REFINING PROCESS - OVERVIEW

A.Ramasubramanian Chennai Process Head

CHENNAI / DATE XX/XX/XXXX

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What is Crude Oil ?
Latin name, comes from : Petra (Rock) and Oleum(Oil)
Petroleum is a fossil fuel which is mainly a mixture of organic compounds called
hydrocarbons made of hydrogen and carbon.
Normally Black in color
Available in plenty in Middle East (Persian Gulf)Also available in North & western
Africa, Indonesia, South & Central America, Scandinavia
In India, it is available in Bombay High, Krishna-Godhavari basin, Assam & Rajasthan
Key properties to classify crude oil
API Gravity (141.5/ Sp. Gravity -131.5) and Viscosity.
Classification according to sulfur content
Sweet crude: Sulfur equal or less than 0.5%
Sour crude: Sulfur more than 0.5%

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Need For Refining ?

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Need For Refining ?

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Propane /
Butane(LPG)
Pet.chem Feed
Gasoline
Jet Fuel
Diesel
Oil is
separated
into its
constituents
by
distillation,
and some of
these
components
are further
separated by
chemical
reactions and
different
solvents.

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Bunker fuel
Various
hydrocarbons
produced are
then
chemically
altered using
catalytic
process to
make them
more suitable
for their
intended
purpose..

Lube

H2S
extracted
from refinery
gas is
converted to
Sulfur

Coke /
Bitumen

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Refining History

Invention of
IC engines
Increased
gasoline
and diesel
demand

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Need
for high
octane
and
cetane
fuels

Ban on lead
usage
MTBE and
other octane
boosters
SOx and NOx
Limiting
benzene

Fluctuating oil
price
Availability of
cheaper
sources oil
sands
Refinery
margin

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Typical Chemical composition of Crude
Carbon
Hydrogen
Sulphur
Nitrogen
Oxygen
Metals

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- 83 87 %
- 10 14 %
- 0.05 6 %
- 0.1 2 %
- 0.05 1.5 %
- 0 0.14 %

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Classification of Crude
Sulphur content
close to 1% - Sweet crude
others sour crude
More than 2.5% - Highly sour crude.
Sulphur can be invarious forms such as Thiols, Sulphides, Cyclic
sulphides, disulphides, thiophenes, etc.
Sulphur compounds poses environmental concern..
Oxygenic compounds :
Alcohols, ehers, cyclic ether, furan, carboxylic acids, naphthenic acids etc.
Nowadays increasingly high TAN crudes are being processed. It increases
corrosion problems in refinery.
Nitrogen compounds : Pyrrole, indole, carbozole, benzocarbozole,
pyridine, etc
Nitrogen acts as catalyst poison and poses nitrogen oxide emission
threats.
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Classification of Crude
Metals : Metals present as inorganic salts and as porphyrins ( Ni, V, Mg
etc) These salts are removed in daslting process.
Ni & V prophyrins act as catalyst poisons

Characterization of Crude
Based on various factors :
Trading
Transportation
Contaminants
Processability
Cracking Point
Classification

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: Density, API gravity

: RVP , Pour point, Wax Content
: Salt, BS&W
: Sulphur, Nitrogen, TAN, Asphaltene, MCR
: ASTM Distillation
: Characterisation factor.

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Characterization of Crude
API Gravity
API Gravity ( 141.5/Specific Gravity ) 131.5
API > 31 , Light crude oil
API 22 31 , Mixed Based
API < 22 , Heavy Crude
(API is a major Factor for crude pricing )
Sulphur :
Sulphur < 0.5 wt %, Crude is sweet
Sulphur 0.5 1 , medium sour
Sulphur > 1 wt %, Sour Crude
Based on Sulphur and API, there are basically 4 types of crude
available :
API
S, Wt%

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Light Sweet 30 - 40

< 0.5

Light Sour

0.5 - 1.5

30 - 40

Heavy Sour 15 - 30

1.5 - 3

Extra Heavy < 15

>3

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Characterization of Crude
TAN
Crudes are termed as high Acid crude if TAN of crude is > 0.5mg KOH/gm Crude Oil
UOP Characterisation Factor (K UOP )
k > 12.1 , Paraffinic crude (Very waxy, less asphaltic, low sulphur, high pour point)
k 12.1 11.5 , Cycleic ( Naphthenic base stocks, low wax, less asphalt, low pour point)
K < 10 .5 , Aromatic ( more aromatic, high sulpur, nitrogen)
Conradason Carbon Number :

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Yield Pattern of Various Crudes

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Yield Pattern of Various Crudes

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Impact of Crudes type on refinery design
Overall Refinery Configuration
Product separation
Product Processing
Material selection
Gross refinery margin
Crude oil selection is impacts on the overall Refinery Economics ( both crude
cost and Processing cost)
Refiners need low Sulphur crudes ( and lighter crude), Impact is higher
costs and lower processing cost
Refiners prefer low acidic crudes

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Major
Refinery
Products
LPG
Cu Corrosion = not more than 1 strip
RVP - 1050 Kpa, Max

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MS

Density = 720 - 775 kg / m2

RON = 91 min
Sulphur = 50 ppm
Dbenzene = 1 Vol % max

ATF

Density = 775 - 840 kg /m3

Flash point = 38 C
Sulphur
Smoke point = 20mm, min

SKO

Density = 790 - 820 kg/m3

Flash point = 35 C
Smoke point = 18 mm , min

Diesel

Density = 820 - 845 kg/*m3

Sulphut =
Cetane number = 51 min
Recovery at 360C = 95 min

Kinetic visc @ 50C = 125 max( winter, 180

Fuel Oil (summer)
Sulphur = 4wt%
Ash = 0.1 wt% max
Bitume
nt
Penetration at25C = 1/10 mm, min
Flash point = 175 C min
Softening point = 45 - 55 Deg C
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Constraints for Refinery
1) Spiraling crude cost
2) Current refinery configuration not able to meet clean fuel spec for MS or HSD
3) Lower distillate production
4) Need to produce value added products to improve refinery margin
5) Older technologies ( higher energy consumption)
6) Environmental issues

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Refining History

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Product specifications have been attracting close attention of environmentalists as well as

equipment manufacturers.
Products like diesel and gasoline are being specifically targeted for quality improvement.
Lubricating oils are also being looked at with a view to meeting API Grade II/Grade III
specifications.
The main implications of the changes in the product quality are:
Increasing use of hydro conversion to upgrade heavy stocks into value added product
as well as improve the quality of distillates.
Installation of Gas sweetening, Sulphur Recovery (99% min) to meet environmental
stipulations.
These requirements have lead to significant investments but without a corresponding premium
on the product prices.
Accordingly, refineries have to look at ways and means to improve their product pattern to
produce more value added products, improve the energy efficiency so that total operating
costs can be minimized.
Addition of conversion facilities to upgrade heavy residues, which were being sold as fuel oil
has also assumed importance.
This has necessitated a close examination of refinery configurations and almost all the
refineries are taking up studies to critically look at facilities, which would be required to meet
the future product specifications while ensuring that operations remain profitable.
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Refining Configuration
Refinery crudes are either light, moderate and heavy crudes
Light and moderate crudes are targeted for gas, naphtha, diesel,
LGO / HGO fractions
Heavy crudes are targeted for coke and residue products.
Based on the crude quality and product requirements refinery
topography varies.
Broadly the refinery configurations are classified as based on the
products targeted :
- Fuel maximization Very prominent in countries such as India
- Coke production
- Lubricants and lube oil base
- Petrochemicals
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Refining Configuration

Refineries can be classified into groups of comparable refineries defined by refinery

complexity

Complexity factor denotes the extent, capability and capital intensity of the refinery. The
higher the complexity factor, the greater the refinerys investment and greater the refinerys
ability to add value to crude oil

In general refineries are classified based on complexity :

Topping refineries : Having only CDU and basic support operations. They cannot control
product sulfur levels. ( Complexity factor <2)
Hydro skimming refineries include topping + catalytic reforming, hydro treating and product
blending ( complexity factor 2-6)
Conversion or cracking refineries include hydro skimming and hydrocracking + catalytic
cracking which can transform heavy crude to light and middle distillates ( 6-12)
Deep conversion or coking include Conversion + coking which can destroy heaviest crude
fraction into lighter streams.( complexity factor >12)

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Refining Configuration
A Refinery configuration refers to group and type of process units in
the refinery with their capacities.
Refinery configuration is arrived at based on type of crude processed,
desired product quality and quantity and market demand
Linear Programming packages are generally used to arrive at an
optimum configuration maximizing the profit and minimizing the
investment.
Product pattern is based on refinery configuration and the crude
processed.
More complex configuration gives more value addition to the products ,
but it has to be seen whether the investment is commensurate with the
benefits.

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Refinery Processing Blocks Classes

of Refining process

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Product Specifications
521/522
H2

H2

234
PSA

C1
221

231/232
PLAT

HNUU
331
SAT
LPG
MEROX

LPG

HN

251
OX-FR

281
TATORAY
261/262/263
PAREX

P-XYLENE
LPG
PC NAPHTHA

HN
471
LNUF

LN
341
KERO
MEROX
KERO

311/312
CDU

LAB FEED
KERO / ATF

351/352
DIESEL
UNI.FIN

LPG

415
UNSAT
LPG
MEROX

LPG

GAS OIL

414
UNSAT
GCU

HN

LN
311/312

361/362
VGO
UNI.FIN

VGO

VDU

411/412/413
FCC

COKER

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371
DCU

LCO

COKE

431/452/
453
ARU

PP
PROPYLENE
180-215
GT FUEL

RFG

TAME
CSO

431
ARU

551/552
PP

DIESEL
ETHYLENE

MS

HCGO

441
SWS

ETYL
REC

422
PROP
REC

416
GASOL
MEROX

GAS
PLANT

LCGO
VR

180-215

C5

372
LN

HARN
GT FUEL
O-XYLENE

271/272/273
ISOMAR

241/242/243
XYL FR

HN

321/322
SAT
GCU

CRUDE

BENZENE
TOLUENE

H2

CSO
SULFUR
COKE

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Refining History

GASOLINE BLENDING

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Refining History
Gasoline Specification in India
Bharat Bharat Bharat
Bharat
Characteristics
Unit
Stage II Stage III Stage IV Stage V

Serial
No.
1

Proposed year

Density 150C
Distillation
a) Recovery up to 70C(E70)

Kg/m3
710770

%Volume
1045

b) Recovery up to 100

C (E100)

%Volume

c) Recovery up to 180 0 C (E180)

2005

2010

720775

1045

720775

1045

4070

4070

4070

%Volume

90

d) Recovery up to 150 0 C (E150)

%Volume

75min

75min

e) Final Boiling Point (FBP), Max

f) Residue Max

C
%
Volume

210
2

210
2

210
2

91

91

2017
(proposed)

Research Octane Number (RON), Min

88

Anti Knock Index (AKI)/ MON, Min

84 (AKI)

81 (MON) 81 (MON)

Sulphur, Total, Max

% mass

0.05

150mg/Kg 50mg/Kg

10mg/Kg

Lead Content(as Pb), Max

g/l

0.013

0.005

0.005

Reid Vapour Pressure (RVP), Max

Kpa

3560

60

60

Benzene, Content, Max

10 a) For Metros
b)For the rest
11 Olefin content, Max
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2001

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Aromatic

Content, Max

% Volume

3
5
-

21

21

% Volume

42

35<

% Volume

REFINERY OVER VIEW Gasoline Upgrading

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Purpose of Gasoline Upgrading
1)

Sulphur Reduction in Gasoline pool

- Main Contribution is from FCC Naphtha
- Reducing FCC naphtha either by FEED hydro treatment or FCC Naphtha feed hydro treatment

2) Benzene Reduction
- Avoid Benzene Production
- Convert or destroy Benzene
- Recover Benzene for petrochemical production
3) Aromatics Reduction - decreases octane
- Extract aromatics for petrochemicals
- Reduce severity of operation in reformer
4) Olefins Management in gasoline pool
- Main contributor is FCC gasoline
- FCC Naphtha treating can be implemented but will decrease octane
- Etherification however oxygenates future is uncertain
5) Octane Management in Gasoline pool
- Light naphtha isomerization good effect on olefin, less sulfur, aromatic and olefins, however additional capital
investment and higher RVP
- Etherification
- Alkylation good in terms of sulfur, aromatics and olefins, RVP etc. Handling of acid safety concern
- Reforming : main constituent of MS pool for octane improvement however high aromatic content hence use is
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limited
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REFINERY OVER VIEW OCTANE Comparison

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REFINERY OVER VIEW MS Stream qualities

Stream

Density, kg/m^3

RON

MON

S, ppmw

CRN

733.4

93

80.6

2400

Light Isomerate

643.7

88.9

88.2

Reformate

834

103

91

Light FCC Gasoline

668

94.6

81.8

250

Heavy FCC Gasoline

792

81.3

76.3

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Stream

Benzene, vol%

Aromatics,
vol%

Olefins, vol
%

RVP, kPa

1.8

24.3

35.5

55.15

107.1

Reformate

0.98

83.07

1.2

14.7

Light FCC Gasoline

0.7

0.9

65.7

100

Heavy FCC Gasoline

0.08

26.6

0.75

CRN
Light Isomerate

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REFINERY OVER VIEW MS Stream qualities

Stream

Advantages

Limitations

Light
Isomerate

Low Density
Nil Olefin /Sulfur
/Benzene/Aromatics

High RVP

Reformate

High RON
Nil Sulfur/Low Olefins

High Density/Aromatics

Light FCC
Gasoline

High RON/Low Density

High Sulfur/Olefins/ RVP

Low Sulfur /Benzene

olefins/RVP

High Aromatics/
Low RON

Heavy FCC
Gasoline

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REFINERY OVER VIEW impact of BS V on

Indian Refineries

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REFINERY OVER VIEW MS Stream qualities

LPG
NAPHTHA HYDROTRTEATER &
ISOMERISATION

ISOMERATE

SR FULL RANGE
NAPHTHA
NAPHTHA
SPLITTER UNIT

H2

NHT/CCR

FG
REFORMATE

MAKE UP H2
TREATED LIGHT
FCC GASOLINE
PURGE GAS

TREATED HEAVY
FCC GASOLINE

FCC NAPHTHA
SELECTIVE HYDROGENATION
& SPLITTER SECTION
PRIME G+ UNIT
MAKE UP H2
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H2 MAKE UP FROM CCR

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Refining History

GAS OIL BLENDING

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Refining History Technological options for Bottoms of Barrel Up gradation

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Refining History
Diesel Specification in India
S. No

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Characteristic

BSII

BSIII

BSIV

820-800

820845

820845

Density Kg/m3 15 C

Sulphur Content mg/kg max

500

350

50

3(a)

Cetane Number minimum and /

or

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51

51

3(b)

Cetane Index

or

and

and

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46

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11

11

Polycyclic Aromatic
Hydrocarbon

Distillation

(a)

Reco. Min. At 350 C

85

(b)

Reco. Min. At 370 C

95

(c)

95%Vol Reco at C

360

360

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BSV

10

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Refining History Diesel Pool
1)

Sulphur Reduction in Diesel

- low sulphur crudes limitiation of high price
- Hydrotreating of various diesel streams
- Install / revamp DHDS / DHDT units in existing refinery
2)Aromatics Reduction
- Choosing high paraffinic crudes
- choose low aromatic diesel blend stock ( divert high aromatic diesel to fuel oil affects in overall refinery profitability
and diesel volume)
3) Severe Hydrotreating using NiMo catalyst( for severe aromatic saturation noble metal catalyst required) higher
investment
4) Cetane improvement
- Hydrocracking and aromatics saturation
- Usage of cetane improvement additives
5) Density Reduction
- can be achieved during deep hydrodesulphurization and depends upon feedstock, sulfur removal, saturation of di /
tri aromatic compounds
6) 95% distillation point
- adjust the draws of CDU results in reduction of diesel volume, reduction in heavy aromatics, density reduction,
improvement in cold flow properties

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- Mild hydrocracking

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OVER VIEW
Refining History Impact of BS V Diesel on Indian Refineries

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Refining History Technological options for Bottoms of Barrel Up
gradation

Need for Heavy Ends Processing

1)Crude Slate has become heavier

2)Concentration of sulfur and other contaminants has been increasing

3)Sulfur specification becoming more stringent
4)Demand for Fuel oil is declining
5)Cost of Light crude relative to heavy crude is increasing
Two Types of technologies are available
1)Removal of Carbon
- Visbreaking, Delayed Coker, Solvent Deasphalting, Resid FCC
2)Addition of H2
- Catalytic Hydrocracking process
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Refining History

Refineries becoming more complex with different types of processing

units

Increased hydrogenation process and higher hydrogen demand

This results in adverse impact on refinery margin along with oil and
product price

Technology to minimize the residual products and usage of

unconventional oil sources

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Integration of refining and petrochemical industries

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CRUDE DISTILLATION

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Refinery Processing
CRUDE DISTILLATION

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Refinery Processing Feed Preheat

and Desalting

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Refinery Processing
typical Feed Preheat

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Refinery Processing - CDU

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Separates crude oil into various

fractions or straight-run cuts.
Crude boiling range is between 30
to 650 0C.
The temperature of crude is to be
kept below 380 0C to avoid
thermal cracking.
The desalted crude is preheated
using recovered process heat and
direct fired heater.
CDU or atmospheric distillation
unit is operated slightly above
atmospheric pressure.

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Refinery Processing - VDU

Distillation of atmospheric
residue under vacuum to boil off
heavier cuts
Superheated steam is injected
with the feed and in the tower
bottom to reduce hydrocarbon
partial pressure
The principles resembles those
of fractional distillation except
that larger diameter columns are
used to maintain comparable
vapor velocities at the reduced
pressures.

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Refinery Processing - VDU

Internal designs of some vacuum column are different from
atmospheric column Random packing and demister pads are used
instead of trays.
Vacuum column is operated to meet two types of objectives:
To generate feed for FCC/ Hydrocracker for cracking
To generate raw lube cuts for lube oil manufacture.
Vacuum column operation is also of two types
Dry vacuum for FCC/ HC feed and
Wet vacuum for lubes.
Lube cuts need good separation. It uses more of steam, hence
called Wet Vacuum.
For FCC/ HC feed, aim is to distil out to a max cut temperature and
separation between the cuts is not important.
So dry vacuum operation is at lowest pressure with minimum of
stripping steam.

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Refinery Processing
Typical Cut Point definitions

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Refinery Processing
Cut point, Over lap and Tails

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Refinery Processing
Cut point, Over lap and Tails

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Refinery Processing
typical yields

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HYDROPROCESSING

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HYDROPROCESSING

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HYDROPROCESSING - Purpose

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HYDROPROCESSING
Characteristics of Products

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HYDROPROCESSING
Characteristics of Products

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HYDROPROCESSING Trends

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HYDROPROCESSING Catalysts

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HYDROPROCESSING HDS

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HYDROPROCESSING Typ process

parameters

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HYDROPROCESSING
Naphtha Hydrotreating

Product Fractionation
Pentane / hexane overhead either to blending or isomerization

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Bottoms to reformer

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HYDROPROCESSING
Distillate Hydrotreating

In general, all liquid distillate streams contain sulfur compounds that must be
removed

Saturate olefins in diesel to improve the cetane number

Hydrogenation at high pressure produces small amounts of naphtha due to

hydrocracking

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Operating conditions depend on feedstock ( jet or diesel)

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HYDROPROCESSING
Gasoil Hydrotreating

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HYDROPROCESSING
Hydrocracking

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HYDROPROCESSING
Hydrocracker Feeds

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HYDROPROCESSING
Hydrocracker Products

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Refinery Processing Hydrocracker Unit

Different Configurations
Single-stage once through: For mild hydrocracking or when a significant quantity of
unconverted oil is required for FCC, lubes, or ethylene units.
Single-stage recycle: For lower capacity units when economical.
Two-stage recycle processes.
A two-stage hydrocracker with intermediate distillation represents the most
common process configuration for maximizing middle distillates.

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HYDROPROCESSING
Hydrotreating

Hydrocracking

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Technologies

HYDROPROCESSING
Hydrogen consumption

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HYDROPROCESSING
Hydrogen sources

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GASOLINE UPGRADING

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GASOLINE UPGRADING

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Refinery Processing Catalytic Reformer

Reformer is used to produce high Octane gasoline or aromatics.

Feed ON = 50, Product ON = 90-105

Reformer gasoline represents up to 50% gasoline pool

Hydrogen is a valuable side product

Its capacity is fixed based on:

gasoline demand or

aromatics production target or both.

Reactions are : Conversion of paraffin and naphthenes to aromatics at high temperature (480520 0C), pressure (4-20 bar) and catalyst (Platinum or Pt-Rh based).
Feed must be pretreated to remove poisons( S, N, metals, Olefins)
Heavy Naphtha cut to be used as feedstock in reforming need to be tailored (by naphtha
fractionation) as

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60 -90 0C for Benzene extraction

90 -110 0C for Toluene extraction

110 -140 0C for Xylene extraction

Preferably 90 -160 0C for gasoline making.

Licensor : UOP/ Axens /

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Refinery Processing Catalytic Reformer

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Refinery Processing Catalytic Reformer

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Refinery Processing Catalytic Reformer

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Refinery Processing Alkylation Unit

(to be covered in Alkylation module)

Application : Propylene, butylenes and sometimes pentylenes (also known as

amylenes) are catalytically combined with iso-butane to form iso-octane.

Product : Alkylate produced have high octane and low vapor pressure
characteristics.

It contains no olefins, aromatics or sulfur.

Alkylate has an octane around 95 (R+M)/2

Low vapor pressure making it a valuable gasoline blending component

particularly for premium grade products.

Alkylation is carried in the presence of a strong acid catalyst (either

hydrofluoric (HF) or sulfuric acid)

Sulfuric Acid Alkylation runs at 35-60F (2-15C) to minimize

polymerization reactions

HF Alkylation, which is less sensitive to polymerization reactions, runs at

70-100F (20-38C).
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Refinery Processing Alkylation Unit

(to be covered in Alkylation module)

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Chilling or refrigeration is required to remove heat of reaction.

Alkylation products are distilled to remove propane, iso-butane
and alkylate.
Sulfuric acid sludge must be removed and regenerated.
HF is neutralized with KOH, which may be regenerated and
returned to the process
Licensors : UOP /
Stratco /
Conocophilips/Exx
on/IFP/Uhde

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Refinery Processing FCC Unit

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Objective : To Convert Heavy Vacuum Gas Oil to valuable distillates like

LPG, Gasoline, Diesel
Feed : VGO / RCO / VR / Hydrocracker Bottom
Catalyst : Silica & Alumina Zeolite
Products : Product require further processing. Gasoline from FCC will
have high Sulfur content. Hydro processing may be required
Olefins may be sent to alkylation unit to produce alkylate having high
octane numbers

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Refinery Processing FCC Unit

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Refinery Processing FCC Unit

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Refinery Processing FCC Unit

FCC technology is the oldest secondary process and still continues to be

the most versatile.
Application : Conversion of wide range of heavy oils to useful products.
Feeds include straight-run atmospheric gas oils, vacuum gas oils, certain
atmospheric residues

and heavy stocks

Products:
High-octane gasoline, light fuel oils and olefin-rich light gases like propylene for
petrochemical use and butenes needed for the alkylation process .

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Present day FCC units are used to maximize both gasoline and
propylene (petrochemical feedstock).
Present FCC units are also expected to have a continuous run lengths of
over 3 years.
Very fine catalyst flow like liquid in fluidized bed.
Catalyst (silica-alumina type) improved from amorphous to zeolite type
and further through use of additives like ZSM.
Favored at high temperatures (510 550 C), low pressures (1-2 bar).
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Refinery Processing FCC Unit

Operation flexibility as per product and market demand.
Licensor :
Shell/ Exxon/ Axens /S&W
/ UOP / KBR/ Lummus

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BOTTOM OF BARREL PROCESSING

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Refinery Processing Visbreaking

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Refinery Processing Visbreaking

Visbreaking is mild and controlled thermal cracking.
Viscosity reduction helps in reducing cutter stocks used for dilution.
Pour Point reduction helps in flow properties.
Crack long paraffin chains off aromatic compounds.
No coking reactions.
Two types of Visbreaking process:
Coil Visbreaking
Soaker Visbreaking
Tradeoff between furnace temperature and residence time for visbreaking
operations.
Longer residence time leads to lower furnace outlet temperatures. Temperature
between 800-930F (425-500C).
Pressure ranges between 300-750 psi(20-50 bar).
Licensor : FW / UOP /Lummus
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Refinery Processing Delayed Coking

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Refinery Processing Delayed Coking

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Refinery Processing Lube Oil Plant

A conventional lube plant will comprise of 5 units as given in the flow chart.
The Vacuum unit and the PDA unit are the mother units for generating raw
cuts of required viscosity.
The other three units are meant for meeting quality needs.
The first two units operate on continuous basis, while other operate on a
cyclic mode taking feed from storage.

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Refinery Processing Lube Oil Plant

Purpose of the PDA unit is to generate DAO or de-asphalted oil, to make the
heaviest types of lube stocks (called Bright Stock) used to make gear oils.
It uses propane solvent to extract DAO from residue.
Asphalt causes carbon deposits and need to be removed.
The next unit, namely extraction unit improves VI of the oil by extracting
aromatics by use of solvents like phenol or furfural or NMP.
Hydrocracker bottom also provides material for making very high VI lubes and
this is considered as a supplementary unit to solvent extraction.
Naphthenic components give best quality. Aromatics have low VI.
The purpose of dewaxing is to remove waxes, so that oils do not congeal and it
is also achieved by using solvent like MEK + Toluene
Hydrofinishing helps to improve the color of final lube base oils.

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Refinery Processing Merox Unit

(to be presented in detail durign individual session)

Merox process is used to remove Mercaptans by extraction (from lighter

components like LPG) and by conversion to disulfides for heavier
components.
Feed may include LPG, naphtha, gasoline, kerosene, jet fuel, and heating oils.
The reactions that are responsible for removal of Mercaptans take place in
presence of Merox catalyst and aqueous caustic solution are:
RSH +1/4 O2 = RSSR + H2O
RSH + NaOH= NaSR+ H2O
NaSR+ 1/4 O2 + H2O = NaOH+ RSSR
Typical product mercaptan levels can be controlled to less than 10 wppm.

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Refinery Processing
Support Processes

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Refinery Processing
Hydrogen and H2S path way

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Refinery Processing Hydrogen

generating unit
(discussed in specific session)

Consumption in hydrotreater sand hydrocracker unit.

Feed: Light hydrocarbons Nickel catalyst in vertical tubes situated in the radiant furnace of
the reformer Steam methane reforming (SMR) plants have continued to be the leading
technology for generation of hydrogen in refining and petrochemical complexes.

These plants consist of four basic sections:

The first is feedstock treatment where sulphur and other contaminants are removed
The second is the steam methane reformer, which converts feedstock and steam to
syngas at high temperature and moderate pressure
The third section is the syngas heat recovery and incorporates CO shift reactor/s to
increase the hydrogen yield
The final section is raw hydrogen purification, in which pressure swing adsorption (PSA)
unit removes CO, CO2and CH4gases to achieve the final product purity.
In addition to the core process sections, compression is often needed to raise the
feedstock and product hydrogen pressures.

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Refinery Processing
Liquid sweetening

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Refinery Processing Merox Unit

Merox process utilizes a high efficiency gas-liquid contacting design to extract
low molecular weight mercaptans from a refinery gas stream using a strong
aqueous caustic solution.
The mercaptide - rich solvent, which contains the Merox catalyst, is sent to the
regeneration section where air is injected and the mercaptides present are
oxidized to disulfides.
The disulfides are subsequently separated from the solvent and; the
regenerated lean caustic solvent is recycled back to the Merox Extractor.

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Refinery Processing Offsite and

Utilities
Cooling water system
De-mineralized water unit To produce BFW for power and
steam generation
Plant Air and Instrumentation Air
Nitrogen system
Product Storage and Tank Farm
Flare System
Effluent Treatment Plant
Fire Water System
Product loading and unloading facilities
Cogeneration power plants

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Refinery Processing Product Blendstock

Blending of refinery streams of various proportion to meet the required product
properties and performance characteristics
Blending is required because
Refineries does not produce single blend component in sufficient volume to
meet demand
Many streams have properties that satisfy one or few characteristics but
not all.
Cost minimization dictates that refined products are blended to meet rather
than exceed the specifications.
Gasoline blending is the most complex and highly automated blending
operation.

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Refinery Processing Product

Blendstock

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Refinery Processing
Product Bloodstock

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Refinery & Petrochemical Integration

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Refinery & Petrochemical Interface

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Refinery & Petrochemical integration

- C2/C3 olefins complex

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Refinery & Petrochemical integration

- C2/C3 olefins complex

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Refinery & Petrochemical integration

- C2/C3 olefins complex

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Refinery & Petrochemical integration

- C2/C3 olefins complex

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Refinery & Petrochemical integration

- Mixed C4 Integration

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Refinery & Petrochemical integration

- Aromatics Configuration

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Refinery & Petrochemical integration

- Summary

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Thank you

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