Saudi Aramco converts Yanbu xed-bed

reformer into CCR

12/10/2007

Saudi Arabian Oil Co. (Saudi Aramco) successfully converted an existing 38,000 b/d xed-bed
reformer in its Yanbu re nery to continuous catalyst regeneration (CCR) operation. The
revamped unit produces 75.5% platformate, which is a 100 RON clear (RONC) gasoline
blending component.

This conversion was a major capital project that improved the reformer unit’s reliability and
ef ciency by reducing the down time for catalyst regeneration. This unit conversion was the
rst revamped reformer-CCR unit for Saudi Aramco. The latest UOP LLC regeneration
technology cycle max was used in this conversion.

This article discusses the conversion of the Yanbu reformer to CCR service, the technology
used, lessons learned, and bene ts gained.

The revamped reformer increased its yield to 75.5% reformate from 74.5% before the revamp.
The project will increase the re nery’s unleaded gasoline capacity by 8,000 b/d, and the unit’s
down time will be reduced. The CCR project’s construction was completed in June 2006.

Yanbu re nery
The Yanbu re nery is a hydroskimming re nery on the west coast of Saudi Arabia. The re nery
started up in 1983 with a capacity of 170,000 b/d to satisfy local demand for petroleum
products.

Currently, the re nery processes 235,000 b/d of Arabian Light crude and produces about
295,000 b/d of petroleum products, including imports. Production includes fuel oil, low-sulfur
diesel, two grades of premium gasoline, LPG, jet fuel, and butane.

The Yanbu process units include atmospheric crude distillation, LPG Merox, heavy straight-run
naphtha (HSRN) hydrotreating, reformer and CCR, light straight-run naphtha (LSRN)
hydrotreating, isomerization, saturation-gas concentration unit (SGCU), amine treating, and
diesel hydrotreating (DHT).
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Fig. 1 shows a ow diagram of the Yanbu re nery.

Fixed-bed reformer
The Yanbu reformer was originally designed as a xed-bed unit to process 35,000 b/d of HSRN
and to produce 26,250 b/d of platformate at 94 RON. In 1995, the unit throughput rate was
increased to 38,000 b/d and an operating severity of 96 RONC. The unit was shutdown every
6-8 months as part of a cycle to regenerate and restore the activity of the platforming catalyst.

The reformer originally consisted of three xed-bed reactors that used UOP platforming R-56
catalyst. The unit reheat section has one charge heater and two interheaters to maintain the
required reaction temperature at each catalyst bed. In addition, four vertical combined-feed
exchangers preheat the charge feed and cool the last reactor ef uent product platformate.

Two recycle gas compressors recycle the required hydrogen for the platforming reactions.
Additionally, three make-up gas compressors feed hydrogen to the hydrotreating units. The
unit has a gas-liquid separator to separate the rich gas from the product liquid platformate.
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Fig. 2 shows the reformer xed-bed process ow diagram.

Revamp objectives
In October 2002, Saudi Aramco approved a capital project to convert the old xed-bed
reformer to a CCR unit. Foster Wheeler performed the project proposal and detailed design,
procurement, and construction was awarded to Snamprogetti.

The revamp’s main objective was to increase the volume of the re nery’s unleaded gasoline
pool to help meet Saudi Arabian gasoline demands and to reduce imports. The additional 95
RON gasoline production speci cation amounted to about 8,000 b/d and the annual revenue
will be in the millions.

The additional production reduces the requirement for expensive purchased blending
components such as MTBE and allows for blending of higher volumes of LSRN, butane, and
other lower-cost components into the gasoline pool. The revamp also increases the unit
service factor because downtime for regenerations will be eliminated.

The revamped unit performs the same function reforming heavy naphtha to high-octane
reformate. The revamped CCR reformer produces 100 RON platformate at 75.5% C5+ yield,
230.3 cu m hydrogen/cu m of feed, and at a 40,000 b/d charge rate. The old xed-bed reformer
production was 96 RON at 76% yield and 38,000 b/d maximum charge rate.
Continuous catalyst regeneration maintains RON, yield, and charge rate capability without the
need for regeneration downtime.

Revamp strategy
After completing all construction and precommissioning activities, Saudi Aramco planned to
shut down the old xed-bed unit to perform the required modi cations to change the unit
con guration to CCR. Also during the shutdown, regeneration of the old catalyst was
completed before starting the mechanical activities. Regeneration of the old catalyst was done
to prepare the catalyst for dumping, screening, and platinum recovery.

The regeneration included only the carbon burn step without chloride injection, which saved
about $12,000. The regeneration was completed successfully and the carbon level after
carbon burn was 0.35 wt %.

After completing the regeneration, the old xed catalyst R-56 was unloaded and screened for
metal recovery. Then the old three reactors were demolished. About 256 mechanical tie-ins
were completed during this shutdown, which took 28 days to complete.

Revamped reformer
The Yanbu xed-bed reformer unit was revamped to CCR on June 2006. The major changes for
this conversion were:

Reforming stacked reactors. The old series reforming xed-bed reactors were replaced
with three new reforming stacked reactors. The important feature of the stacked
reactors is the low pressure drop to facilitate the catalyst movement from the reactor to
the regenerator. The design pressure drop is 0.24, 0.23, and 0.31 kg/sq cm for Reactors 1,
2, and 3, respectively.
Cycle max CCR. The revamp incorporated a new UOP CCR cycle max model, which was
the rst unit of its type for Saudi Aramco. The CCR is designed to regenerate
continuously the Platforming UOP-R234 catalyst at 100 % circulation rate or 2,000 lb/hr
(907 kg/hr) to maintain the catalyst selectivity and activity.
New CCR refrigeration unit. A new CCR refrigeration package was installed as part of
the revamp. The objective of this unit is to increase the purity feeding the CCR reduction
zone, lock hopper, and the regenerated catalyst lift line.
New waste-heat boiler. As part of the revamp and to optimize the re nery energy
savings, a new waste-heat boiler (WHB) was installed in the main duct of the reformer
heaters. The WHB uses waste energy from the reformer heater ue gas to generate 150-
psi steam at a design rate of 35 tons/hr with future spare capacity to produce 60 tons/hr.
Platformer heater modi cations. Saudi Aramco modi ed the reformer heaters to
maintain the required heat duty to perform the platforming endothermic reactions. The
existing second and third interheaters were combined and converted into one
interheater to maintain inlet temperature to the second stacked reactor. In addition, a
new heater was designed to maintain the reaction inlet temperature of the last
reformer’s stacked reactor. The revamped reformer unit has four total heaters including
the charge heater.
Net gas system modi cation. In a modi cation of the net gas system as part of the
revamp, the old makeup gas compressors were reused to supply hydrogen to the CCR
unit. Two new compressors were installed to supply the re nery hydrotreating’s
isomerization units with the required hydrogen.
AET LPG recovery unit. A new Advanced Extraction Technology unit was designed as
part of the overall revamp. The objective of this unit is to maximize LPG recovery from
the reformer’s net gas stream and increase the hydrogen purity of the net gas to meet
the required hydrogen purity for the new diesel hydrotreater. The AET unit is designed to
recover 98% LPG and increase the purity of the net gas to 89 mole % from 80 mole %.
Net gas chloride treaters. Two new chloride treaters were installed on the makeup gas to
the re nery’s hydrotreating units and the net gas feeding the new diesel hydrotreater.
These chloride treaters maintain a low chloride level (1.0 ppm maximum) in the ef uent
hydrogen gas to guard the downstream unit users from corrosion-related problems.

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Fig. 3 shows the revamped Yanbu reformer reactor system. Fig. 4 shows the new CCR
interaction with the reactor system.

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Performance comparison
Table 1 shows a performance comparison between the reformer before revamp and after
conversion to a CCR unit.

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Lessons learned
During the revamp, we experienced several obstacles, but preparedness and teamwork
effectively minimized their effect on the project. Here are the major lessons learned from the
experiences of this revamp project:

Implement a team approach and culture for other projects. Project stakeholders included
project managment team, Yanbu re nery, contractors, loss-prevention employees,
inspectors, and other parties. Traditionally, the various stakeholders had different
interests, lack of common objectives, lack of transparency, and inadequate planning and
communication. This often led to project delays. Saudi Aramco initiated the team concept
for this project, integrating all stakeholders into one overall team.

Bene ts of the team concept included reduced project costs because everybody worked
for the same company; shared and achieved common objectives; prepared planning and
coordination for common activities such as the distributed control system,
instrumentation, electrical, etc.; and it created a positive environment for operations.
Use an automated mechanical completion acceptance system to manage exception items
and mechanical completion certi cate approvals. Previous projects used a conventional
manual hardcopy report system for tracking exception items. Yanbu projects have
successfully used an automated system automatically to log, track, and close exception
items.

The automated system helped us expedite exception item handling through an easy-to-
use system, improve transparency, achieve project accountability, support focusing on
project completion and closure, better track exception items, generate many variety of
useful reports, reduce documentation, and save time.
Ensure consistencies in vendor data. During commissioning, we observed that one of the
equipment nameplate recommend using an oil-type material while the equipment
document and manual referred to different material types. The team contacted the
vendor, which con rmed that the manual was correct. Equipment nameplate and
manuals should match each other.
Consider inspecting equipment. One of the vessels failed during start-up. The
investigation revealed that there was no requirement governing the internal inspection
of vessels. We learned that the vendor and plant owner should inspect vessel interiors to
avoid unexpected problems.

Based on an article that appeared in the Saudi Aramco Journal of Technology, Fall 2007, p. 49.

The authors
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Mohammed A. Balamesh (mohammed.balamesh@Aramco.com) is a process engineer working

at Saudi Aramco’s process and control system department, Dhahran. He joined Saudi Aramco
in November 1990. Balamesh has 9 years of re ning experience, working in Saudi Aramco
re neries in Jiddah, Ras Tanura, and Yanbu. He also has 5 years’ experience working with
process engineering in Dhahran. Balamesh holds a BS from King Abdul Aziz University, Jiddah,
and an MS from the University of Tulsa, both in chemical engineering.

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Rabea M. Al-Saggaf is a process engineer at Saudi Aramco, Yanbu. He joined Saudi Aramco in
1996 and has 10 years of re ning experience. He holds a BS in chemical engineering (1996)
from King Abdul Aziz University, Jiddah.

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