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(2016) Question 42: What are your typical H2S (hydrogen sulfide) detection and monitoring methods used on heavy oil fractions being transported via truck, rail, or barge? What are the mitigation options you employ?

We see typically dragger tube testing and head space H2S monitors being used. Mitigation is still done, for the most part, with chemical additives. The most commonly used additives are from the triazine family. As a result of the concerns that refiners have with some of the existing triazine and non-triazine (e.g., glyoxal) being used with respect to the impact on downstream equipment, Nalco Champion has developed both non-triazine, non-acidic (non-glyoxal), and low nitrogen alternative H2S scavengers.
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(2016) Question 43: Have you experienced high corrosion rates in carbon steel piping in resid service operating below 500°F? Please comment on corrosion mechanisms.

High corrosion rates have been experienced in heavier streams, like RCO (reduced crude oil) and vacuum residue operating at a temperature of 450 to 600°F. The role of naphthenic acid corrosion is difficult to determine in such streams with respect to the TAN (total acid number) distribution, temperature and velocity. The key precursor is sulfur species which causes “sulfidic corrosion” in such residue streams.
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(2016) Question 68: What is your experience with processing raw crude in the FCC? What types of crude have you tried to process in the FCC? What are the yield impacts? Any corrosion issues associated with this mode of operation? What additional corrosion monitoring is needed?

I have not had any experience running raw crude directly into an FCC unit; however, I know there are refiners out there that do. Many refiners who are running a high percentage of tight oils into their crude units have found that there is typically a shortage of FCC feed, which has led to some of them charging tight oils straight into the FCC.
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(2016) Question 69: Our FCC unit is limited by coke burn and high regenerator temperatures. What catalyst and operational changes have you implemented to maximize the conversion of heavy feeds and increase the amount of resid we can process without running into our regenerator limits and increasing dry gas production?

Considering the stated goals and constraints, particularly being limited by regenerator temperature and coke-burning capacity, it will be necessary to reduce delta coke without significantly increasing the reactor heat demand.
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(2016) Question 70: What is your method for measuring naphthenic acid [TAN (total acid number)] in FCC feed? Is this method affected by VABP (volume average boiling point) or Concarbon (Conradson carbon) content? Do you have data that validates an appropriate integrity operating window (IOW) trigger level? If above the trigger level, what is your recommended corrective action (extra inspection, change crude/slate, etc.)?

In terms of TAN number, we typically recommend the standard test method UOP 565, which can be found through the ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) website.
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(2016) Question 71: In your experience, what factors affect NOx emissions for a partial-burn FCC with a CO boiler? How do you achieve 50 ppm CO emissions while simultaneously minimizing NOx emissions through the stack?

Combustor-or incinerator-style CO boilers can produce lower NOx emissions than direct burning CO boilers (COBs). COBs with cold planes where the CO is combusted (package boilers, as an example) require high firing rates to combust the CO to acceptable levels, thereby increasing the liberation and NOx contribution.
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(2016) Question 72: Recent drone technology advancements have enabled refiners and contractors to improve the efficiency of maintenance and inspection activities. With this, how are your hot work permits and general safety policies evolving to sustain adequate asset and personnel protection at all times? For instance, what additional safety permits or considerations would apply for drone use and aerial inspections?

In June 2016, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)announced that it had finalized the first operational rules for routine commercial use of small, unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) including “drones”. According to industry estimates, the rule could generate more than $82 billion for the U.S. economy and create more than 100,000 new jobs over the next 10 years.
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(2016) Question 73: What criteria do you use to justify sea-less pumps in place of conventional double-seal pumps in LPG services? What are the operational and reliability issues associated with these types of seal-less pumps?

Seal-less pumps can be either mag drive or canned motor. Seal-less pumps are now commonly used all over the refinery and petrochemical industries. The U.S.is quite a bit behind Europe in the use of seal-less pumps. Europe has been specifying seal-less for multiple services since the mid-1980s.
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