Maximising profitability with FCC feeds from opportunity crudes

摘要

In today's competitive refining landscape, refiners can take advantage of processing lower cost opportunity crudes to improve margins. Two very different types of crude may be available to refiners in North America. Light tight oil (LTO) crudes are typically light, sweet, paraffinic and have low residual content. Alternatively, heavy crudes such as oil sands derived crudes are sour, aromatic, and high in concar-bon and contaminants. In the US, it is projected that by 2025 over 50% of the crude slate to refineries will be comprised of tight oils and Canadian imports.1 Whether the refinery chooses to operate with one or both types of feed, operation of the fluidised catalytic cracking (FCC) unit will encounter new challenges. Every situation is unique and requires a tailored catalyst solution.