101 Series: Crude-Coking — Coker Monitoring and KPI
101 Series, Crude, Coking
This presentation will focus on the key performance indicators (KPIs) essential for optimizing delayed coker unit operations. It will examine the influence of feed properties on coke quality and heater fouling, while highlighting strategies to improve heater performance and maximize coke drum capacity utilization. Particular emphasis will be placed on minimizing coke drum outages and optimizing cycle time management to enhance unit throughput and reliability. The discussion will also address fractionator and gas plant performance, with a focus on maximizing liquid recovery, as well as evaluating blowdown system. Collectively, these KPIs provide a comprehensive framework for driving operational excellence and improving overall coker profitability.
Moderator:
Sam Lordo, Becht
Speaker:
Gary Gianzon, Becht
Speakers
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Topic
Experiences with New Chemical Additives in Refinery Operations
Crude, Coking
The intention of the presentation is to share a brief explanation of the Coker operation, how the antifoam is used to control foaming, and the results of a trial in North America using a Low Silicon Antifoam to reduce impact in Hydroprocessing Units & optimize costs.
We will include some information around the questions for the MOC process when the new innovative chemistry is selected and a helpful tool to control foam height at the switch vs true coke outage for reliability purposes.
A trial of the new chemistry was run in several refineries in LA and NA with good results: a reduction of 30-40% of Silicon content in Naphtha and Kero because of the antifoam injection during the Coking cycle. Refiners changed to the new chemistry; savings in the expense costs are expected as chemical usage was reduced vs previous formula with a good control of foaming.
During this presentation, we’ll cover why upstream and midstream use H2S scavengers and to a lesser extent, mercaptan scavenging chemistries. Then, we’ll delve into the different families of scavenger chemistries that can be used and the pros and cons of each, including potential impacts on downstream assets.
Moderator:
Graylon Williams, Nalco Energy Services
Topic 1. Low Silica Anti-foam in Coker Units
Speaker:
Adrian Azpilicueta, Nalco Water
Topic 2. H2S and Mercaptan Scavenger Contamination of Crude Oils
Speaker:
Rich Tereba, Baker Hughes
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PFAS Regulatory Update and Strategies
Environmental, Crude, Coking
This presentation will explore the implications of EPA's CERCLA and RCRA designations for PFAS in refineries, focusing on the impact to Marathon. Veolia and Marathon will co-present mitigation strategies, from treatment and disposal to non-PFAS alternatives, with real-world examples of proactive solutions. The presentation will highlight the importance of collaboration in adapting to evolving environmental regulations and maintaining operational resilience.
Moderators:
Greg Cantley, Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Sylvain Fontaine, Veolia Water Technologies & Solutions
Jeff Gunnulfsen, AFPM
Speakers:
John Bigham, Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Todd Kato, Veolia Water Technologies & Solutions
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Crude/Coking Q&A — Pt. 1
Crude, Coking
Review and answer submitted questions with a select panel of experts questions regarding crudes/coking.
Moderators:
Hector Gamboa-Arizpe, CITGO Petroleum Corporation
Jacob Young, Petroval S.A.
Panelists:
Mark Cox, Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Gary Gianzon, Becht
Kamur Bantwal Rama, HF Sinclair Corporation
Graylon Williams, Nalco Energy Services
Speakers
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Crude/Coking Q&A — Pt. 2
Crude, Coking
Review and answer submitted questions with a select panel of experts questions regarding crudes/coking.
Moderator:
Hector Gamboa-Arizpe, CITGO Petroleum Corporation
Jacob Young, Petroval S.A.
Speakers:
Mark Cox, Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Gary Gianzon, Becht
Kumar Bantwal Rama, HF Sinclair Corporation
Graylon WIlliams, Nalco Energy Services
Speakers
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Digital Service for Crude Blending and Desalter Operation Using Field-Deployed Handheld NIR Spectrometer
Crude
Facilitator:
Sam Lordo, Becht
Speaker:
Graylon Williams, Nalco Water
Refineries have increased focus on processing unfamiliar opportunity crude oils to improve profitability. However, the introduction of these new crude slates brings uncertainties that can impact refinery operations. One major challenge is crude incompatibility due to asphaltene instability, which affects desalters, emulsion stability, preheat trains and furnace fouling.
For decades, the industry has recognized the importance of tracking asphaltene stability. Suppliers and refineries employ diverse equipment to assess feeds stability including benchtop microscopy and titration equipment. Unfortunately, those methods can require time-consuming offsite laboratory testing.
Now, utilizing a portable, handheld near-infrared (NIR) analyzer, crude oil tanks and other refinery feeds can be assessed for stability and blending suitability with near instantaneous results. NIR spectra from crude oil samples are collected and compared against a database of crudes and crude unit feeds with known asphaltene stability parameters. Asphaltene stability parameters are modeled and reported with a stability assessment.
In the presentation, we will delve into the fundamentals of these available tools, showcasing real-world case studies where they have been successfully applied for crude blends and crude pretreatment to improve and optimize desalter operations and crude preheat train fouling.
Speakers
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Crude - Coking Townhall Pt. 2
Crude, Coking
3. Preheat Train Monitoring Methods
How do you reprocess slop oil in your refinery? Join us at this Town Hall session to discuss how others in the refining industry handle slop and best practices for success. Come share your experiences with the group and learn from industry experts about effective slop oil reprocessing techniques.
Moderators:
Greg Cantley, Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Robert Graham, HF Sinclair Corporation
Speakers
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Prevention and Mitigation of Pyrophoric Fires Townhall
Crude, Coking
Pyrophoric materials pose significant safety risks during unit shutdown and maintenance activities, and pyrophoric incidents continue to occur across the refining industry. Effective strategies for prevention and mitigation of pyrophoric activity are critical aspects of turnaround planning and execution. This presentation will explore the underlying mechanisms of pyrophoricity and discuss best practices for managing pyrophoric risk, including chemical treatment, engineering, and procedural solutions. Additionally, the presentation will dig into a real industry incident that occurred in 2017, the root causes and the steps taken in the past seven years to prevent recurrence. By providing a comprehensive overview of pyrophoric activity prevention strategies, this session aims to equip refining professionals with the knowledge and tools to mitigate safety hazards and enhance operational integrity in high-risk environments.
Moderators:
Diana Cheek, Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
Katie Marshall, Refined Technologies, Inc.
Presenters:
Diana Cheek, Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
Katie Marshall, Refined Technologies, Inc.
Dan Wood, HF Sinclair
Speakers
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