Crude Processing

The upgraded FCCU began operating on Sept. 1 with an increased residual oil processing rate of 50%, compared to 35% previously, according to plant operator Idemitsu Kosan.

In July, the Polish refiner reported that it has purchase base design and license from US EPC firm KBR for a bottom-of-the-barrel complex, which will include a solvent deasphalting units and FCCUs, to upgrade residue into high-value products, such as gasoline, diesel, propylene, and gases.

Venezuela's state-owned oil company has decided to incorporate the PetroCedeno heavy crude upgrader, which was designed to upgrade 200K b/d of extra heavy crude from the Orinoco oil belt into 180K b /d of 30-32ºAPI Zuata Sweet synthetic crude for export, into its refining system.

As part of a 20B-ruble ($24MM) contract, Spain's Tecnicas Reunidas will perform managing project design, equipment delivery, management services for construction and installation in addition to testing of a delayed coking unit (DCU) that will be part of Gazprom Neft's 213K-b/d Moscow refinery's planned deep refining Euro+ complex, which will also house a hydrocracker.

The installation of the new 2MM-mt/y coking unit at Gazprom Neft's 424K-b/d refinery in Omsk has now been completed.

On March 24, Lukoil reported that Russia's Energy Ministry has granted the refiner an investment premium to a refundable excise tax on crude that will last until Jan. 1, 2031, in order to support the completion of the deep-conversion, delayed-coking complex at the 292K-b/d Kstovo refinery, which is often referred to as the Nizhny Novgorod refinery.

As with any refinery unit, fouling adversely effects RFCCU operations. Buildup on reactor surfaces, pumparounds, heat exchangers, and other equipment will have a negative impact on heat transfer, increase pressure drop, and generally lower unit (and overall plant) efficiency.

The new 3MM-mt/y complex in Belarus will reduce fuel oil production while increasing yields of light products to 30%.

After shutting down the unit to increase its capacity from 100K b/d to 130K b/d, South Korean Hyundai Oilbank's 275K-b/d Daesan refinery has resumed running its residue desulfurization unit.

Even though the top refiner in South Korea has already held a two-month trial run for the new 40K-b/d vacuum residue desulfurization (VRDS) unit, SK Energy will delay full operation of the unit because of the weak oil market and coronavirus pandemic.