Flexicoking: Latest commercial experience

Conference · Thu Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1984 · Natl. Pet. Refiners Assoc., (Tech. Pap.); (United States)

OSTI ID:6423031

Blaser, D E; Puente-Duany, R J; Sobocinski, V J

The FLEXICOKING process is a proprietary residuum conversion technology developed by Exxon Research and Engineering Company. The FLEXICOKING process is an extension of the FLUID COKING process in which the coke produced in the reactor is gasified to produce a clean, low heating value fuel gas. Thirteen FLUID COKING units with a combined throughput capacity of over 300 kB/SD have been built over the past 30 years. The average service factor of all FLUID COKING units is over 90%. Some features which make the FLEXICOKING process attractive are shown. Ninety-nine percent of a typical vacuum residuum is converted to liquid and gaseous products and 99% of the metals in the feed are concentrated in the remaining 1% solid purge. Ninety-five percent of the feed sulfur can be recovered in conventional processes. Fifty percent of the feed nitrogen is liberated as elemental nitrogen in the fuel gas. The process can meet strict environmental requirements, e.g., San Francisco Bay Area. The FLEXICOKING process was first demonstrated in a 750 B/SD prototype unit in Baytown, Texas in 1974-1975. The first commercial unit (21.3 kB/SD) was started up in September, 1976 by Toa Oil Company in Kawasaki, Japan. The second commercial unit (52 kB/SD) to come onstream was in Lagoven's Amuay, Venezuela refinery in November, 1982. This was soon followed by the third unit (21.6 kB/SD) in the Shell Oil Company Martinez, California plant. The start-ups were relatively trouble free and operations since start-up have been smooth. The process is briefly reviewed, and the design basis of the units described.

• Research Organization: Exxon Research and Eng. Co., Florham Park, NJ
• OSTI ID: 6423031
• Report Number(s): CONF-8403125-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Natl. Pet. Refiners Assoc., (Tech. Pap.); (United States) Journal Volume: AM-84-47
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020500* -- Petroleum-- Products & By-Products
CARBONIZATION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COKE
COKING
COKING PLANTS
COMMERCIALIZATION
DECOMPOSITION
DEMETALLIZATION
DENITRIFICATION
DESIGN
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
OPERATION
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PRODUCTION
SAFETY STANDARDS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
STANDARDS
START-UP