-cians discovered the culprit: the particles were too small to be captured efficiently by the spheres. The sphere filtration sys-tem was, in effect, useless.
John Burwell Crystaphase
The composition and morphology of the foulant, and the apparent depth of the crust layer, indicated a need for a filtration system with a high particle storage capac-ity. And with the limited space available, high storage efficiency would be the key to unlock longer cycles.
For a high-efficiency filtration system that could hold a high volume of particles, Crystaphase recommended a system based on CatTrap. The company loaded it, started up the unit, and began gathering data.
After 30 days – historically the first indi-cator of trouble – pressure drop had yet to climb. Sixty days came and went, and pressure drop remained steady. Another month went by, and then another. Not until the fourth month did pressure drop begin to rise. The cycle length had doubled.
The concept was proven, so the engi-neers went back to Crystaphase for another round. Further study revealed fur-ther optimisations to make. Today, the cur-rent cycle is well on its way to six months of uptime, if not more.
Relief once seemed beyond hope, but with the CatTrap system installed, the SRU was going far beyond expectations. Sixty-day cycles turned into six-month cycles. Changeouts fell from five per
year to fewer than two. Plant-wide opera-tions improved. The whole facility became more profitable, with lower costs and higher uptime.
As for the engineers, they could finally stop dreading their next SRU changeout, and start looking forward to their compa-ny’s next big thing. ■
Contact: [email protected]
Figure 1 Imagery from a scanning electron microscope revealed carbon soot bypassing an inefficient filtration system. Crystaphase technicians designed a CatTrap system to target these fine particles
Did you know: Crystaphase can double or triple
cycle lengths for more than just
hydroprocessors?
ERTC 2017
18
As environment regulations continue to get stricter, refiners are being challenged to provide cleaner transportation fuels while, at the same time, processing more difficult crude slates. Following an early adoption in Europe, US and Japan, ultra low-sulphur diesel (ULSD) standards continue to be implemented globally. Significant invest-ment has been made recently in India and China to migrate to Euro IV and Euro V grade fuels respectively. The recent IMO decision to reduce sulphur in bunker fuel to 0.5 wt% by 2020 presents another chal-lenge. Catalyst suppliers have a key role to play in this on-going transition. Criterion Catalysts & Technologies has over three decades of experience in applying cus-tomised catalyst solutions and operating strategies to help refiners improve yields, process challenging feeds and maximise profitability.
Launching in 2017, Criterion’s latest technology, Centera GT, builds on the fun-damentals of the original Centera family while incorporating enhancements to the catalyst carrier as well as molecular struc-ture of the active metal sites. The acceler-ated development of Centera GT is a direct result of investing in computational mod-elling, deploying high throughput catalyst testing and leveraging state-of-the-art characterisation method and data analy-sis tools. Atomically specific modifica-tions to the alumina carrier have resulted in the creation of novel nanoscale features as well as a more desirable set of physical and chemical properties. The modified car-rier enabled Criterion’s scientists to engi-neer highly dispersed MoS2 particles with step-out intrinsic activity for HDS, HDN and HDA. The effect was so pronounced that it provided the highest active metal site utilisation observed for alumina sup-ported catalysts. Advanced catalyst char-acterisation methods, including aberration corrected Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM), were critical to the development of Centera GT.
Figure 1 shows HDS activity for two new ULSD catalysts, DN-3638 and DC-2638, at 60 and 40 bar respectively. Both exhibit more than 20% HDS and HDN activity improvement compared to their Centera predecessors.
The step-out activity of Centera GT can
be utilised in several ways to improve unit performance. DC-2638 is ideally suited to units processing challenging feeds at low hydrogen partial pressure, which require robust HDS activity with limited H2 consumption. The synergistic effect of a CoMo/NiMo/CoMo stack is employed in medium-pressure units that process refractory, higher nitrogen feeds such as light cycle oil (LCO) or light coker gas oil (LCGO), but are H2 constrained. The enhanced HDN activity of the NiMo layer reduces the organic nitrogen going to the bottom CoMo layer, resulting in a syner-gistic boost in HDS performance. Such a system enables a unit to maximise the rate of high margin feeds such as LCO and LCGO without a significant H2 con-sumption penalty. Criterion was the first to apply this concept to distillate units in the early 2000s. Over the years, we have continued to build the modelling tools and
expertise needed to optimise the catalyst design depending on the unit conditions and requirements.
Sites with access to low-cost H2 can use the enhanced saturation activity of DN-3638 to push aromatic satura-tion, maximise volume swell and cetane improvement. The resulting low-sulphur diesel product (<5 ppm) is a valuable blending component to maximise overall refinery diesel yield. Another way to take advantage of higher activity catalysts is to free up reactor volume for beyond ULSD applications such as dewaxing or distil-late mild hydrocracking (MHC). Dewaxing
High-performance catalysts and technology in actionwes cotton criterion Catalysts & Technologies
improves the cold flow properties of the ULSD product, while distillate MHC uses a low-activity hydrocracking catalyst to enable processing of heavier feeds. One refinery achieved a 7% higher diesel yield by maximising T95 shift using a combi-nation of high-activity NiMo catalyst and diesel-selective MHC catalyst. The unit continues to deliver profit improvement of 6-9 MM $/year.
The performance of a hydroprocessing unit is dependent not only on the catalyst system, but also on the reactor and inter-nals design. Uniform gas and liquid flow distribution in the reactor is essential for good catalyst utilisation and optimum unit performance. Use of older generation reac-tor internals leads to substandard catalyst performance and substantial lost oppor-tunity. Criterion’s licensing partner, Shell Global Solutions, has developed several reactor internal improvements, such as its High Dispersion (HD) distributor trays, Filter Trays and Ultra-Flat Quench trays. These improved internals produce excel-lent flow distribution over a wide range of conditions. The HD trays have been particularly helpful in boosting the per-formance of older hydroprocessing units. Employing these custom-designed trays can produce as much as 30-50% activity gain through the improved catalyst utilisa-tion and extra volume for loading catalyst. The internals are designed for easy assem-bly and reassembly, thus minimising the
exposure of maintenance personnel to a high-risk environment inside a reactor and reducing turnaround time.
Criterion has been leveraging digital technologies such as advanced analyt-ics and high-performance computing to enable seamless sharing of data and auto-identification and notification of outliers in unit performance. Criterion’s CatCheck Advisor is a virtual ‘tech services’ assis-tant that utilises machine learning algo-rithms and pattern recognition to provide high-level recommendations based on data analysis and catalyst performance. It includes web access to kinetic mod-els tuned to the actual performance of the unit, which are used by customers to track KPIs such as conversion, yields and catalyst activity. The kinetic models can be used to evaluate what-if scenarios and case studies, as well as generate LP vectors. Digitise you catalyst experi-ence now.
In conclusion, Criterion continues to push the boundaries of hydroprocess-ing catalyst R&D by leveraging emerging technologies to accelerate development and tailor molecular properties for step-out performance. Our high-performance catalysts combined with excellent techni-cal service and advanced monitoring tools help refiners maximise return from their assets in these challenging times. ■
Contact: [email protected]
Figure 1 Centera GT DN-3638 and DC-2638
did you know: Criterion is
leveraging Rive Molecular Highway
technology for increased
hydrocracking product yields?
140
120
100
Rela
tive
volu
me
activ
ity
80
HDS
FeedSG = 0.853T95 = 358˚CFs = 1.7wt%FN = 250 ppmP = 40 barg
200 Nm3/m3LHSV = 1.00/h
FeedSG = 0.865T95 = 405˚CFs = 1.2 wt%FN = 240 ppmP = 60 barg
340 Nm3/m3LHSV = 1.15/h
DN-3636 DN-3638 DN-2635 DN-2638
-1 -1
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