Refinery configurations for maximising

middle distillates
A comparison of configurations for upgrading residual oil products for the
maximum production of diesel

Arun Arora and Ujjal Mukherjee

Chevron Lummus Global

R
efiners globally continue
5.0
to face numerous chal- World
4.5
lenges as environmental ECA
laws become increasingly strin- 4.0
gent. Principal among them in 3.5
the near future will be the 3.0
S, wt%

International Maritime 2.5

Organisation’s (IMO) proposed 2.0
changes to bunker fuel oil 1.5
sulphur limits, from the current
1.0
limit of over 3.5% down to 0.5%
0.5
globally and from 1% to 0.1%
0.0
in Emission Control Areas 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023 2025
(ECA, see Figure 1). Global
demand for high-sulphur resid-
ual fuel oil (HSFO) is steadily Figure 1 Requirements of IMO regulations Source: International Maritime Organisation
declining too, by 35% since
1995. Both of these changes will shut down the refinery as the for diesel continues to outpace
significantly impact a refiner’s operation becomes uneconomi- that of gasoline. IMO regula-
ability to market any significant cal to continue. tions will indirectly increase
quantity of HSFO at a price that diesel demand further as refin-
will maintain refinery profit- Shift in product demand ers are forced to blend in
ability. Refineries currently The IMO’s looming specification additional low-sulphur diesel to
making a significant amount of changes (see Figure 1) are likely meet fuel oil sulphur specifica-
fuel oil and lacking the to accelerate the decline in tions. Worldwide, production of
complexity to upgrade the demand for HSFO by the year mid-distillates is projected to
residual oil to premium prod- 2020, if not earlier. Worldwide, account for 55% of the rise in oil
ucts (middle distillates) will including emerging markets demand expected over the next
face two difficult options: either such as China, India and the 20 years. The shift to diesel puts
invest in commercially proven Middle East, there is a shift in emphasis on bottom-of-the
and reliable solutions to convert product demand from gasoline barrel processing.
HSFO to more valuable liquid to diesel. Ethanol substitution in
products such as Euro V diesel gasoline and improvements in Growing demand
to greatly improve the refinery’s engine technology are just two Worldwide demand for refined
profitability, or face a threat to of the reasons why the demand products is projected to increase

www.eptq.com PTQ Q3 2011 1

 • Should be commercially
Coke Coke proven and reliable with a
drum drum good on-stream factor
• Should maximise the most
Fractionator Reflux drum Wet gas valuable product (diesel) while
retaining the capability to
Unstablised address niche product demands
naphtha
for the foreseeable horizon
Gas oil • Should be flexible to handle
stripper more difficult feedstocks
• Should be environmentally
Light gas oil
Residual oil compliant to meet future strin-
Heavy gas oil gent specifications
Heater • Should have enough
complexity so that the refinery
Figure 2 Schematic of a delayed coking unit remains profitable when
margins remain depressed for
significantly in the next 20 to significantly improve refin- prolonged periods (based on
years, driven by population ery margins. Based on current trends only such refin-
growth and the transition of increasing product demand eries will survive in the future)
emerging markets into the and the closure of multiple • Ideally, should be part of a
global economy, with the non-performing refineries, conversion platform encom-
majority of growth coming refining margins are expected passing complementary
from China in particular and to recover by 2015. technologies.
Asia in general. According to A wider and more intense Technologies on the cusp of
OPEC, global demand for requirement for the deploy- commercialisation were
diesel fuels is expected to grow ment of emissions reduction excluded, because we did not
by 10 million b/d by 2030, technologies may also act as a want to prescribe any solution
driven by an increased share of catalyst for new investments. without a reasonably long oper-
diesel-driven vehicles in Europe Modern hydroprocessing tech- ating history. For example, there
and developing countries. nology will eliminate the need are several slurry-phase residue
Current refining investment is for expensive downstream conversion processes on the
predominantly made in Asia, the remediation technologies. verge of commercialisation, but
Middle East, Russia and Latin It is our view that refining without a commercial operating
America — regions with grow- should be viewed as an ongo- history there is no data on relia-
ing demand for refined products. ing business, where long-term bility and on-stream factor — a
Tightening of product quality average margins and product major consideration in any resi-
specifications will accelerate the price differentials will support due upgrading process because
implementation of deep conver- the investments that are of the difficult nature of the
sion units in existing refineries, needed. feedstock.
but often these refineries are Major refinery processes
constrained by plot space, hydro- Residue upgrading technologies included in this evaluation
gen and other infrastructural In view of the increasingly were:
issues. Grassroots, export- stricter regulations expected in • Delayed coking
oriented refineries are all geared the near future, along with the • LC-Fining (a high-conversion
towards high conversion to emerging trends in product residue hydrocracking process)
mid-distillates. demand, CLG evaluated multi- • Residue desulphurisation
For the strategically oriented ple combinations of residue (RDS)
refiner, stringent requirements conversion technologies, keep- • Solvent deasphalting (SDA)
for high-quality products actu- ing the intentions of a global • Combinations of the above,
ally present an opportunity to refiner in mind. The conversion along with secondary processes
invest in the right technologies technology: such as hydrocracking, residue

2 PTQ Q3 2011 www.eptq.com

 Advantages and disadvantages of delayed coking

Advantages Disadvantages
Lower on plot capital investment compared to hydrogen addition processes Coke handling, plot area limitations, and transportation and logistics
Can handle very poor-quality (high in contaminants) feeds Additional environmental health and safety (EHS) requirements
Widely used, with many references Hydrogen addition still required to upgrade products and the process
does not share the same process platform as other hydroprocessing units
Favoured in low crude oil price environment Loss of liquid yield compared to hydrogen addition processes
No residual liquid product to deal with Coke disposition is a major issue

Table 1

catalytic cracking (RFCC) and Vacuum residue, normally hydrocracking unit (in a diesel-
gasification(VR and coke), FCC destined for fuel oil, is thermally oriented refinery). The coke
feed/product desulphurisation cracked to obtain nearly 70% of produced by a standalone
and various gasoline-producing distillate products. All distillate delayed coker (see Figure 2) is
processes. products require further hydro- lower value fuel-grade coke. If a
In the studies we conducted processing to make finished hydroprocessing unit such as an
for various clients, the residue products. Coker naphtha LC-Fining unit precedes the
conversion technologies that requires special and more severe delayed coking unit, the coke
rose to the forefront were hydroprocessing compared to produced from the delayed
delayed coking, LC-Fining and straight-run naphtha. Light coking unit can be of superior
RDS. The screening phase coker gas oil (LCGO) that boils anode-grade quality, suitable
quickly ruled out several tech- in the diesel boiling range has a for use in the aluminium indus-
nologies as being too expensive, much higher nitrogen content try. Table 1 shows the main
such as gasification, or not compared to straight-run diesel advantages and disadvantages
geared towards maximising and operating pressures of the delayed coking process.
diesel, the product of choice. A required for hydroprocessing
brief description of the primary are relatively higher. Heavy LC-Fining
upgrading processes follows. coker gas oil (HCGO) boils in The LC-Fining process is a
the vacuum gas oil (VGO) boil- residuum conversion process
Delayed coking ing range. HCGO has much that hydrocracks the most diffi-
Delayed coking is the most higher total aromatics, nitrogen, cult, heavy, lower-value
widely used residue conversion polycyclic aromatics and hydrocarbon streams such as
technology and is particularly asphaltenes, and requires more petroleum residua, heavy oils
valuable when a long-term off- severe operating conditions from tar sands and shale oils to
take arrangement for coke compared to straight-run VGO. lighter, more valuable products
exists. Almost every major HCGO is either sent to a FCC such as VGO, diesel and naph-
grassroots refinery in the world feed pretreater (in a gasoline- tha. The process involves an
has considered it as a primary oriented refinery) or a ebullated-bed reactor (see
residue conversion process, with
the exception of locations such Installed LC-Fining units
as Scandinavia, Western Europe
and Eastern Canada, where Start-up Client BPSD Unconverted oil
coking units are not preferred. 2011 Shell Canada 47 300 Stable HSSC
Fuel-grade coke is used in infra- 2010 GS Caltex 60 000 Stable FO
2007 Neste Oil 40 000 Stable FO
structure projects (cement,
2003 Shell Canada 79 000 Stable HSSC
power) and demand remains 2000 Slovnaft 23 000 Stable LSFO
robust in developing countries. 1998 AGIP Petroli 25 000 Stable LSFO
However, with even more large 1988 Syncrude Canada 40 000 Coker feed
1984 BP-Amoco 75 000 Coker feed
coking units coming online,
Total 8 units 389 300
coke demand could come under
pressure. Table 2

www.eptq.com PTQ Q3 2011 3

 Catalyst Figure 3) that completely mixes stream coking unit. A lower
Effluent
addition
line
oil and hydrogen. Due to carbon-content resid product to
Thermowell Density
continuous addition and the the coking unit means less coke
nozzle detector withdrawal of small quantities make and thus a higher yield
radiation
source of catalyst, the run lengths of liquid fractions that can
well between shutdowns are long. subsequently be converted to
Density Unconverted oil from the LC- transportation fuels.
detectors
Fining unit can be used as fuel The LC-Fining unit has
Normal
bed level oil or as feed to power plants inherent flexibility to meet
or a delayed coking unit. variations in feed quality/
Maximum conversion is throughput, product quality
Skin dependent on feedstock. and reaction operating severi-
TCs
Operating unit conversion ties (temperature, space
Catalyst
ranges from 60% to over 80%. velocity, conversion and so
withdrawal The LC-Fining unit operates on). This flexibility is a direct
line Feed
Recycle
at pressure levels similar to high- result of the ebullated catalyst
pump pressure hydroprocessing and bed reactor system. In an ebul-
therefore offers excellent oppor- lated-bed unit, if the metals or
Reactor temperature 410–440°C
Reactor pressure 110–180 bar tunities for capital reduction by sulphur content of the feed
Resid conversion 55–80% permitting integration of either increases, the product quality
Hydrogen P. P. 75–125 bar
Chem H2 hydrotreatment (Shell, Canada) is maintained by increasing
consumption 35–300 Nm3/m3 or complete hydrocracking catalyst consumption.
Desulphurisation 60–85%
CCR reduction 40–70%
(Neste, Finland, see Figure 4). Conversely, the catalyst
Demetallisation 65–88% The conversion of Conradson consumption is reduced if the
carbon is economically impor- feed quality improves.
Figure 3 Schematic of a LC-Fining reac- tant if LC-Fining vacuum There are only two ebullated-
tor with typical operating conditions bottoms are fed to a down- bed processes in the world that

Make-up
hydrogen

External gas oils

HDT/MHC
for MHC/HDT
reactor

Wash
H2
tower
purification

LP amine
scrubber HP amine
scrubber

Vacuum
residue Hydro-
and processed
diluent distillates
and gas oils
To
LVGO fractionation

LC-Fining reactors with To HVGO to FCC

inter-stage stripper fractionation
Hydroprocessed
residue

Figure 4 LC-Fining process with integrated hydroprocessing

4 PTQ Q3 2011 www.eptq.com

 Advantages and disadvantages of LC-Fining

Advantages Disadvantages
Higher liquid gain compared to delayed coking On plot investment is higher than delayed coking units
Can handle feeds higher in metals and other contaminants Residue stability may become a concern at high conversions (feed dependent)
compared to fixed-bed processes Middle Eastern feeds, for example, have no stability concerns even at high
conversions (proven commercially)
Long run lengths More complex process compared to delayed coking and requires better operator training
Can be integrated easily with other hydroprocessing units Not as much commercial experience as delayed coking units but adequate
Ebullated-bed technology is a mature technology and over Spent catalyst disposal (trucks, rail car) has to be considered. Spent catalyst normally
30 years’ operating experience has led to many technological sent to metals reclaimer
advances and made the process very reliable
Requires less plot space compared to delayed coking units Unconverted oil disposition can become an issue depending on sulphur/stability
specifications

Table 3

have been proven by long bottoms could limit the produc- the DAO to diesel rather than
commercial history: LC-Fining tion of anode-grade coke in the routing to an FCC unit for
and H-Oil. Table 2 is a list of downstream delayed coking conversion to gasoline.
operating LC-Fining units, and unit. LC-Fining by itself The SDA process can also be
Table 3 shows the main advan- produces significantly more integrated downstream, where
tages and disadvantages of the liquid yield compared to deasphalting removes the
process. delayed coking and improves heaviest asphaltenic residue
The unconverted oil from the the refiner’s volume gain. from the unconverted oil. The
LC-Fining unit is normally The LC-Fining process is also DAO can be recycled back to
used as fuel oil. When easily integrated with a solvent the LC-Fining process, while
combined with a delayed deasphalting unit either upstream the pitch can be blended in
coking unit downstream, the (see Figure 5), downstream (see with incremental VR to an
unconverted oil is converted to Figure 6) or as an inter-stage existing delayed coking unit
distillates and anode-grade process. (BP, Texas City). Conversion is
coke, which fetches a far higher An upstream SDA signifi- boosted and the volume of
price compared to fuels-grade cantly reduces metals, CCR and pitch to be handled is reduced
coke. While LC-Fining can asphaltenes. Operating condi- significantly.
handle a relatively high metals tions required in the LC-Fining
content in the feed, the high unit become less severe and
level of nickel and vanadium in conversions can be pushed
,OW3.
the unconverted LC-Fining much higher. The yield slate !TMOSPHERIC
DISTILLATES
RESIDUE
shifts towards lighter products
and catalyst consumption drops
VDU
!TMOSPHERIC
,OW3.
significantly. Without heavy 0REMIUM
RESIDUE
DISTILLATES asphaltenes in the process, unit &##2&##
FEED
VDU
AND6'/ operating factors improve as
well. The obvious disadvantage
is the loss of global conversion, Solvent
LC-Fining
as a significant volume of resi- deasphalting
due is removed as pitch and,
Solvent without a dedicated disposition
LC-Fining
deasphalting
of the large volume of pitch
(such as a gasifier), the econom-
ics may not be favourable. The 0ITCHPELLETS
0ITCHPELLETS ,3&/
option becomes very attractive DELAYEDCOKING

in those situations where an

Figure 5 SDA upstream of an SDA is already in operation Figure 6 SDA downstream of an
LC-Fining unit and there is a need to upgrade LC-Fining unit

www.eptq.com PTQ Q3 2011 5

 Make-up
hydrogen
To gas recovery
Reactors
Recycle gas
H2S
scrubbing

Cold HP Unstabilised
separator Product naphtha
H2O
stripper

Fresh feed
Filter Sour Product
water
Hot HP LP
separator separator

Figure 7 Schematic of RDS process

Residue desulphurisation sulphur from petroleum level of desulphurisation

RDS is a fixed-bed process that residua in the presence of required and is not by itself a
has multiple beds of catalyst to hydrogen (see Figure 7). target. The process is normally
remove metals, nitrogen and Conversion results from the used to produce low-sulphur

Catalytic
reforming

Gasoline
Atmospheric
tower
HDT
FCC

Vacuum Jet/diesel
Hydrocracking
tower

Delayed
coking

Coke to
power plants
and
cement industry

Figure 8 Simplified refinery with delayed coking as a residue conversion process

6 PTQ Q3 2011 www.eptq.com

fuel oil or to produce a feed ogy is used in this context in tion is robust and, depending
stream that is suitable for Japan, but the most prevalent on the crude slate, the capacities
cracking in a residue FCC use of RDS is as a unit feeding of the hydrocracking and FCC
(RFCC) unit. a RFCC unit for the produc- unit vary to obtain the right
The RDS process is by far the tion of gasoline. balance between gasoline and
most widely used residue diesel production. In extreme
upgrading process. Catalyst Upgrading configurations situations, where gasoline
and process innovations for CLG explored several configu- production is to be avoided, the
RDS include the upflow reactor rations, including some that are configuration will have no cata-
(UFR) and onstream catalyst based on the residue upgrading lytic reforming and no
replacement (OCR). UFR is platforms described here, along FCC unit.
typically used in revamp situa- with other major processes such Figure 9 shows a refinery
tions or when concerns about as hydrocracker, hydrotreater configuration where there is
metals levels and catalyst pore and FCC to maximise conver- virtuallyno demand for gaso-
mouth plugging might shorten sion to mid-distillates. line and the refiner is only
downflow reactor run lengths interested in making middle
due to excessive pressure drop. Refinery with delayed coking as distillates and petrochemicals
OCR is used when the metals primary upgrader naphtha. Such a configuration
level in the feed is excessive. The configuration shown in is likely to become increasingly
RDS is a widely used tech- Figure 8 is one of the most important in the next decade.
nology, especially in the Far common refinery configurations
East. It is the only technology and is a benchmark against Further optimisation of the
that can produce <0.5 wt% which other configurations have delayed coking-based refinery
sulphur fuel oil. The technol- been evaluated. The configura- The overall profitability and

LPG
LPG
Light naphtha
Petro-chemical
Heavy naphtha NHT Naphtha
CDU

Jet A-1

Coker H2 plant
Naphtha

Diesel
VDU HCR DHT

HCGO UCO

Fuel oil
LCGO
DCU
Fuel coke

CFB

CFB: Circulating fluidised bed boiler

Figure 9 A delayed coking-based refinery with no gasoline production

www.eptq.com PTQ Q3 2011 7

 return on investment in the Furthermore, the configura- diesel. In a revamp, CLG has
configuration depicted in tion is very amenable to integrated RDS and hydroc-
Figure 10 improves signifi- phasing; the LC-Fining unit can racking technologies for ENI’s
cantly with the addition of the be built first and will be profit- Taranto refinery in Italy to
LC-Fining process to the able until such time as there is produce Euro V diesel from
upgrading of residue. a market for fuel oil. The residuum along with low-
The LC-Fining unit is the delayed coking unit can be sulphur fuel oil.
primary residue conversion phased in after a few years.
process, where conversion is The solution with RDS Recommended configuration
pushed to the maximum becomes relevant when there is After detailed analysis, we
because unconverted oil stabil- a high premium for very low- came to the conclusion that LC-
ity is not an issue. The sulphur fuel oil and there is a Fining, when combined with
unconverted oil, low in sulphur fairly high demand for gaso- delayed coking, provides the
and metals, is converted to line, or alternately a market maximum return and the high-
high-priced anode-grade coke exists for incremental propyl- est NPV, followed by the
in the delayed coking unit, ene from the RFCC. If “delayed coking alone” option.
which also converts part of the maximising diesel is the objec- The recommended technology
UCO to distillates to be proc- tive, this configuration is not platform is proven and the
essed in downstream the optimum one because it solution is not dependent on
hydroprocessing units. This will either make too much low- the unreliable future of fuel oil.
configuration has no undesired sulphur fuel oil or too much The solution is robust, because
or low-valued products and is gasoline, or significant quanti- LC-Fining and delayed coking
therefore truly “bottomless”. ties of both, at the expense of can handle very difficult feeds.

Catalytic
reforming
Gasoline

FCC
Atmospheric
tower
HDT

*ETKEROSENE
Vacuum
Hydrocracking Jet fuel
tower $IESEL
Diesel

Delayed
LC-Fining
coking unit

Anode-grade
coke

Figure 10 Optimised residue conversion using LC-Fining and delayed coking

8 PTQ Q3 2011 www.eptq.com

 Catalytic
reforming

Gasoline
RFCC
Atmospheric
tower
,#/

Vacuum
Hydrocracking *ETKEROSENE
tower
$IESEL
Diesel

Residual
desulphurisation (#/ Low sulphur
(RDS) fuel oil

Figure 11 Refinery scheme with RDS as residue upgrader

Furthermore, with the prolifer- — solutions and challenges, 2006 NPRA, Arun Arora is a Project Manager with
ation of delayed coking units Utah. Chevron Lummus Global, Bloomfield, New
worldwide, the solution will 2 Mukherjee U, LC-Fining: high Jersey, USA. His primary area of expertise
provide a refiner with a conversion residue hydrocracking, Middle is technology management and process
East Petrotech, 2010. development in distillate and residue
competitive edge in terms of
3 Sieli G, Gupta N, Delayed coking hydrocracking and he has led several
higher volumetric gain and the high-pressure hydroprocessing projects
and LC-Fining technology — a
much higher priced anode- winning combination, 2008 ERTC Coking and refinery configuration studies.
grade product. and Gasification conference, Rome, Ujjal Mukherjee is Vice President,
Italy. Technology, with Chevron Lummus
LC-FINING is a mark of Chevron Lummus 4 Purvin and Gertz, The global petroleum Global. With particular expertise in
Global. market — driving refining industry technology development for distillate
change, Middle East Petrotech, 2010. and residue hydrocracking, he has several
Further reading 5 Klavers K, Global refining outlook — patents in high-pressure hydroprocessing
1 Spieler S, Mukherjee U, Dahlberg A, challenges and development, Middle East and is the author of numerous technical
Upgrading residuum to finished products Petrotech, 2010. articles and papers relating to refining
in integrated hydroprocessing platforms 6 World Oil Outlook, 2010, OPEC. technologies.

www.eptq.com PTQ Q3 2011 9