(188e) A Comprehensive Approach to Assessing Opportunity Crudes
AIChE Spring Meeting and Global Congress on Process Safety
2006
2006 Spring Meeting & 2nd Global Congress on Process Safety
9th Topical Conference on Refinery Processing
Upgrading and Processing of Opportunity Crudes III
Wednesday, April 26, 2006 - 10:00am to 10:30am
Recently produced crudes can be purchased at attractive discounts, largely because the crudes possess an increased corrosion potential, present increased processing concerns, contain problematic contaminants and can provide reduced product value. An evaluation of processing these crudes must include all potential downside aspects to effectively determine if the margin discount is adequate to justify the purchase. As a result, a systematic approach has been developed to evaluate opportunity crudes in order to permit processing them. The major focal points of this assessment are the following: sulfidation and naphthenic acid corrosion, processing effects, contaminants, product value, and downstream effects.