Expert Articles

A low CAPEX path to higher profitability

Written by Jesper Gottlieb | Jul 31, 2017 10:00:00 PM

    

Delayed coking

MARPOL regulations are creating uncertainty about how best to invest in conversion capacity to comply or shift production to more profitable products.

Adding a delayed coking unit to refinery operations offer a straight-forward way to comply with tougher MARPOL-mandated sulfur legislation by moving away from bunker fuel.

Delayed coking is an attractive solution because it allows refineries to upgrade their fuel oil pool to value products such as diesel, gasoline and jet. This will position refineries to become more competitive as the industry tilts towards a higher refining margin environment.

Better yet, delayed cokers offer a low CAPEX solution.

Understand your challenges
Before upgrading or revamping assets, refiners need to understand its impact on product balances and other units. What will be the impact of a delayed coker unit on product balances? What will be the ramifications for other hydroprocessing units? Will they need to be checked or revamped to process new feeds and increase capacity and utilization?

Another challenge is determining the most profitable way to off-load the solid coke. Its value depends on its quality. Usually the lowest quality pet coke is used as fuel in plants where sulfur oxides can be trapped and converted to a high quality sulfuric acid or sulfur.

Topsoe offers hydroprocessing catalysts and technologies for all coker fractions, enabling refineries to meet product specifications at a low cost and with higher profits. For each application, we match the optimum configuration with your feedstock and processing objectives.

Talk to us
To assist refiners, we offer support studies for the introduction of a delayed coker. Our experience has taught us that a solution must be customized, and should be researched to better understand your operations and marketplace.

  • Yields
  • Cost-benefit analysis
  • Catalyst implication in downstream treatment
  • Operation optimization towards unit integration
  • Retrofit of downstream existing hydroprocessing units
  • Possibilities for off-load of coke
  • What is the implication of the H2 requirement and the H2S discharge?
  • Insights to Shipping and Engine industries

Understanding your business is the key to configuring an optimized delayed coking set-up. Contact us to learn more.


www.topsoe.com