Gasoline
Hydrocarbon Processing Awards 2020—FINALISTS
This special section details all finalists within each category for the fourth annual <ital>HP</ital> Awards. The winners will be announced on Oct. 1.
Driving FCCU value through fresh and flushing catalyst activity modeling
Refiners are continually challenged to maximize economic gain in the face of cost pressures and plant operating constraints. The fluidized catalytic cracking unit (FCCU) plays an integral role in the optimization of the facility. FCC catalyst is often one of the largest budget items in the refinery. Therefore, the balance between FCCU performance and catalyst costs has a significant impact on refinery profitability.
Taking back what’s yours: Extractive desulfurization minimizes octane loss in FCC naphtha hydrotreating
Generating octane barrels has always been a tough road for refiners. In 2020, this road got a lot tougher with olefin saturation and octane destruction being collateral damage as refiners strive to achieve the sulfur limit in the gasoline pool.
Conventional FCC to maximum propylene production
Fluid catalytic cracking is one of the most important conversion processes used in refineries. This process converts heavy petroleum fractions into lighter, higher-value products, such as gasoline, propylene and others.
Industry Metrics
Refinery margins in the U.S. Atlantic basin rebounded. Deeper refinery intake cuts, as well as the low feedstock price environment, helped offset unappealing demand-side signals.
Intensification of sulfur processing units by oxygen enrichment and process flowsheet optimization
The consistent global trend toward improvements in air quality and tighter regulations on emissions, as well as the International Maritime Organization’s shipping regulations, continue to mitigate sulfur levels—not only in conventional transport fuels (petrol and diesel), but also in jet fuels, fuel oils and other heavier distillates.
Maximizing diesel hydrotreater profit by multivariable optimization: A case study
A diesel hydrotreater (DHT) is a critical unit within an oil refinery. A DHT processes the diesel range fractions obtained from different units of the refinery—such as from the crude distillation unit and the delayed coker unit—to adhere to diesel fuel market specifications.
Industry Metrics
Refinery margins came under added pressure, affected by the downturn in product consumption inflicted by COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.
Business Trends
Rovuma LNG, a JV comprised of ExxonMobil, Eni and China National Petroleum Corp., will likely delay its final investment decision (FID) on the group’s $30-B Mozambique LNG project.
Octane enhancement avoiding both high reformer severity and alkylation
An innovative refinery process arrangementa converts butane-rich, light paraffinic streams—preferably containing a high proportion of isobutane—into butylene by dehydrogenation.
- Kumho Mitsui Chemicals begins operation of chlor-alkali plant using thyssenkrupp nucera technology 6/16
- MAIRE, Azerbaijan partner to increase sustainability projects in Azerbaijan 6/16
- Mitsubishi Gas Chemical, RITE partner to convert captured CO2 into methanol 6/16
- Yara Clean Ammonia supports groundbreaking ammonia bunkering pilot in Pilbara (Australia) 6/16
- Syensqo signs carbon fiber composites recycling contract with Fairmat 6/16
- OCI Global receives U.S. regulatory approval for the sale of its global methanol business to Methanex Corp. 6/16
