Gain valuable insights into the best practices for shutting down hydrotreaters. Discover innovative chemical technologies that streamline maintenance steps and significantly reduce downtime. Attendees will learn how to enhance efficiency in reactor shutdown procedures, improve safety, and minimize both mechanical workload and unit downtime.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) represents a significant breakthrough in the quest for greener aviation. This presentation delves into the operational challenges around SAF production and how the supply chain had to adapt accordingly. SAF producers will lead the discussion sharing their lessons learned and solutions to the challenges they encountered as they embarked on their SAF production journey. The presentation will also address the critical aspects of distribution and supply chain management. Efficiently managing the supply chain is essential for ensuring the widespread availability and adoption of SAF. We will discuss logistics, storage, and transportation challenges, along with strategies to optimize the distribution network and integrate SAF into existing fuel infrastructures.
Moderator:
Eric Legare, Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
Speakers:
Ramin Abhari, Chevron Renewable Energy Group
Daniel Carlson, Calumet Specialty Products
Are you a professional in hydroprocessing looking to enhance your understanding of feed flexibility? Don't miss this unique opportunity to gain valuable insights and practical knowledge at our upcoming townhall session. Hear from seasoned refiners as they share their firsthand experiences with feed flexibility challenges. Learn about the problems they encountered and the solutions they implemented. Engage with leading technology providers who will discuss innovative approaches to managing feed flexibility concerns. Discover how cutting-edge technologies can help you navigate feed changes effectively. Learn how to assess and evaluate feed changes to optimize your hydroprocessing units. Gain access to best practices and actionable takeaways that you can apply in your own operations.
Moderator:
Derek Blackwell, Chevron Products Company
Speakers:
Oscar Brown, Valero Energy Corporation
Anthony Galando, Chevron Lummus Global
Jacob Lundmark, Flint Hills Resources, LLC
Krishnan Vaidyanathan, Honeywell UOP
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.
Fouling of Naphtha Hydrotreating Reactors can cause limitations to operation and planned cycle length. This session will present three technologies to effectively mitigate this fouling to hit the cycle:
Catching Scale: Haldor Topsoe and Marathon Petroleum step up to the plate
HeavyTrap: A Top Bed Double Play
Axens' HyRing: A Grand Slam in Pressure Drop Mitigation
The intersection of refining and petrochemical manufacturing has never been more significant as industries navigate the dual challenges of efficiency and sustainability. This session will explore the critical role of Perchloroethylene (PERC) in modern refining processes while also highlighting its applications in petrochemical production.
PERC is recognized as one of the safest catalyst activators during normal operations, as well as a regenerator for spent catalysts. Utilizing less efficient materials can necessitate larger quantities of hazardous substances being kept onsite, thus increasing exposure risks. Other chlorinating agents are either restricted by the EPA or are inherently more hazardous, making PERC a preferable option.
Attendees will gain insights into how PERC enhances refining technologies through processes such as isomerization and catalytic reforming, which help ensure compliance with environmental regulations. Industry experts will discuss the extensive benefits of utilizing PERC, emphasizing innovations that contribute to both safety and operational efficiency.
Moreover, we will review advancements in safety protocols that facilitate the effective handling of PERC, ensuring minimal exposure and adherence to rigorous regulatory standards. By fostering dialogue among leaders in refining and petrochemical manufacturing, this session aims to identify collective strategies for driving innovation and achieving sustainability goals within the industry.
Operational case studies of DHT, GOHT, and NHT feed /effluent exchanger threats are presented with monitoring, reliability, and chemical addition strategies. Mitigating threats of feed side and effluent side fouling and corrosion over time also requires sustaining institutional knowledge through constant change of stream composition, temperatures, AND people. This presentation includes tips and tricks of templated calculations, use of Decision Support Tools, industry knowledge, vendor relationships and support, and cross-site sharing of findings.
Moderators:
Del Grotewold, Veolia Water Technologies & Solutions
Wendy Wildenberg, Flint Hills Resources, LLC
Panel:
Amit Gupta, Heurtey Petrochem Solutions
Bill McLaughlin, ExxonMobil Product Solutions Company
Ethan Spielvogel, Marathon Petroleum Corp.
Randy Stier, Valero Energy Corporation
Vivek Sundaram, LyondellBassel Industries
We are producing petroleum products in the current environment in which emissions reduction is demanded amidst rising consumer demand. The panel discussion will focus on safe operation and optimization of process fired heaters, including limitations with existing technologies to reduce emissions, and challenges with emerging technologies, e.g., hydrogen firing and electrification.
Speakers:
Adrian Azpilicueta, Nalco Water
Steve Mayo, Eurecat U.S. Incorporated
Montri Vichailak, Marathon Petroleum Corporation
This session will cover the sources, mechanisms, and mitigations of common inorganic poisons of hydroprocessing catalysts. First, we will cover the main types of poisons encountered in hydroprocessing units and their sources. Next the three main poisoning mechanisms will be reviewed along with the severity of poisoning and catalyst mitigations to extend cycle. After that we will consider mitigations upstream of the hydrotreater to extend cycle life. Finally, a refinery case study will be presented demonstrating a process of extending cycle length in a hydrotreater with feedstock poisons.