AM-97-17 OPTIMUM HYDROGEN UTILIZATION KEY TO REFINERY PROFITABILITY

Description:

The key to any refinery profit improvement program is to not only optimize the current operations within the prevailing constraints, but to weigh the costs of relieving those constraints against the benefits to be gained. In many cases, the costs of relieving a constraint may require little or no capital investment. Even with only modest gains, minimal investment initiatives can have very attractive payouts. In the current economic climate where the costs of capital are high, these type of initiative must be aggressively sought out and implemented.Many of the initiatives directed at optimizing hydrogen utilization within the refinery are minimal investment initiatives. The purpose of this paper is to outline a procedure for optimizing utilization, and identifying minimal investment initiatives in this area for improving overall profitability.