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52 March 2014
Figure 2: In the US shale gas production has had a dramatically reduced the price of natural gas
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Figure 3: Projected comparison between Residual fuel demand and total petroleum demand
Figure 4: Regulatory pressures on residuum outlets such as marine bunker fuels are expected
to worsen in the future.
Figure 4: Regulatory pressures on residuum outlets such as marine bunker fuels are expected to worsen in the future
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residue processed in the RFCC while
keeping regenerator temperatures at
an acceptable level. Catalyst coolers
and other methods of heat removal
can improve the range of feedstock
processing possible but RFCC is still
very limited.
Figure 5: On the product side of the economic equation, the gasoline to distillate ratio continues to move in favor of distillate on
a worldwide basis.
More
recently,
ebullated
bed
hydrocracking technology has been
the choice for hydrogen addition to
residue with higher levels of metals
and CCR. Conversion is higher than
prior technologies but still limited to
less than 80 per cent conversion and
in some cases, significantly less. The
nature of the e-bed conversion process
creates an unstable asphaltene phase
which usually limits overall conversion
by causing severe fouling in downstream
equipment. Introducing aromatic solvents
and high recycle rates can help maintain
asphaltene solubility and reduce fouling
but these solutions have a cost, and
there is still an upper limit on the level
of asphaltene conversion which can
be achieved.
Slurry phase hydrocracking offers
the greatest potential for a robust
residue conversion technology which
encompasses
the
entire
residue
landscape. Only coking is as immune
to high levels of CCR or metals content
in the feed and, being a hydrogen
addition process, slurry hydrocracking
has the advantage over coking of near
complete conversion of the residuum to
high value products.
One such slurry phase technology
is Veba Combi Cracking (VCC),
a
commercially
proven
bottoms
upgrading technology suitable for
converting 95 wt% of residues into high
quality distillates.
Figure 6: Resid FCC (RFCC) is a seemingly attractive way to convert resid with no unconverted product to deal with.
56 March 2014
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were built for developing the technology.
Over its operating period, significant
improvements were made to the process
through equipment design modifications
and operational adjustments. Two
units were licensed by Veba to utilise
VCC technology, but, once again, oil
prices fell to levels which would not
support project economics. Bottrop
was decommissioned and shutdown in
2001 after a period of sustained low
oil prices.
In 2008 a new 1 BPD VCC pilot plant was designed, built and commissioned
at BPs research facilities in Naperville, USA. In 2010, BP and KBR
agreed to a marketing, licensing and engineering alliance to promote
the technology.
supporting VCC was elusive until recently.
Higher hydrogen consumption and CAPEX
compared to alternative resid conversion
technologies was not economically justified
without sustained higher crude and
product prices. The appropriateness of any
technology choice must be weighed against
the prevalent market conditions, and its
relevance is deeply rooted in the principles
of molecule management. Embedded in
this approach is the core belief that refining
margins are maximised by selectively
maximising the value of every molecule in
naturally occurring crude oils in every stage
of processing. Vacuum residues can
be broadly classified by SARA analysis
(Saturates,
Aromatics,
Resins
and
Asphaltenes). These properties set the
March 2014 57
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Over 1,000 patents and over 2,000 filings were made, covering the
entire landscape of catalytic and additive options. These efforts
lead to the discovery and commercialisation of a non-catalytic,
non-metallic additive which all but eliminates fouling tendencies
and allows unprecedented high asphaltene conversion.
Asphaltene molecules are adsorbed to the high surface area of
the additive where the required residence time is made available
for the asphaltenes to continue to crack. The lighter, cracked
products are released from the additive surface and the heavier,
unconverted asphaltenes, containing all the contaminant metals,
remain on the additive. Later, the additive is removed from the
process along with the captured unconverted asphaltenes and any
contaminant metals. This chemistry is possible because of the
higher operating pressures of VCC which allow the unit to operate
in a non-catalytic mode by inhibiting condensation chemistry.
Authors' Details
Steve Mayo
Director
VCC Technology, KBR Technology
Email: steve.mayo@kbr.com
Mitra Motaghi
Business Development Manager
KBR Technology
Email: mitra.motaghi@kbr.com
Rahul Ravi
Senior Technical Professional Process
KBR Technology
Email: rahul.ravi@kbr.com
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