Feedstock-flexible olefins plants can be efficient

Journal Article · Mon Sep 26 04:00:00 EDT 1983 · Oil Gas J.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6986588

DeHaan, S

Factors such as relative price, political policies, the world economic recovery, and propylene and other byproduct markets will determine the best future olefin feedstock. The choice of feedstocks will have a significant impact on plant investment by increasing sizes and/or requiring additional processing steps. The European and Japanese olefins industries have traditionally been based on liquid feedstock, naphthas, and gas oils. The U.S. industry's base was nearly totally natural gas derived ethane and LPG until a surge of interest in liquid feedstocks in the 1970s. Today, about one-third of the U.S. ethylene plant capacity is designed to utilize liquid feedstocks. The European and Japanese industries remain predominantly liquid feed based. Summary. While a multi-feed olefins plant is a complex entity, a properly conceived olefins design can provide for a wide range of feedstock flexibility, without significantly compromising overall plant efficiency. The optimization of any such operation is an extremely detailed and difficult problem. Therefore, it warrants the use of the best available digital technology. A sophisticated simulator/optimizer can provide valuable guidance to plant operators. Well trained operators assisted by a reliable closed-loop computer control system and a plant optimizer can greatly enhance plant profitability by maintaining optimum performance and maximum on-stream time.

• Research Organization: CE Lummus, Bloomfield, NJ
• OSTI ID: 6986588
• Journal Information: Oil Gas J.; (United States), Journal Name: Oil Gas J.; (United States) Vol. 81:39; ISSN OIGJA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020500* -- Petroleum-- Products & By-Products
ALKANES
ALKENES
ANALOG SYSTEMS
ASIA
CHEMICAL FEEDSTOCKS
CHEMICAL PLANTS
COAL TAR OILS
COMPUTERIZED CONTROL SYSTEMS
CONTROL SYSTEMS
DESIGN
DIGITAL SYSTEMS
DISTILLATES
ECONOMICS
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY SOURCES
ETHANE
EUROPE
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
FUNCTIONAL MODELS
GAS OILS
HYDROCARBONS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
JAPAN
LIQUEFIED GASES
LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GASES
LIQUIDS
NAPHTHA
NATURAL GAS LIQUIDS
NORTH AMERICA
OILS
OPTIMIZATION
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE
PETROCHEMICAL PLANTS
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM DISTILLATES
PETROLEUM FRACTIONS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
POLITICAL ASPECTS
PRICES
PROFITS
PROPYLENE
SIMULATORS
SIZE
USA