Increased Margin From Updated Internals and Catalyst
Increased Margin From Updated Internals and Catalyst
Increased Margin From Updated Internals and Catalyst
D
espite the important role that reactor The refiners objectives were to retune the unit
internals play, many refineries continue to to maximise middle distillates and, to further
use conventional or bubble-cap distribu- enhance its profitability, increase the units
tion trays in their hydrocrackers. In doing so, capacity and cycle length. However, it was
they may be failing to capture the maximum crucial that any changes were implemented effi-
value from their units. For example, the latest ciently and in one turnaround in order to
generation reactor internals may enable the use maximise the project economics.
of a higher selectivity catalyst to produce higher To achieve these objectives, SASREF worked
volumes of valuable middle distillates; this could closely with Shell Global Solutions and
be worth $3.5 million per year for a 200 t/h unit Criterion Catalysts & Technologies (Criterion).
(based on a $14/bbl naphthadiesel spread). Teamwork was a key factor in the success of this
The benefits for some refiners, such as SASREF, project; there was high quality interaction
a joint venture between Saudi Aramco and Royal between the three parties that enabled the
Dutch Shell, have been even greater. project to benefit from the refiners site specific
Saudi Aramco Shell Refinery (SASREF) is one knowledge and the licensor and catalyst suppli-
of the worlds largest and most technologically ers global operational and technical expertise.
advanced refineries. It has a complex configura- The implementation phase was particularly
tion that includes a hydrocracker, a visbreaker, successful. It is difficult to overstate the impor-
a thermal gas oil unit and an aromatics section. tance to SASREF of getting it right first time,
This enables it to generate a high value safely and on schedule, but the refiner showed
product slate that includes diesel, kerosene, strong leadership during preparation and imple-
liquefied petroleum gas and naphtha, which it mentation was safely completed around eight
uses as a chemical feedstock and gasoline days ahead of schedule.
component.
The SASREF hydrocracker was initially The reactor internals
designed to have a 6000 t/d capacity. Before the Over the years, some of the liquid distributors in
revamp, this had increased to 7500 t/d, which SASREFs hydrocracker had been upgraded but
made it one of the largest such units in the not replaced by latest generation reactor inter-
world. When it was built in 1982, the hydroc- nals. This unit revamp, therefore, provided a
racker was configured for maximum naphtha major opportunity for improvement in this area.
but, by 2012, the momentum in global dieselisa- The latest generation reactor internals include:
tion meant that middle distillates, not naphtha, High dispersion trays, which achieve near-per-
was now the highest value product stream. So, fect wetting of the catalyst right at the top of the
keen to maintain its position as one of the bed, thus enabling an ultra uniform utilisation of
worlds most competitive refineries, SASREF the catalyst and minimising radial temperature
took bold, decisive action. differences