The Role of Hydrogen in Clean Fuels Strategy

摘要

Worldwide investment in crude oil refining during the next three decades is estimated at $410 billion. This investment will be needed to boost refining capacity and also to upgrade refineries so they can meet shifting product demands for lighter and cleaner products, lower in sulfur and aromatic content. Much has been written about this trend, and the solutions are focused on hydroprocessing technologies as a primary upgrading vehicle for contaminant removal. The main topic of this paper is the issue of hydrogen supply related to the increasing demand for clean fuels. A typical US refinery example will be used to show changes in the utilization of hydrogen from 1990 to today, and anticipate the trend into the next decade as new regulations are expected. We will illustrate technology advancements to achieve more efficient utilization of hydrogen, and briefly touch on some of the evolving technology concepts which will be play a role in hydrogen utilization in the future.