AM-13-68 Optimizing Refinery Light Ends Recovery

Description:

With the ever continuing pressure on refinery margins, it is critical to continue to optimize refinery operations. Refineries have focused on many aspects over the years: crude slate selection; major operating units such as reformers, hydrocrackers, FCC, and cokers; as well as other areas such as utilities (electricity, steam, and heater operation.) One area that is easy to overlook is the refinery light ends. With the low natural gas prices we have now, which are expected to remain low, there is a significant economic benefit to recovering propane, butanes, C5+, and their olefins. In addition, hydrogen can be recovered. There are several different opportunities within the refinery to recover these lighter components. Two applications will be discussed, hydrogen recovery and LPG recovery.