Who is not using oil products on crude production area? gasoline for cars? diesel oil for trucks?..
Where are oil products imported without existing tankfarm, pumping station, pipelines?...
Where are oil products distributed without existing loading facilities, pumps , road tankers?...
Refining crude oil is commonly said not to be quite profitable.
May-be ? At least it should be balancing costs, as new plants are still under construction!
Refining investment basic figure for "grass-roots refinery" is commonly admitted in the range of :
US $ 100 millions / 10000 bpsd
"Grass-roots refinery" involves : Infrastructure + Process units
Investment basic figure for "Process units" is commonly verified in the range of :
US $ 30 millions / 10000 bpsd
Find Your Case:
Existing infrastructure at Production Wellhead
Downstream the high pressure valve at well head are usually available:
Separator and desalter
Crude oil tanks with gauges and stock accounting facilities
Pipelines and pumping out facilities with centrifugal pumps and flow metering
Gas handling and recovery system reinjection with reciprocating compressors
Tests and analysis laboratory
Existing final products Distribution Facilities
Oil products local distribution center commonly includes:
Tank farm with various types of reservoir : floating roof , fixed roof tanks, pressure spheres or bullets
Major oil products : LPG, leaded or unleaded gasoline, kerosine, diesel oil, domestic fuel, heavy fuel
Pumping facilities : centrifugal or screw or reciprocating high pressure pumps
Metering equipment : volumetric flow measurement with temperature correction or mass flow measurement
Loading facilities : loading bay, loading arms, safety return loop, overpressure protection, safety valves
Transport : road tankers, rail tankers
Safety and firefighting system : fire trucks, fire water reserve and pressure loop, foam reservoir and circuit
Existing Production and Distribution Company
Less visible but quite as important is the present company task force:
Finance , commercial activity and relations with administration
Personnel management of fully trained crew
Trained loading operators, laboratory chemists, control room operators
Maintenance mechanists, electricians, electronics technicists
New refining modular Units to be designed
New refining units are lined upstream to crude production ;downstream to products distribution
New units are upgrading existing infrastructure to a "grass-roots" refinery of same crude oil skimming capacity
Basic unit is the crude oil topping delivering the right oil cuts from the selected crude as feedstock
Other skid units are optional:
Catalitic reformer, for production of leaded or unleaded gasoline
Catalytic hydrotreater treating with hydrogen the naphtha feedstock for the reformer
Gas-plant for L.P.G supply from deethaniser, depropanizer, debutanizer, stabilizer, stripper
Vacuum distillation for heavy products : heavy fuel, asphalt, bituminous cuts
Advantages of modular Refinery Units
Compared to grass-roots refinery, investment is divided by about 3 for equivalent capacity, and:
Pay-out may be arranged over short period: 3 to 5 years instead of usual 15 years
No duplication of most existing infrastructure, meaning no duplication of corresponding operating costs
No duplication of existing facilities, means no duplication of corresponding environment harmful problems
Gas from oil well separator may be associated to heat balance of new skid units
No oversizing necessary to anticipate oil products market demand over a long term period
Optimization of yields and units severity, as full capacity operation is possible over the pay out period
Operating costs reduce to a minimum, as full capacity operation is possible
Best processes, most recent equipment and last available catalysts chosen for the short term pay out period
Best thermal efficiency chosen for pipestill, topping heaters and other furnaces
Easy revamp of some skids to follow new local market requirements after pay out period
Easy revamp of particular skids to follow new crude oil analysis changes over the pay out period
Easy geographical move of skid units after some years, if economical approach has changed
Easy addition of extra skid units to follow new market demand
