Processing issues with Russian M100

What kind of information? Raw materials, process parameters, product quality, yield, and so on? Long-term processing of M100 crude oil, or 280CST waxed oil.

Mainly, the refineries in Shandong have experience in processing!

To process M100, as far as I know, there are two process routes: one is conventional distillation desalination under normal pressure, and the other is desalination directly after catalytic heat exchange. To prevent the presence of water, flash evaporation is carried out in a raw material buffer tank after desalination.

M-100 cannot be fed directly into the catalytic unit; it can first be subjected to normal-pressure distillation, or a secondary electrodesalination step can be implemented in the catalytic unit. M-100 should be desalted and dehydrated before being fed in； Due to M-100’s high sulfur content, high residue carbon, high specific gravity, high heavy metal content, and unstable properties, the following points must be taken into account when processing it: 1. Ensure that the raw material is preheated to a temperature of ≥180°C; control the amount and temperature of the atomizing steam, and use efficient atomizing nozzles. During startup and in abnormal operating conditions, minimize the time during which low-temperature feed is used, to prevent coking caused by poor atomization in the lift pipe. 2. When blending M-100, the method of removing oil slurry should be employed, with the amount removed controlled at 3%–7% depending on the quality of the raw materials. It is necessary to continuously monitor the specific gravity, freezing point, and solid content of the oil slurry; the specific gravity should be kept at ≤1 g/cm3 and the solid content at ≤6 g/l. Additionally, the amount of scale inhibitor added to the oil slurry should be increased. If a sudden increase in the weight of the raw material, an elevation in the freezing point, an increase in the solid content, or operational fluctuations are observed, immediately increase the amount of material discharged. At all times, the slurry discharge line must be kept clear to ensure unobstructed access, and the line should be cleaned and steam introduced promptly if necessary. 3. The temperature at the bottom of the distillation tower must be strictly kept at ≤345°C. The DCC plant should coordinate with the instrumentation workshop to calibrate all the key temperature sensors and slurry flow meters on a weekly basis, and keep proper records of these calibrations to ensure their accuracy and reliability, thereby avoiding any errors that could lead to incorrect operations. 4. By increasing the circulation rate of the slurry, ensure that the flow velocity of the slurry in the tube side of the slurry heat exchanger is ≮1.5 m/s, in order to reduce catalyst deposition. The bypass line on the tube side for the slurry must not be opened, nor should the inlet and outlet valves for the slurry be used to adjust the return temperature of the slurry. 5. The M-100 has a high sulfur content, so care must be taken to prevent sulfur corrosion at low temperatures. Areas that have already suffered corrosion should be inspected regularly; where possible, thickness measurements should be taken periodically ； 6. The M-100 has a high content of heavy metals, so care must be taken to prevent catalyst poisoning. If an increase in the H2 content in the dry gas is detected, it is necessary to promptly analyze the heavy metal content in the catalyst; if it is too high, the catalyst should be replaced immediately ； For the M-100 unit with a high coking rate, it is necessary to adjust the coking load properly; when the temperature rises too high, the processing volume should be reduced promptly.

Several issues encountered during the production of M100, for everyone’s reference: 1. High sulfur content, which has led to fluctuations in the quality of gasoline and liquid hydrocarbons on multiple occasions. 2. The residual carbon level is high, affecting the stable operation of the regenerator. 3. It can easily cause catalyst poisoning and a reduction in activity, with H2 levels in the dry gas reaching up to 40%. It is recommended to blend in some wax oil of grade three or four reduction.

The M-100 has high levels of nickel and vanadium, and there is severe heavy metal contamination on the balancing agent; therefore, a larger amount of fresh agent is required for replacement, resulting in higher consumption of this agent.

Thank you very much to everyone for your participation. If the FCC unit is replaced with the M100 solution, or if the proportion of M100 in the raw materials is increased, what changes are needed in terms of equipment, and what aspects of the process require special attention?

The materials of relevant equipment and pipelines need to be upgraded, and electrodesalination of heavy oil should be carried out.

　　We have processed M100 oil before. Generally, after processing through a vacuum distillation unit, the residue from normal distillation is mixed with the vacuum distillate oil to serve as the catalytic feedstock. This oil can easily cause catalyst poisoning, results in extremely high H2S levels in the product, and accelerates equipment corrosion. 　　Use a sulfur transfer catalyst, increase the passivation dosage, and replace the catalyst regularly. Enhance product desulfurization by injecting acidic water, alkali, and corrosion inhibitors into the oil and gas pipelines at the top of the distillation tower. Regularly measure the equipment and strengthen supervision.

We have previously processed M100 directly for catalytic conversion as well; at that time, there was a shortage of wax oil, so no less than half of the mixture consisted of M100. The installation wasn’t modified – only the high salt content caused severe salt deposition in the distillation tower, requiring frequent cleaning of the tower. In addition, heavy metals severely contaminated the catalysts, necessitating the use of sulfur transfer catalysts, passivators, and regular catalyst replacement.