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These digital transcripts are meant to share information on process safety practices in order to help improve process safety performance and awareness throughout industry. The goal is to capture and share knowledge that could be used by other companies or sites when developing new process safety practices or improving existing ones. The documents being shared have been used by an industry member, but this does not mean it should be used or that it will produce similar results at any other site. Rather, it is an option to consider when implementing or adjusting programs and practices at a site. ​

BY THEMSELVES, THESE DIGITAL TRANSCRIPTS ARE NOT STANDARDS OR RECOMMENDED PRACTICES. THEY ARE NOT INTENDED TO REPLACE SOUND ENGINEERING JUDGMENT. THEY DO NOT PRECLUDE THE USE OF ALTERNATIVE METHODS THAT COMPLY WITH LEGAL REQUIREMENTS. A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT SHOULD BE CONSULTED PRIOR TO DETERMINING WHETHER A PRACTICE CAN BE USED IN ANY SPECIFIC SITUATION. 

​

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(2019) Question 14: What are your strategies to reduce alky acid consumption?

ABIGAIL SLATER (HollyFrontier)
The most impactful parameter affecting alky acid consumption is feed quality. Reducing feed contamination will greatly reduce acid consumption. There are also operational changes that can be made to reduce acid consumption, but the biggest impact will be feed

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(2008) Question 81: Has the optimum feed for light naphtha isomerization units changed given that: 1) ethanol blending reduces the octane value of other blendstocks; 2) the demand for premium gasoline is down; and, 3) ethanol blending increases RVP compliance costs? Are you removing pentane from the isomerization unit feed stream or shutting down the unit? Or, are the units still valuable for isomerizing normal hexane and saturating benzene?

KAISER (Delek Refining Ltd.) The question is very well phrased in that the introduction of ethanol into the blend pool does tend to reduce the need to run the isomerization unit in that ethanol is a very high RVP blend component, and it has enough octane to be able to possibly offset the need for the octane boost that you’re getting out of your isomerization unit. So when a refiner wants to introduce the ethanol into their blend pool, there are three likely scenarios that they’ll go through in their unit operations. The first is obviously shut the isomerization unit down.
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(2019) Question 2: We have a Selective Hydrogeneration Units (SHU) unit that removes butadiene from the olefin feed to the alkylation unit. What is the typical concentration of hydrogen and light ends in the olefin product leaving the SHU? How do hydrogen and light ends affect alky operations?

THOMAS PORRITT (Chevron U.S.A)
A selective hydrogenation unit or SHU converts diolefins to olefins in a stream before it feeds an alkylation unit.

Below is a basic flow scheme.

Figure Q2 - 1 Selective Hydrogenation Unit Flow Scheme

The typical composition of non-condensable gases and light

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(2019) Question 3: What is your experience with ball valves in feed and make-up gas drier circuits in ISOM Units? What strategies have you adopted for monitoring leaks, regular maintenance and achieving longer run length?

DAVINDER MITTAL (HPCL Mittal Energy)

The gas and liquid dryers perform important task of safeguarding the ISOM catalyst from water vapor and other impurities in the make-up hydrogen and hydrocarbon feed.
The dryer switching valves play an important role of directing the inlet/outlet gas streams

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(2019) Question 4: What are your best practices for controlling caustic strength in an isomerization unit scrubber? How frequently is the caustic refreshed?

It is quite important to optimize PERC injection in feed as guided by technology supplier as otherwise the HCl concentration in off gas can go too high (normal range 1500 - 2500 ppm). This will lead to rapid depletion of caustic strength due to neutralization effect, thereby requiring frequent fresh caustic make-up.
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(2019) Question 5: How will Tier 3 rules impact gasoline-producing units at your facility?

ABIGAIL SLATER (HollyFrontier)
The Tier 3 gasoline regulation partially took effect in 2017 and will be fully implemented in 2020. The Tier 3 gasoline regulation has impacted the refining industry in a myriad of ways as refiners reduce sulfur further. These impacts will be similar to most refineries

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(2019) Question 6: What is your main blending limit for gasoline for both summer and winter specs?

ABIGAIL SLATER (HollyFrontier)
Gasoline blending specifications are vast and different in various geographical areas. The common blending limit that taxes both summer and winter specifications are volatility specifications. Depending on the gasoline blend, Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP), Total vapor over

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Question 7: What are your typical precious metal recoveries from reforming catalysts? What factors impact this?

BILL KOSTKA (AXENS NORTH AMERICA)
Reported platinum recoveries from reforming catalyst following commercial utilization have typically ranged between 90 and 100 wt% and have rarely been less than 80 wt%.  The magnitude of this range is both frustrating and at least somewhat explainable.

How one

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