Professional Documents
Culture Documents
INTRODUCTION
Configurations of refineries in India have changed dramatically India over the last three
decades. Set up initially as low cost projects, the existing refineries have gradually
evolved into large, complex units, the growth of which was driven initially by the
following:
• Increased demand and discovery of indigenous crude oil
• Upgrading of heavier fractions to middle distillates
conservation we are now looking at refineries of large capacity and high complexity with
increasing process integration to achieve energy optimization in addition to generating
products that meet stringent international specifications. The driving forces for the
change in refinery configurations have been:
• Crudes being processed in the refineries
• Changing product demand
• Increasing competition and the need to be profitable
• Environmental stipulations and improvement in product quality
Fuel gas
Naphtha
Stabilizer
Aromex
Diesel
Delayed Coking
Unit Fuel oil
Coke
Figure I
Configuration for north east crude based refinery
Fuel gas
LPG
Naphtha
Stabilizer Treating Unit
Naphtha
Naphtha
Splitter
Atm
Crude Oil Oil Merox HDS
Dist
SRR Motor Spirit
Unit
ATF
Kerosene
Vac Diesel
Dist
Merox
Unit FCC Unit
Fuel oil
Wax
Lube Block
Extr’n/Dewaxing/HFU LOBS
Extract
BBU
Bitumen
Routing of all streams to different pools is not shown.
CPCL ( MRL –Ref I )did not have FCC initially, VGO HDS was included
BPCL did not have Lube Block
Figure 2
Configuration of Refineries set up to process Imported Crude Oil
The oil price shock of the 1970’s necessitated re-examining of processing schemes and it
was realized that there was a need for secondary processing facilities to upgrade heavy
material to value added distillates. Accordingly, this period saw a significant emphasis
on the installation of FCC Units in existing refineries as well as grass root refinery
products. The FCC Unit had been examined vis a vis other secondary processing options
and was adopted as it found to be less expensive and also had a more proven track record.
The technology also gave advantages of producing more LPG as well as gasoline. Six
new FCC Units were set up during this period and unlike units installed in USA and
Europe, these units were first of their type in the sense that they were designed to operate
at low severity and to selectively produce more middle distillate. During this phase also
there was not significant upgrading of product quality and it was therefore possible to
absorb the products from FCC Units in the refinery product streams. Since the new
refinery projects involved the addition of secondary processing and treating facilities,
investments costs were higher and typically ranged around Rs. 50 Cr per million-ton
capacity. Figure 3 shows a simplified configuration of refineries with FCC Units.
LPG to Treating
unit/Product pool
Atm
Dist FCC Gasoline to
Unit treating units/
Product pool
Existing
DCU
New
SDA
Figure 3
Integration of FCC with other units in an existing refinery
Sulphur
Stabilizer ARU SRU
LPG
Treating
Naphtha
Splitter
Isom
To LPG Pool Motor Spirit
HDS/CCR/SPL
Atm ATF
Dist Treating
Unit Kerosene
HDS Diesel
H2 Unit
MEROX HTU
HCU
Vac Dist
Unit DHDT
FCC
SDU IDW/HFU
SEU/SDW/HFU LOBS
Extract/CBFS
HCGO to HCU
Coke
Asphalt
Figure 4
Refinery Configuration with Hydrocracker and FCC combination
Since the last 5 years product specifications have been attracting close attention of
environmentalists as well as equipment manufacturers. Product specifications are being
closely reviewed to ensure compliance with environmental stipulations as well as
optimum performance of the automotive industry. Products like diesel and gasoline are
being specifically targeted for quality improvement. Lubricating oils are also being
looked at with a view to meeting API Grade II/Grade III specifications. The main
implications of the changes in the product quality are:
a) Increasing use of hydro conversion to upgrade heavy stocks into value added
product as well as improve the quality of distillates.
b) Installation of Gas sweetening, Sulphur Recovery (99% min) to meet
environmental stipulations.
The studies are also be looking at the option of increasing refinery capacity and possible
integration with a petrochemical complex so that more value can be added to the refining
operations. It is, therefore, quite likely that refinery processing schemes and the addition
of new facilities in existing refineries would be governed by economies of scale and the
integration of petrochemicals as well as power generation to maximize profitability. The
Reliance refinery offers an excellent example of this approach and other refineries are
also looking at similar options although not on such a large scale. BRPL was the one of
the first instance of an integrated refinery and petrochemical complex. The IOCL
refinery at Gujarat was interlinked with IPCL complex. Today generation of power or
alternatively high value products like propylene, ethylene, LAB feedstock or integration
with aromatic complex so that more value can be added to the refining operations has
assumed major significance. The complexity of the refinery is therefore expected to
increase.
The East India Refinery Project of IOCL and the Guru Gobind Singh Refinery projects of
HPCL are instances of high conversion refineries with Integrated Gasification and
Generation Cycle. The Panipat Refinery of IOCL is also pursuing a project for
integrating a PX/PTA complex with the refinery. The Bina Refinery of M/s BPCL and
the Haldia Refinery of IOCL are also addressing the requirement of improved Lube
quality to meet API Grade II specs by adopting Hydro processing route for LOBS
Production. Figure 5 shows the block flow diagram for possible linkages between a
refinery and a petrochemicals complex
Benzene LDPE,HDPE,LLDPE
Cyclohexane LLDPE
Cyclohexane EO, EG
Toluene
Pyrolysis Isopropanol
PX, OX, Mixed Gasoline Ethanol
Xylenes Aromatics BT Extr’n
Polypropylene
Reformate PO, PG
H2 Olefins
Refinery Plant
Source: Lyondell
Figure 5
Possible Refinery/Petrochemical linkages
CONCLUSION
There has been a transformation in the face of the Indian Refining Industry in the recent
past. The increasing emphasis on product quality, profitability and efficiency has thrown
up a number of challenges that the refineries have to meet forward and backward
integration is accordingly being given due consideration. Technology options are
available and judicious selection of these coupled with planning, scheduling and
optimization of refinery operations will continue to draw the industry ahead.