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Asphalt Binder Production

Dan WeidmanBP- Bitumen BU

December 7, 2006

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How is bitumen made?How is bitumen made?

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how a refinery makes good quality bitumen

Overview

• Process– how a refinery makes bitumen– how are the different bitumen products made

• Quality– how a refinery makes good quality bitumen

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Oil products – global consumption

Total = 75 Million barrels/day in 2000

Source: BP

LPG (6.5) Propylene (0.5)

Gasoline (19.7)Naphtha (4.2)

Aromatics (0.9)

Jet and Kerosene (6)

Diesel & Heating oil (20) Lubricants (0.7)

Inland Fuel Oil (8.7)

Refinery Fuel (3.3)Marine FO (2.1) Bitumen (1.5) Coke (0.9)

(80 Million barrels/day in 2004)

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3 - 45 - 10

12 - 18

18 - 2424 - 40

24 - ~300~40 - ~300

Carbonnumber

Boilingpoint (°C)

-10 - 1515 - 150

150 - 260

230 - 370370 - 525

370 -525 -

Product properties

LPGGasoline

Kerosene

Diesel

Lubricating oils

Heavy fuel oil

Bitumen

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Complex refinery process flow diagramRefinery GasLPG

EthylenePropylene

Benzene

o-Xylene

p-Xylene

Solvents

Aviation Fuel

Diesel / Light heating oilGasoline

Methanol

Ammonia

Sulphur

Bitumen

Petroleum coke

Petroleum coke

Heavy fuel oil

Gases

Naphtha

Middle distillates

Gasoil

Residue

Crude Oil Cru

de o

il di

stilla

tion

VacuumUnit

Reformer

Calciner

Gas Plant

AromaticsUnits

OlefinUnits

Dealkyl.Hydrofiner

HT/FCC

Hydro-cracker

Vis-breaker

Coker

CHD

Bitumen

H2S-GasRefinery

MethanolSynthesis

PartialOxidation Ammonia

Synthesis

Claus

Isomerisation

Alkylation

Separations Conversion Treatments

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Atmospheric residue

GasGasoline

125 °C150 °C

165 °C

250°C300 °C

280 °C

Pre-heatedcrude oil

Watercondenser

Atmospheric distillation

Kerosine

Gas oil

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Vacuumdistillates

Vacuum residue(bitumen feedstock)

46 °C

110 °C

185 °C

260°C340 °C

Pre-heatedatmosphericresidue

Watercondenser

385 °C

Vacuum

350 °C(525 °C)

Vacuum distillation

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Simplest production route for bitumen

Heavycrudes

VacuumDistillation

AtmosphericDistillation

Hard

Soft

Blended grades

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Higher boiling point = harder bitumen

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000

True Boiling Point, °C

Res

idue

yie

ld, %

wt

Atmosphericdistillation

Vacuumdistillation

200 pen 42 pen

Distillation curve for Arab Heavy

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Essential properties of refined bitumen

• Specific consistency at key temperatures• Durability = resistance to ageing• Adhesion• Cohesion• Low fuming tendency

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Bituminous products

Bitumenbase

NormalPaving

PolymerModified

+ polymer

Emulsion+ water& soap

Oxidised+ flux &blowing

Cut Back+ kerosene

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Bitumen quality depends mainly on choice of crude

0.6

0.65

0.7

0.75

0.8

0.85

0.9

0.95

1

0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10

Sulphur in crude, %wt

Cru

de d

ensi

ty, k

g/l

Heavy

Sweet

Sweet

Sour

SourHeavy Heavy

Light Light

SourSweet

Light

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Refinery activities that influence bitumen

Planning

Scheduling

Processing

Blending Loading

Months Weeks Days Hours

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Summary of Feedstock Selection Criteria

Available processequipment

Composition Impact onother products

BitumenYield

EconomicQuality

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Product yield varies from crude to crude

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Sahara

n Blend

West T

exas

Inter

mediat

eBren

t Blen

dAmen

amWali

o Export

Isthmus

Terra N

ovaArab

Med

iumDubai

Export

Alaska

North

SlopeBcf-1

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Demand in 20

00

Volu

me

dist

illed LPG

NaphthaKeroseneGas OilVacuum Residue

API gravity

Sulphur, %wt

45.2 39.8 37.9 37.8 36.3 32.8 31.8 30.8 30.4 27.9 16.2

0.09 0.39 0.44 0.16 0.56 1.36 0.56 2.40 2.05 1.11 2.33

Source: BP

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To make good quality bitumen

• Bitumen that meets specs & is fit for purpose– specific refinery components– with the right physical properties– determined by composition

• determined by choice of raw materials

• and processing –and know-how

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Distillation curves

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000

True Boiling Point, °C

Res

idue

yie

ld, %

wt

Atmosphericdistillation

Vacuumdistillation

Cerro Negro

Isla

AH

Kuwait

Iran Light

UralsCossack

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Heavy crudes are best for bitumen

FortiesCPC Blend

BCF17

WTI Brent

ANS

Arab Light

Dubai Export

UralsMaya

LLK

Souedie

Mars

Kirkuk

WTS

Known bitumen crude

Other crude

0.6

0.65

0.7

0.75

0.8

0.85

0.9

0.95

1

0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10

Sulphur in crude, %wt

Cru

de d

ensi

ty, k

g/l

20

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Canadian crude to US

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Summary

• Adhesive, durable, waterproof, thermoplastic

• Many applications• Not all residues suitable• Complex chemistry• Processing /modifiers can alter properties• Heavy oil production growing