Abstract

Multiple challenges of meeting fuel specifications and upgrading low value crude oil and streams call for a comprehensive integration of various hydroprocessing, FCC and DC conversion, and petrochemicals units in a complex refinery scheme. It was analyzed the impact of some Intevep technologies developed to achieve the product quality target. It was demonstrated a synergy between them that improves the long term cost-benefit solution.

1. Introduction.
1.1 Crude oil and Refinery Scheme

Refineries beyond 2002 In an overwhelming majority of countries, the aim of national energy strategies is to reduce the oil dependency and improve product quality[1]. The use of heavier sour crudes as feedstocks and the fulfilling of more stringent product specifications demand more hydrogen, higher conversion and hydroprocessing capacity. To understand the impact of bottom conversion and the need of different pre and post conversion hydrotreating units a typical Gulf Coast high conversion refinery was selected. This "today" refinery is perfectly adapted to produce RFG and it has a Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) unit for VGO conversion, and a Delay Coking (DC) unit for vacuum residue upgrading. The scheme is presented in Figure 1 and the unit capacities in Table 1 (numbers are related to units in Figure1 scheme). Feedstock is a blend of Merey and Arabian Light.

Figure 1: High Conversion Refinery Table 1: High Conversion Capacity 1.2 Gasoline and Diesel Specifications The new regulations will require very low levels of sulfur in gasoline, Diesel, and heating oil. They will force the refiners to consider different sulfur removal options. Refineries configured with cracking and coking conversion units will deal with sulfur in light and heavy naphtha and in Diesel BLOCK 2 - - FORUM 8 37

IMPACT OF THE NEW INTEVEP TECHNOLOGIES IN A HIGH CONVERSION REFINERY fractions.

Regulations in Tier II for 2004 in gasoline and in Diesel for 2006+[2] will impose an integrated investment. In our case of study the main sulfur contribution in gasoline could be seen in Table 1. There the FCC contributed with 50% of total gasoline component pool. Even when today the refinery is able to accomplish 2002 RFG and regular specifications, sulfur and other specifications, additional investment for Tier II and beyond is needed. The minimum return in investment for such project

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