Speakers:
Matt Correnti, Chevron USA Inc.
Matt Jones, Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
Jordan Palka, Chevron USA Inc.
Using Risk Based Inspection (RBI) as part of the unit asset strategy allows for optimized intervals for fixed equipment inspection and turnaround cycles. This opportunity must be balanced against both compliance and economic drivers to ensure the full financial benefits are realized. This session summarizes Hydroprocessing-specific damage mechanisms, lessons learned, and key equipment evaluations that should be considered when extending inspection and maintenance intervals.
It was 2010 and Jerry Wascom, ExxonMobil’s Americas refining director, was worried. Despite fuel and petrochemical manufacturers making significant improvements in the safety of their individual operations, across the industries there was an uptick in serious incidents. Workers were getting injured, surrounding communities were losing confidence, the reputation of the industries was being tarnished and regulators were becoming increasingly engaged. Wascom turned to his counterparts within the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers Association (AFPM), the industry trade group, and asked, “Are we doing enough to protect people?”
In July 2024, Parkland Corporation achieved a significant milestone as the first Canadian refinery to produce and market Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) through co-processing in a diesel hydrotreater (DHT). This accomplishment underscores the expertise and collaboration of our technical and operations teams, marking a pivotal step toward compliance with British Columbia’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) requirements. SAF production has gained global attention, driven by regulatory mandates such as the ReFuelEU Aviation initiative and incentives like Renewable Identification Number (RIN) credits, LCFS credits, and tax benefits under the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). While standalone SAF production remains capital-intensive and time-consuming, co-processing within existing units, like the DHT, offers a cost-effective and rapid deployment pathway. This paper provides an in-depth analysis of our SAF production run, during which we successfully produced ASTM-D1655-compliant SAF. It highlights operational challenges, key learnings, and recommendations for optimizing SAF production in a diesel hydrotreater. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of integrating SAF production into existing refining operations with minimal capital investment and rapid scalability. This achievement not only sets the foundation for future SAF production runs at Parkland but also contributes to the global push toward low-carbon aviation fuels. Attendees will gain valuable insights into operational strategies and lessons learned, making this case study a practical blueprint for refineries exploring co-processing as a pathway to decarbonization and regulatory compliance.
America’s refining and petrochemical community employs and supports over three million people, hiring individuals from all education levels to fill a wide range of positions (such as welders, electricians, chemists, and engineers).
The beginning of fall once again marks the start of another school year filled with endless possibilities for wide-eyed students eager to learn. For AFPM, the beginning of the school year is yet...
A central theme running through the “Better Deal” economic policy agenda that the Democratic Party rolled out this week is the importance of creating—and protecting—good-paying jobs – jobs that will help boost middle-class incomes and create new economic opportunities nationwide.
