A FLEXIBLE HYDROCRACKING PROCESS FOR HEAVY FEEDSTOCKS

The H-OilRC process uses ebullated-bed hydrocracking technology to process heavy feedstock residues with high metals, sulfur, nitrogen, asphaltenes and solid contents. High levels of conversion can be reached without any production of coke material.

Settled Catalyst Level

Expanded Catalyst Level

Distributor Grid Plate

Hydrogen and Feed Oil

Catalyst Addition

Recycle Cup

Ebullated Bed

Ebullating Pump

Gas / LiquidSeparator

Recycle OilCatalyst Withdrawal

The ebullated-bed reactor scheme

Reactor liquid feed, hydrogen and catalyst particles are back-mixed in the ebullated bed reactor. Back mixing eliminates potential plugging or channeling while the internal liquid recycle helps maintain nearly isothermal operation with low and constant pressure drop.

Fresh catalyst can be added and spent catalyst withdrawn to control the level of catalyst activity in the reactor enabling constant yields and product quality over time. There is no run-length constraint as catalyst is added on-line. Alternatively, operating conditions can be varied to achieve a range of conversion and product quality to meet seasonal demands or changes in crude slate.

H-OilRC process effectively utilizes the exothermic heat of reaction to pre-heat the feedstock, substantially reducing pre-heat furnace duties. Where conventional fixed-bed residue hydrotreaters are limited to catalyst

H-OilRC Process EBULLATED-BED HEAVY RESIDUE HYDROCRACKING

®

cycle lengths, the H-OilRC process can achieve the two- to four-year turnaround cycles to match that of the FCC unit and requires only one or two reactors.

PROCESS DESCRIPTION

In the simplified H-OilRC process flow diagram below, oil feed and hydrogen are preheated and fed to the first ebullated-bed reactor. An ebullating pump provides back mixing and maintains the expanded catalyst bed level. An inter-stage separator is installed so that maximum single-train capacities exceeding 90,000 barrels per day are possible, depending upon severity of operation, shipping constraints for the reactors and the design configuration of the plant. Atmospheric and vacuum fractionators recover the distillate products.

H-OilReactors

Make-Up H2

Resid Feed

Heater

Heater

HP Air Cooler

HP HT Separator

HP LTSeparator

Inter Stage Separator

MP HT Separator

MP LT Separator

MP AbsMP Abs

HP AbsHP Abs

HP MemHP Mem PSAPSAFuel G

1st

Stage1st

Stage3rd

Stage3rd

Stage2nd

Stage2nd

Stage

Atmospheric& Vacuum

Fractionation

Atmospheric& Vacuum

Fractionation

NaphthaGasoilVGOVR

Sour Gas

Typical two-stages H-OilRC unit configuration

We have made major improvements in reducing capital and operating costs. Among the improvements are: a new hydrogen management system where recycle compressor are no longer needed; the InterStage Separator (IS²); and the reduced catalyst consumption through the Cascade Catalyst Utilization (C²U).

The design pressure, number of reactor stages, catalyst type, and catalyst replacement rate are selected to optimize the H-OilRC unit’s performance to meet refiners’ objectives.

H-OilRC ALONE OR INTEGRATED WITH OTHER CONVERSION TECHNOLOGIES

An H-OilRC reactor can achieve residue conversions over 75% while producing high quality distillates and unconverted bottoms that can be can be sent to the low or medium sulfur fuel oil storage facilities. To meet the latest product quality specifications, we provide integrated hydroprocessing units to upgrade primary products from the H- OilRC unit.

• Maximizing the ULSD production: We have licensed two integrated Prime-D™ units and one integrated High Conversion Hydrocracking (HyK) unit processing distillate streams produced within the H-OilRC which can be combined with straight run products (see figure below). These integrated solutions take advantage of the high purity, high pressure circulating hydrogen to reduce overall investment cost while guaranteeing totally independent operation of the unit and absolute flexibility.

• Complete Conversion: The H-OilRC process can be integrated with Solvahl™, our solvent deasphalting technology. Studies at Axens have found that vacuum residue conversions over 80% are optimal for balancing hydrogen production and consumption. Several design improvements have been made to enhance overall reliability of this integrated scheme.

• Debottlenecking Delayed Coking Units: Given the large number of delayed cokers on the market, the H-OilRC process is unique in converting Conradson Carbon Residue “CCR” (i.e., a precursor to coke

formation). By adding a CCR conversion unit upstream of a delayed coker, the refinery can dramatically increase crude throughput and maximize the production of middle distillates.

REFERENCES

Today we have nine (9) licensed H-OilRC units and five (5) licensed H-OilDC units with a total capacity of 584,000 BPSD.

Two H-OilRC reactors with integrated Prime-D

The first H-OilRC unit was started-up in 1968 and is continuing to operate at full capacity today. The recently awarded units are in various stages of design or construction. A commercial unit received an award for maintaining unit availability above 98.5% for 2 consecutive years.

With more than 40 years of experience in ebullated bed technology and maintaining an intense R&D program, we propose optimized designs and adapted solutions in residue conversion and valorization.

Jan.

11-H

oilR

C

Block flow diagram of an integrated H-OilRC – VGO Hydrocracking unit

Common Make-Up Compressor

VGO HyK Reaction

VGO HyK Reaction

H-OilRC ReactionH-OilRC

Reaction

VGO HyKSeparation and Fractionation

VGO HyKSeparation and Fractionation

LSFO

Euro V ULSD

COMMONHP & MP Amine

PSA & MPU

COMMONHP & MP Amine

PSA & MPU

1st Stage1st Stage 2nd Stage2nd Stage 3rd Stage3rd StageH2

VGO ex H-Oil

H2 Rich Gas

VDU

VGO

VR

H-OilRCSeparation and Fractionation

H-OilRCSeparation and Fractionation

to FG

Naphtha

Naphtha & Gas Oil