You are on page 1of 18

Submitted To:

Malik Yousaf Assistant Manager (HBU)

Submitted By:

MAJID SHAH

INTRODUCTION:
Attock Refinery Limited (ARL) was incorporated as a Private Limited Company in November, 1978 to take over the business of the Attock Oil Company Limited (AOC) relating to refining of crude oil and supplying of refined petroleum products. It was subsequently converted into a Public Limited Company in June 1979 and is listed on the three Stock Exchanges of the country. The Company is also registered with Central Depository Company of Pakistan Limited (CDC). Original paid-up capital of the Company was Rs 80 million that was subscribed by the holding company i.e. AOC, Government of Pakistan, investment companies and general public. The present paid-up capital of the Company is Rs 454.896 million. ARL is the pioneer of crude oil refining in the country with its operations dating back to 1922. Backed by a rich experience of more than 80 years of successful operations, ARLs plants have been gradually upgraded/replaced with state-of-the-art hardware to remain competitive and meet new challenges and requirements. It all began in February 1922, when two small stills of 2,500 barrel per day (bpd) came on stream at Morgah following the first discovery of oil at Khaur where drilling started on January 22, 1915 and at very shallow depth of 223 feet 5,000 barrels of oil flowed. After discovery of oil in Dhulian in 1937, the Refinery was expanded in late thirties and early forties. A 5,500 bpd Lummus Two-Stage-Distillation Unit, a Dubbs Thermal Cracker, Lubricating Oil Refinery and Wax Purification facility and the Edeleanu Solvent Extraction unit for smoke-point correction of Kerosene were added.

SERIES OF FIRST:
First refinery of the region (1922) First to start dispensing major products through pipeline using computerized metering system (1987) First to produce low sulfur furnace (less than 1%) (1998) First to produce low sulfur diesel (less than 0.5%) (1998) First to achieve ISO 9002 certification for quality control laboratory (1999) First to produce low lead premium gasoline direct from refinery process (1999) First to produce polymer modified asphalt (2001) First refinery/first petro-chemical plant / first major industry to get ISO 9001:2000 certificate (2001) First refinery / first petrochemical plant/first major industry to get ISO 14001 certificate (2002) First major industry to get OHSAS 18001 certification (2006).

There were subsequent discoveries of oil at Meyal and Toot (1968). Reservoir studies during the period 1970-78 further indicated high potential for crude oil production of around 20,000 bpd. In 1981, the capacity of Refinery was increased by the addition of two distillation units (HBU-1 & HBU-2) of 20,000 and 5,000 bpd capacity, respectively. Four years ago with the erection of New Preheat Train at HBU-1 its capacity has been increased to 23,000 bpd. Due to their vintage, the old units for lube/wax production, as well as Edeleanu, were closed down in 1986. In 1999, ARL commenced JP-1 pipeline dispatches, and in 2000, a Captive Power Plant with installed capacity of 7.5 Megawatt was commissioned. Another expansion and upgradation project was completed in 1999 with the installation of a Heavy Crude Unit of 10,000 bpd and a Catalytic Reformer of 5,000 bpd. ARLs current nameplate capacity stands at 45,000 bpd and it possesses the capability to process lightest to heaviest (10-65 API) crudes.

HBU CURRENT PROJECTS:


Currently the working is in progress for the Distributive Control System (DCS) which will enable the smooth and more efficient operation of both the Plants. At first DCS will be installed at HBU-II in mid September 2007 and after that at HBU-II. A new Heater has already been procured and it will be installed at HBU-II after which its capacity will be increased to 6000 bpd. The existing Heater H-101 at HBU-II can also be remain in use at HBU-I, so that its capacity can be increased to 28,000 bpd.

PROCESS DESCRIPTION
Composition of Crude:
Crude oil is the term for "unprocessed" oil, the stuff that comes out of the ground. Crude oils vary in color, from clear to tar-black, and in viscosity, from liquid to almost solid. Crude oils are such a useful starting point for so many different substances because they contain hydrocarbons. Hydrocarbons are molecules that contain hydrogen and carbon and come in various lengths and structures, from straight chains to branching chains to rings. The major classes of hydrocarbons in crude oils include:

Paraffins
General formula: CnH2n+2 (n is a whole number, usually from 1 to 20) straight- or branched-chain molecules. Can be gasses or liquids at room temperature depending upon the molecule. Examples are methane, ethane, propane, butane, isobutane, pentane, and hexane.

Aromatics
General formula: C6H5 - Y (Y is a longer, straight molecule that connects to the benzene ring). Ringed structures with one or more rings. Rings contain six carbon atoms, with alternating double and single bonds between the carbons. Typically liquids. Examples are benzene, napthalene.

Napthenes or Cycloalkanes
General formula: CnH2n (n is a whole number usually from 1 to 20). Ringed structures with one or more rings. Rings contain only single bonds between the carbon atoms. Typically liquids at room temperature. Examples are cyclohexane, methyl cyclopentane.

OTHER HYDROCARBONS: Alkenes


General formula: CnH2n (n is a whole number, usually from 1 to 20).

Linear or branched chain molecules containing one carbon-carbon double bond. Can be liquid or gas. Examples are ethylene, butene, isobutene.

Dienes and Alkynes General formula: CnH2n-2 (n is a whole number, usually from 1 to 20).
Linear or branched chain molecules containing two carbon-carbon double bonds. Can be liquid or gas. Examples are acetylene, butadienes.

On average, crude oils are made of the following elements or compounds:


Carbon - 84% Hydrogen - 14% Sulfur - 1 to 3% (hydrogen sulfide, sulfides, disulfides, elemental sulfur) Nitrogen - less than 1% (basic compounds with amine groups) Oxygen - less than 1% (found in organic compounds such as carbon dioxide, phenols, ketones, carboxylic acids) Metals - less than 1% (nickel, iron, vanadium, copper, arsenic) Salts - less than 1% (sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, calcium chloride)

TYPES OF CRUDE: Although Crude can be classified in a number of ways but its main classification is on the basis of specific gravity.
Light crudes having Sp.Gr. in the range of 0.790 to 0.840. Heavy crude having Sp.Gr. in the range of 0.840 to 0.910

Light crudes are further classified into two main kinds:


Light sweet crude having sulfur content less than 5ppm (<0.5%). Light sour crude having sulfur content more than 5ppm (>0.5%).

BASIC TERMINOLOGIES: Distillation:


Distillation is the separation of the components by means of their boiling point achieved through the contact between the rising vapors and down flowing liquid. In general the primary overall operating variables of a crude unit besides the feed characteristics are temperature, pressure and flow rates.

Specific gravity:
It is the ratio of the density of substance to the density of reference material. For the liquids the reference is water and for gases it is air. Specific gravity = density of product density of water

Flash point:
The flash point of liquid fuel is the temperature at which oil begins to evolve vapors in sufficient quantity to form an explosive or flammable mixture with air.

Fire Point:
The lowest temperature at which the oil ignites and continues to burn for five seconds.

Pour point:
The pour point of fuel is defined as the lowest temperature at which the oil will flow or pour. The pour point is important in design of heating jackets.

Reid vapor pressure:


Reid vapor pressure is approximately the vapor pressure of the gasoline at 100 oF (38 o C) in absolute units. Reid vapor pressure at laboratory is determined for non-viscous products such as gasoline, LPG. This test is important with respect to safety in transport, vapor lock in gasoline feed systems, types of storage tanks employed and the starting characteristics of motor fuels.

Color:
The color of distilled petroleum product indicates the degree of refining that material has undergone. Distilled products that are discolored are indication of thermal decomposition. At ARL in quality control laboratory routine color tests are taken of heavy and light gas oil, and test report indicates products properties.

Cetane number:
Cetane number is actually a measure of a fuel's ignition delay; the time period between the start of injection and start of combustion (ignition) of the fuel. In a particular diesel engine, higher cetane fuels will have shorter ignition delay periods than lower cetane fuels.

Crude Flow at HBU:


This plant is designed to process Light Sweet Crude having specific gravity in the range 0.790-0.810 and sulfur content less than 5ppm (<0.5%). Crude is stored in Tank 1A, 2A and 4A. Crude oil flows into the battery limits at 70-90 oF and at a pressure 0f 100-150 Kpa by gravity and then passes through Auto Kleaner. Auto kleaner works on the principle of centrifugal force and it removes suspended particles and sludge from the

crude. It is drained once in every shift. Then crude passes through strainer having a mesh, which retains the more minute particles. It is cleaned on weekly basis and during winter steam is applied around it to avoid choking of the strainer. Then crude passes through birotormeter for flow measurement and into the suction of Crude Charge pump P-301 A/B. Crude then enters into the suction of crude charge pump P-301 A/B having discharge pressure upto 1500-1650 Kpa. This pump provides the necessary head required to move the crude through the crude oil charge system. The crude oil is then pumped through heat exchangers installed in series E-301, E302, E-303A/B of the old pre-heat train where it exchanges heat with kerosene, cold light gas oil, and naphtha pump around respectively and similarly of the new pre-heat train exchangers E-321, E322, E-325, and E-326. Then both streams of crude combine and enters into Desalter, V-306, which is operated at 91-100 oC . Desalter water flows into the suction of the Desalter water pump P-310 A/B. This pump provides the necessary head required to move the Desalter water through heat exchanger E-314 and into crude oil stream. Water is added about 3% of crude charge by volume and it is mixed with oil in mixing valve with a pressure drop of 5-15 psi. In Desalter water droplets are electrostatically coalesced and collected water exits the vessel on level control, which is controlled by controller LCV-301. Desalter effluent water gives the heat in heat exchanger E-314 to Desalter water feed. Desalter is design to remove salt of capacity 16-kg/159 m3 (35lb/1000bbl)of crude oil. Desalter is maintained at hydraulic pressure of 1000 KPa to prevent possible vaporization by Cascade controller PIC-401 on crude charge stream. PIC-401 is master controller whose slaves are FCV-134 and FCV-137.PIC-401 output is the set point for the FCV134 and FCV-137. Water molecules along with salts combine with each other and they coalesce bringing salts with them and settle to the bottom of the desalter due to gravity. In the normal roundup of the plant tricock levels are checked, mixing valve delta P is noted and effluent water color is observed. Crude charge is then further heated by heat exchange with LGO, cold residue, hot HSD, HSD pumparound, and hot residue in heat exchangers connected series E-304, E-305, E-306, E-307B, E-07A and E-308 respectively of old preheat train and similarly in new pre heat train by E-324, E-318, E-317, E-327, E-328 and E-329. At this point a recirculating residue joins the fresh crude charge stream on flow control. This is added to maintain a satisfactory flow of liquid at heater outlet and prevent excessive vaporization and possible tube cocking. About 10 15 % of fresh crude charge of recirculating residue is added. The function of this recycle stream is To maintain satisfactory flow in the heater Prevent excessive vaporization and prevent possible tube coking Improve heater inlet, hence reducing heater duty.

Before entry into the convection section of the heater crude is divided into four passes. In the convection section there are 56 finned tubes. Here crude receives heat from the flue gases and finned tubes are used to increase contact time and heat transfer rate.

Then pass # 1 and pass# 4 travels to the radiation section of the heater and leave from the middle of the radiation section. Pass # 2 and pass # 3 enter from the middle of the radiation section and leave from the bottom of the radiation section. Last seven tubes of each pass in the radiation section are of 5 inches while rest are of 4 inches. Total no of tubes in the radiation section are 88. H-301 is rectangular furnace which operates on natural draft. Different fuel options are provided on H-301 where L.P gas, Field gas and F.F.O can be burnt in the nine burners. Tube strength of the tubes is up to 865 oF. To maintain this temperature requires a lot of skill on the part of the operator. Operator usually observes the following things: Excess oxygen Draft at different location of the heater like top and bottom draft Stack temperatures. Skin temperatures Physically flame color, length and direction should be closely monitored. In the crude circuit inbuilt safeties are also provided. All flow control valves like FCV-103, FCV-138, FCV-137, FCV-134 are (air to close) Fail open so that in the failure of instrument air crude keeps on traveling in the heater tubes and exchangers. Also 7 PSV,S are installed at different locations of the crude circuit. Heater H-301 is also provided with the 3 FSV,S whose tripping conditions are: Low crude charge 5000 bpd. Low gas header pressure (14 kpa). High heated transfer temperature (369 degree centigrade). Instrument air failure. Electricity failure.

Four passes of the heater combine into the common header where pressure is usually 150 KPa .Then crude enters into the flash zone of the tower V-301.

Naphtha & Light Gases Flow:


Crude tower over head vapor passes through overhead condenser E-309 by which it is totally condensed. The condensed liquid plus any non-condensable vapor flow into the overhead accumulator V-305. Sufficient pressure is maintained on this accumulator so that essentially all vapors will be condensed but not so high as to impose high flash zone pressure. It is maintained between 100-110 KPa. Non condensable vapors are then vented through a split ranged pressure control system to the off gas knock out drum. Steam coils are provided in the knock out drum to vaporize any condensed liquid.

A controlled stream of naphtha is withdrawn from tray no.37 as pumparound and passed through heat exchanger E-303A/B and fed back to the tower along with reflux stream on flow control system. Part of unstabilized naphtha separated from V-305 is pumped by P-302 A/B to the top plate of tower as reflux. The reflux rate is reset by crude tower's overhead vapor temperature with control system. A level control system over the accumulator resets the stabilizer feed flow. The remaining unstabilized naphtha is then pumped by P-303 A/B to stabilizer V-401 through flow control system and heat exchanger E-401 A/B. It enters the stabilizer on plate no.22. In this tower essentially all of the ethane and propane and sufficient butane are fractionated from naphtha. Overhead vapor flows through the condenser E-402 in which vapors are condensed. A part of liquid is returned to the stabilizer to provide adequate reflux by pump P-401 A/B through level control system. Other liquid is taken as LPG product, which is sent to the LPG treating section. Naphtha flows from the bottom of the stabilizer into the stabilizer reboiler E-403 to maintain a constant reboiler vapor return temperature to reboiler. The stabilized naphtha flows from reboiler to heat exchanger E-401, and to naphtha cooler E-404, and to trim cooler E-405 prior to passing through the battery limits on level control system. If pressure of the column increases following action can be performed: Increase the speed of fans Flaring option Tower top temperature increase Crude charge reduction

Kerosene, HSD and DFO Flow:


Kerosene, light gas oil and heavy gas oil are withdrawn from crude tower V-301 as side cuts and admitted to strippers V-302, V-303 and V-304 respectively, on level control system where these products are steam stripped for flash point correction. Low boiling point vapors along with steam are sent back to crude column to maintain temperature of column. The kerosene is withdrawn from the main tower as a side cut. This stream is admitted to the kerosene stripper V-302 on level control. The kerosene is steam stripped for flash point correction. Kerosene product flows through the suction of the kerosene product pump P-304 A/B, from which it is pumped through the kerosene-crude exchangers E-301, E-321 and the kerosene cooler E-310 prior to exiting the unit on flow control. Light gas oil is withdrawn from the main tower V-301 as a side cut and is admitted to the light gas oil stripper V-303 on a level control. The purpose of stream stripping is the flash point correction. Light gas oil product flows into the suction of the light gas oil product pump P-305A/B from which it is pumped through the hot LGO exchangers E306 and E-317 and the cold LGO-crude exchanger E-302 & E-322 and the light gas oil overhead Condenser E-311 prior to exiting on flow control.

Part of light gas oil withdrawn from the main tower is taken to the light gas oil pumparound pump P-307A/B rather than to the light gas oil stripper. This stream is circulated as the pumparound stream supplying all the heat required by the stabilizer reboiler E-403 and allowing the high level of heat recovery in the crude preheat train by being circulated through light gas oil -crude exchanger E-307A/B. The combined pumparound streams return to the main tower on tray no.18 Heavy gas oil withdrawn from the crude tower V-301 as a side cut is admitted to the heavy gas oil stripper V-304 on level control. The heavy gas oil is steam stripped for flash point correction. Heavy gas oil product flows into the suction of heavy gas oil pump P306A/B from which it is pumped through the heavy gas oil -crude exchangers E-304, E-324 and the heavy gas oil cooler E-312 prior to exiting the unit on flow control.

Residue Flow (FFO):


The portion of the crude tower charge which is not vaporized plus the condensed overflashed material flows downward from the crude tower flash zone across the four stripping trays. Steam is admitted below the bottom tray for flash point correction of the residue. Crude tower bottom flows into the suction of the atmospheric residue pump P308A/B. This pimp provide the necessary head required to move the residue. Recycle stream through its flow control station and into the convection section of the charge heater and also to move the residue product through the hot residue -crude exchangers E-308, E-329, the cold residue-crude exchanger E-305, E-318, the residue overhead Condenser E-313 and into the suction of the atmospheric residue booster pump P-308C/D. This pump provide the necessary head required to move the residue product stream through the level control station (controlling the crude tower bottom level) and onto the plant battery limit.

LPG TREATMENT SECTION


LPG from discharge of stabilizer reflux pump P-401 A/B flows into the suction of the LPG booster pump P-501 A/B. The booster pump provides the necessary head required to move LPG through LPG cooler E-501, The LPG flow control system FCV113, the first stage caustic wash V-501 and its mix valve, The second stage caustic wash V-502 and its mix valve, the water wash V-503 and its mix valve, the salt drier V504, and on the battery limits at 120 psig and 100 oF. The two stage caustic wash system enhances the hydrogen sulfide removal efficiency and reduces caustic consumption to a minimum. Make up caustic is admitted to the second stage by means of a dosing (metering) pump. Since the hydrogen sulfide level in the LPG coming to second stage is greatly reduced, the caustic in the second stage is less spent than in the first stage. Excess partially spent caustic is taken from the second stage on level control and routed to first stage, where caustic basically becomes totally spent. Spent caustic exits the first stage on level control and is routed to disposal. A caustic recycle system is provided on each stage in order to increase the

volume of caustic in contact with LPG and enhance contact efficiency. At each caustic wash stage and water wash stage mixing is accomplished by means of mix valve. LPG exits the second stage caustic wash and flows to water wash for trace caustic removal. A small quantity of fresh water is admitted by means of a metering pump and water is withdrawn form the water wash vessel on level control. Again a recycle system is employed to ensure adequate contact. LPG flows to the on-line salt drier where all free water is removed periodically. Salt brine is drained from the bottom of the vessel. Adequate depth has been provided so that salt needs not to be added more frequently than six months to one year. At this time the LPG stream is transferred to the stand by drier and salt is added to the previously on-line drier. A backpressure control valve maintains constant pressure on the system. An adequate caustic dilution tank has been provided so that caustic dilution and mixing can be achieved. Steam is supplied to this tank to increase the temperature and Air is also used for proper mixing the solution.

Shut down of the Plant:


Following are the main points of shutting down the plant: Perform soot blowing of the convection section of the heater and inform boiler house, OMI, HSE regarding shut down. Reduce crude charge at a specific rate, for NDU-I reduction is 2000 bbl/hr and for NDU-II this reduction is 500 bbl/hr. Meanwhile when reduction is done we reduce the products flow accordingly so as to maintain their draw off temperatures and keep them on spec. After crude is reduced to 12000 bbl NDU-I and 2000 bbl for NDU-II, reduce transfer temperature @ 150 oF/hr, meanwhile bypass stabilizer section and desalter section, cut off grade products to slop except residue and petrol to avoid any hazardous situation, shut amine injection pumps. At transfer temperature 300 oF shut heater, close louvers and open dampers and open purging steam to heater for half an hour. Then at transfer temperature 250 oF shut pumping system of the unit and close heater inlet chain valve and open heater to tower steam for 5 hrs, also open steam through strippers. Now start steaming out products circuits to slop. Steaming out should be done very efficiently so that all the crude should be pushed and drained from the system. Drain water from the nearest point to check for any oil Then insert blinds at specific locations of east and West Side battery limit of the plant. Hand over unit to PM-I for maintenance.

Start up of the plant:

Start up of the plant is done as follows: Steam out of the plant to remove air Float field gas to avoid re-entry of air in the lines Use soap solution to check for any leakage Fill crude in the crude circuit up to tower bottom ( Cold circulation) Drain water after giving it a settling time at the bottom of the tower. Then close louvers, open dampers and start purging steam to create draft in the heater, now lit all the pilot burners and one main gas burner ( Hot circulation) Now increase transfer temperature gradually @ 150 oF. Increasing of temperature should be done in such a way that heater inlet should also increase. Then at transfer temperature 450 oF send residue sample to lab for sp.gr and flash pt test. If sample is on spec start fresh crude charge, lit all the burners of the heater, cut off grade products to slop and start amine injection pumps At desalter inlet temperature 50 oC switch on desalter. Maintain transfer temperature at 590 oF. Cut on grade products to storage Now fill Re-boiler up to 90% and start increasing its temperature gradually up to 300 o F. The emergency conditions which can arise during the operation of plant are: Loss of cooling water Loss of air cooled exchangers Power failure Instrument air failure Fuel failure Low crude charge Heater tube failure Fire, explosion or rupture

You might also like