ADAPTING PETROCHEMICAL PROCESSES FOR ENHANCING TIER III GASOLINE BLENDING OPTIONS

摘要

Tier III gasoline is here and to add further complexity, gasoline demand is growing again. With Tier III specifications comes a higher demand for low sulfur, high octane, and zero benzene blend components. Optimization of the naphtha train, especially around balancing alkylation capacity and production along with reformer severity, offers some options; however, with Tier 3, the window of operation is getting much tighter. In addition, the abundance of light C5/C6 molecules from cracking and light tight oil from shale oil production exacerbates RVP constraints and is forcing the industry to consider novel approaches. One option is to look outside the refining industry for solutions. Within the petrochemical market, several processes exist that convert propylene to an oxygenated 'alkylate' look alike (butanol). However, this blend component and process are not typically used in gasoline blending today. This paper will provide an independent analysis of installing this process technology and using this blendstock within a typical refinery. The study will examine how this process and product can be used to enhance gasoline blending flexibility and optionality. In addition, this approach can create additional optimization options that can be exploited by the upstream process units. This alternative blendstock provides benefits for gasoline blending in RVP as well as octane that open up alternatives from the conventional operations. To determine its applicability, a review of the specific refiner's asset mix and market availability will allow for an informed decision to meet the challenges of the Tier 3 requirements and beyond.