AM-05-45 A Crude Atmospheric Tower Revamp

Description:

CITGO Petroleum Corporation revamped an atmospheric crude tower in 2002 resulting in improved atmospheric distillate yield and quality while permitting the crude atmospheric heater outlet temperature to be lowered by approximately 10ºF with a simultaneous reduction in the vacuum unit feed rate. These results were achieved even though the crude became heavier as more heavy sour crudes were processed. Typically, atmospheric and vacuum tower distillate cutpoints decrease when crude blends get heavier because they are more difficult to vaporize. Over the next 10 years US refiners will process higher percentages of heavier sour crude oils due to increasing output from the Orinoco River basin bitumen upgraders in Venezuela, increased production from western Canada and from the tar sands in northern Alberta.