ABB Visbreaking

Technical Information Package
for Shell Thermal Conversion Technologies
Proposal No. 3-3676
ABB Lummus Global

ABB Lummus Global B.V.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION PACKAGE --
30927,0 DMS 1 0 SSVB - TECHNICAL INFORMATION PACKAGE INDEX 30927LDR-0

Index
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 VISBREAKER HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENTS

1.2 CHEMISTRY OF VISBREAKING
1.3 CONVERSION AND VISCOSITY REDUCTION
1.4 PRODUCT PROPERTIES AND USE
2. TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW
2.1 INTRODUCTION
2.2 SHELL SOAKER VISBREAKING TECHNOLOGY
2.3 VACUUM FLASHER TECHNOLOGY
2.4 SHELL DEEP THERMAL CONVERSION TECHNOLOGY
2.5 SHELL THERMAL GASOIL PROCESS
2.6 UPGRADING POSSIBILITIES FOR THE VISBREAKER UNITS
2.7 PLANT AVAILABILITY
3. COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES
3.1 COMPARISON SHELL SOAKER VISBREAKER VS. COIL VISBREAKER TECHNOLOGY

3.2 LICENSING FROM ABB LUMMUS GLOBAL
4. EXPERIENCE SUMMARY
4.1 LICENSE SUMMARY
LGV SFOR 03-2000-01.001 (1996-06-20) DMS, propla0.dot , 1 30927LDR-0 /N24P0845.001 30927,0 Page 1 of 1
30928,0 DMS 1 0 SSVB - TECHNICAL INFORMATION PACKAGE 1. INTRODUCTION 30928LDR-0

1. Introduction
1.1 VISBREAKER HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENTS
Thermal cracking units built before 1930 were plagued with coking and mechanical prob-
lems. In these units, cracking was initiated in a heater and completed in a soaking drum.
Runs were short, largely because the important parameters of cracking were not well under-
stood.
Because of the problems with coke formation in the soaking drum, visbreakers after 1933
were the coil cracking type. The soaking drum was eliminated and the heater outlet tem-
perature increased, so that all cracking could take place in the heater. Improved heaters and
cheap fuel largely contributed to this change.
Therefore, it was natural to build this same type of visbreaker when visbreakers became
popular in Europe after 1960. One advantage was that the higher outlet temperature permit-
ted deep flashing of visbreaker effluent without the application of high vacuum, so that in ad-
dition to middle distillate a heavy gas oil could be produced. This could be cracked to yield
additional middle distillates.
The depth of flashing was, however, not very impressive; and whenever larger quantities of
thermal cracker feedstock were required, a vacuum flasher for the residue was necessary.
Most of the visbreakers built between 1960 and 1975 were combined with heavy distillate
thermal cracking units.
These combination units were particularly useful in reducing the heavy-fuel-oil pour point
when waxy feedstocks were processed, such as those originating from Libyan crude oils.
The thermal cracking residues from these feedstocks have pour points which can be 15 to
20°C lower than those of the corresponding heavy gas oil feedstocks.
At about the same time that ABB Lummus Global started to design and construct several
visbreaking units for Shell, a separate program was launched by Shell International to con-
vert some old thermal cracking units into soaker-type visbreakers. The first of these units
was started up in 1962 in Curaçao. It was soon followed by other units.
The main objective was to achieve a maximum visbreaking capacity for a given heater size.
It soon appeared that the soaking units had a number of additional advantages.
Since the oil crisis in 1973, these advantages became so pronounced that Shell started to
convert its existing visbreaking-thermal cracking units into soaker-type visbreakers. Vacuum
flashers were added to increase the production of thermal cracker feedstock. All new vis-
breakers built by Shell are of the soaker type.
Refining developments have also played a role in the expansion of visbreaking. In the refin-
ery configuration which has developed over the last 10 years the catalytic cracker has played
a predominant role in meeting gasoline requirements. This and cat cracker demands on
vacuum gas oil, combined with the reduced demand for heavy fuel oil, has led to the present
upsurge in the construction of visbreakers for heavy vacuum residues.
1. Introduction
In addition, visbreakers have been built or planned for long residue feedstock for the simpler
hydroskimming refineries. These units can be built as single stage visbreakers with soakers
or as combination units with an additional thermal cracker heater for heavy gas oil. Alter-
nately, the heavy gas oil can be used as feedstock for the catalytic cracking unit.
1.2 CHEMISTRY OF VISBREAKING
A residual oil can be described as a colloidal system in which the dispersed phase consists
of micelle containing asphaltenes and high molecular weight aromatic malthenes. The con-
tinuous phase contains the balance of the malthenes.
Asphaltenes are, in general, very complex high-molecular-weight hydrocarbons containing

very little hydrogen. They also contain sulfur, nitrogen, and oxygen, and have a strong aro-
matic character and aliphatic side chains. They are very soluble in carbon tetrachloride, car-
bon disulfide, and aromatic hydrocarbons, but not in light, paraffinic hydrocarbons. Malthe-
nes are soluble in all kinds of hydrocarbons and in carbon disulfide.
The micelle consists of a core of asphaltenes to which high-molecular-weight aromatic hy-

drocarbons from the malthene fraction are absorbed.
To these high-molecular-weight aromatic hydrocarbons, other hydrocarbons with a some-

what higher hydrogen content are absorbed, until the micelle at their periphery contain hy-
drocarbons with a hydrogen content about equal to that of the continuous malthene phase.
In a stable oil, the system of absorbed malthenes is such that all absorption forces are satu-
rated. The micelle is then in physical equilibrium with the surrounding oil phase. In other
words, the asphaltenes are peptized.
The absorption equilibrium can be disturbed in several ways, for instance, by adding hydro-
carbons with a high hydrogen content (aliphatic hydrocarbons) and by increasing the tem-
perature. Part of the absorbed compounds then dissolve in the continuous malthene phase,
whereby the asphaltene cores precipitate.
During the visbreaking process, the continuous oil phase is cracked to smaller molecules.
Also, new asphaltenes are formed from malthenes, and the malthene phase composition
changes in character. Eventually the equilibrium between asphaltenes and malthenes is
disturbed to such an extent that part of the asphaltenes flocculate. At that point, the cracked
fuel oil becomes unstable.
The cracking reactivity of the various hydrocarbons differs for the various classes of hydro-
carbons, and decreases in the following order:
1. Introduction
n Normal paraffins
n Iso-paraffins
n Cycloparaffins
n Aromatics
n Naphthenes
n Polynuclear aromatics.
Paraffins are mostly cracked to smaller paraffins and olefins. Practically no carbon and hy-
drogen are formed, so that no coke formation takes place in the primary cracking reaction.
An olefin is cracked to form either two smaller olefins or olefin plus diolefin. The diolefins
usually have short chains, and the amount formed is less at lower cracking temperatures.
Naphthenes and aromatics with long side chains are mainly cracked so that the side chains
are shortened to methyl or ethyl groups. Cracking of naphthene rings usually does not start
at temperatures below 490°C.
Apart from cracking reactions, several other reactions take place, particularly when aromatics
and polynuclear aromatics are present. For instance, inter and intramolecular condensation
can take place as shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1
1. Introduction
The condensation reactions are largely responsible for the formation of asphaltenes which, at
increasing conversion eventually leads asphaltenes to precipitate and, therefore, produces
unstable fuel oil.
The concept of stability and how it is affected by visbreaking is illustrated by Figure 2. In this
diagram, the corners represent three components of a residue: asphaltenes, paraffins, and
aromatics. An area of immiscibility exists between the asphaltenes and paraffins, as already
implied by the definition of asphaltenes, namely the material precipitated from an oil product
by the addition of heptane or pentane.
Figure 2
Suppose a residue has a composition represented by point A, which is in the stable region.
During the visbreaking process, asphaltenes are formed at the expense of aromatics, so that
the composition moves into direction B. At too high a conversion, the composition can move
into the unstable region.
In practice, a safe margin should always be kept to account for disturbances in the colloidal
structure because of prolonged storage at elevated temperature, oxidation by air and other
factors.
1. Introduction
Also, adding cutterstock to obtain a specified viscosity may have a negative effect on the
stability, depending on the nature of the cutterstock. Possible effects of cutterstock addition
are shown in Figure 2. The stability can either be improved or impaired as movement occurs
away from or towards the region of immiscibility.
Figure 2 only gives a qualitative insight into the stability phenomena because aromaticity is
not the only yardstick for the suitability of cutterstock. A more quantitative insight can only be
obtained by long term practical experience and laboratory testing.
1.3 CONVERSION AND VISCOSITY REDUCTION
The effect of visbreaking operation can be expressed in terms of the conversion or yield of
light products. Alternately, it can be expressed as the reduction in viscosity of the product.
The maximum allowable conversion is the amount of light material formed below a certain
true boiling point (TBP) cut point; the remaining heavy material above that cut point is just
stable.
For the Shell Thermal Conversion (SSVB) process, a cut point of 165°C is the normal refer-
ence point. The conversion by this definition is different for various feedstocks because of the
differences in chemical and colloidal nature, as has been noted.
If viscosity reduction is used as a yardstick, it refers to the viscosity of the material boiling
above 165°C in relation to the feedstock viscosity.
A few points should be made regarding the terms conversion and viscosity reduction:
1. Conversion at 165°C differs from actual conversion because the feedstock is also con-
verted into light and heavy gas oil on one hand and asphaltenes on the other.
2. The stability requirement may differ from case to case. When the fuel oil has to be kept
in storage for a long time, the limits are much more stringent than when the fuel oil is
used immediately after it has been produced. Also, marine diesel installations are
much more sensitive to plugging than large utility boilers. Therefore, the conversion to
be applied in practice depends largely on the circumstances.
3. The stability may change after the required cutterstock, but the fuel must be still stable.
Particular care should therefore be exercised in cases where the quality and quantity of
cutterstock are not known beforehand. This is often the case in coastal refineries,
where products are shipped without knowing the final destination. This is an additional
factor to be taken into account in the day-to-day operation of a visbreaker.
1. Introduction
4. The conversion of a visbreaker, in fact, is expressed in the amount of unwanted prod-

uct because the goal is to reduce the viscosity of the 165°C-plus product. In other
words, to reduce the viscosity of the combined distillate and residual fuel, the simulta-
neous production of gas and gasoline is a necessary evil.
5. A perhaps more useful way to express the effect of visbreaking is the amount of a
standard cutterstock needed to blend the visbroken residue to No. 6 Fuel Oil viscosity
of 3,500 Sec. Redwood I (RI) at 100°F compared to the amount of cutterstock needed
for the feedstock. In Figure 3 this cutterstock quantity is given as a function of the con-
version.
The reduction in cutterstock is not proportional to the conversion, but the effect be-
comes less as the conversion increases.
Figure 3
1. Introduction
1.4 PRODUCT PROPERTIES AND USE
As has been mentioned, the product properties for coil visbreaking and the Shell Soaker Vis-
breaker process are, for all practical purposes, the same. The only pronounced difference is
in the degree of saturation of the light components.
The C4 fraction from a Shell Soaker Visbreaker unit, for instance, contains about 35 percent
olefinic materials, whereas for the coil process this runs from 40 to 50 percent.
This difference reflects the difference in cracking temperature. The quantities of gas pro-
duced, about 2 wt. percent on feedstock, usually do not warrant the recovery of LPG. Most
often, after removal of hydrogensulfide, this gas is used as fuel gas.
The average properties of gasoline and gas oil produced by the Shell soaker visbreaker are
listed in Table 1.
Table 1: Typical Soaker Visbreaker Product Properties
Gasoline (C5-165°C)
Specific gravity 0.74
F-1 clear 71
+ 1.5 ml TEL/gal 77
F-2 clear 64
+ 1.5 ml TEL/gal 68
Nitrogen, ppm 50
Bromine number, g/100 g 80
Gas Oil (165-350°C)

Specific gravity 0.87
Bromine number, g/100 g 25
Diesel index (after Hydrotreating) 50
Because the gasoline is olefinic, sensitivity and lead susceptibility are rather poor and so is
the octane number. To improve the octane number, the heavy portion of the gasoline can be
treated in a catalytic reformer after having been hydrotreated first for saturation of olefins and
removal of sulfur.
1. Introduction
If a multimetallic catalyst is used in the reformer, the nitrogen content must be reduced to a
level of 1 ppm by the hydrotreater. This may require a rather high reactor pressure and the
use of special catalysts.
The light portion of the gasoline, which has a research octane number (RON) of about 80,
can also be added to the gasoline pool after Merox treating. Sometimes the total visbreaker
gasoline is reprocessed in a cat cracker, which improves the stability to such an extent that
only a sweetening step is required for mercaptan removal.
The visbreaker gas oil as it comes from the unit is not color stable. Therefore, it should be
hydrotreated to make it suitable for distillate fuel oil use unless the quantity in the total fuel
pool is limited. When the gas oil is used as residual fuel cutterstock, the hydrotreating step
can be omitted unless it is required for desulfurization.
The most important property of the visbroken residue is its viscosity in connection with its
stability. The viscosity reduction that can be achieved is a function of the nature of the feed-
stock, which determines the maximum possible conversion and feedstock viscosity. For the
final product specifications, other properties (like specific gravity, sulfur content, and Conrad-
son carbon content) are of interest. But these again depend on the feedstock characteristics.
For a typical Middle East residue, visbroken residue properties are given in Table 2.
Table 2: Typical Feed/Residue Properties (Middle East Crude)
Feedstock Visbroken Residue

550°C-plus 350°C-plus
Specific gravity 1.009 1.033
Sulfur, wt percent 3.5 3.7
Viscosity @ 50°C, cSt 46,000 16,000
Conradson carbon, wt. percent 17.0 23.9
The residue is mostly used as a heavy fuel oil component. In some refineries the residue is
subject to vacuum flashing to obtain a distillate for use as supplemental cat cracker feed-
stock. Part of the cycle oil produced in the cat cracker is then used as a cutterstock for the
vacuum-flashed residue.
Another possibility is to utilize visbroken residue as feedstock for a partial oxidation unit for
hydrogen or synthesis gas production. In this case, there are no stringent stability require-
ments for the visbroken residue, so that substantially higher conversions are possible.
Shell Thermal Conversion processes are ideally suited for such an operation because any
coke formed as a result of the high conversion will not deposit on the heater tubes where the
conversion is still within acceptable limits.
1. Introduction
In refineries with lube oil facilities, the propane or butane asphalt from deasphalting opera-
tions can also be used as feedstock to a visbreaker. Because of their extremely high viscos-
ity, these asphalts are usually cracked in admixture with straight run residues. Visbroken
residues from pure solvent asphalt would not meet some of the current fuel oil specifications.
30933,0 DMS 1 0 SSVB - TECHNICAL INFORMATION PACKAGE 2. TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW

2. Technology Overview
2.1 INTRODUCTION
The three main configurations of Shell Thermal conversion technologies are:
n Shell Soaker Visbreaker without Vacuum Flasher

n Shell Soaker Visbreaker with Vacuum Flasher
n Shell Soaker Visbreaker with Vacuum Flasher and Distillate Conversion (Shell Thermal
Gasoil Process)
The main differences between the three configurations are the products they deliver. The ba-
sic Shell Soaker Visbreaker without Vacuum Flasher produces gas, naphtha, and gasoil as
additional products. The Shell Soaker Visbreaker with Vacuum Flasher has an additional
heavy (or vacuum) gas oil product. In the Shell Thermal Gasoil process, the additional heavy
gasoil product is thermally converted to lighter gasoil.
The different technologies are described in more detail in the paragraphs that follow.
2.2 SHELL SOAKER VISBREAKING TECHNOLOGY
2.2.1 OVERVIEW
1 HEATER GAS
2 SOAKER
3 FRACTIONATOR
NAPHTHA
3
STEAM
GASOIL
2
1 STEAM
VISBREAKER
FEED VISBROKEN
RESIDUE
The Shell Soaker Visbreaking process is ideally suited for the reduction of heavy fuel oil
product via resid viscosity reduction and maximum production of distillates. Typical applica-
tions include atmospheric and vacuum resids and solvent deasphalter pitch. The Shell
Soaker Visbreaking process is jointly licensed by Shell and ABB.
ABB and Shell have extensive technical and commercial experience in soaker visbreaking,
which results in highly efficient and reliable units. Over 80 Shell Soaker Visbreaking units
have been built or converted from coil visbreakers and crude units.
Over 70% of the total visbreaking capacity built during the last 10 years was based on this
Shell technology. It offers demonstrated advantages that include significantly lower fuel re-
quirements, increased heater run length, and higher conversion operation with better viscos-
ity reduction.
The technology provides refiners with the means to conserve valuable cutter stock while still
producing high quality, stable fuel oil. This conservation of valuable cutter stock, combined
with fuel savings derived from the technology, offers an overall cost advantage that leads to
project payouts of one to two years.
Shell’s visbreaking process can be tailored to meet the refiners’ specific needs. A vacuum
flasher can be added to obtain increased distillate recovery. Incorporating two-stage cracking
in combination with a vacuum flasher will increase conversion and distillate recovery.
With typically 20% of the vacuum resid feed converted to distillate and lighter products, Shell
Soaker Visbreaking is one of the lowest cost conversion process options.
2.2.2 PROCESS DESCRIPTION
Resid feed is pumped through preheat exchangers before entering the visbreaker heater,
where the resid is heated to the required cracking temperature. The high efficiency heater is
also utilized to superheat stripping steam. Heater effluent is sent to the soaker drum where
most of the thermal cracking and viscosity reduction takes place under controlled conditions.
Soaker drum effluent is flashed and then quenched in the fractionator. Heat integration is
maximized in order to keep fuel consumption to a minimum. The flashed vapors can be frac-
tionated into gas, gasoline, gasoil and visbreaker residue.
Liquid visbreaker residue is steam-stripped in the bottom of the fractionator and pumped
through the cooling circuit to battery limits. Visbreaker gasoil, which is drawn off as a side
stream, is steam-stripped, cooled and sent to battery limits. Alternately, the gasoil fraction
can be included with the visbreaker effluent. It is also possible to obtain a heavy vacuum
gasoil fraction by adding a vacuum flasher downstream of the fractionator.
Cutter stocks, such as light cycle oil or heavy atmospheric gasoil, may be added to the vis-
breaker residue/gas oil mixture to meet the desired fuel oil specification.
2.2.3 YIELDS
Products yields are dependent on feed type and product specifications. Typical product
yields for Middle East crude are given below.
Feed vacuum residue Middle East

Viscosity, cSt @ 100°C 770
Products in % wt. on feed

gas 2.3
gasoline ECP 165°C 4.7
gasoil ECP 350°C 14.0
residue ECP 350°C + 79.0
Viscosity 165°C plus, cSt @100°C 97.0
2.2.4 ECONOMICS
The investment is in the order of 1000 - 1200 US$/bbl installed excluding treating facilities
and depending on capacity.
Utilities, typical per bbl @ 180°C:

fuel, Mcal 16
electricity, kWh 0.5
net steam production, kg 18
3
cooling water, m 0.10
2.3 VACUUM FLASHER TECHNOLOGY
2.3.1 OVERVIEW
1 HEATER GAS
2 SOAKER
3 FRACTIONATOR
NAPHTHA
4 CYCLONE
5 SHELL VACUUM FLASHER
STEAM
LGO
HGO
2
1 STEAM
VISBREAKER
FEED 5
VACUUM
FLASHED
CRACKED
RESIDUE
The steady drop in heavy fuel oil demand has asked for further developments in Visbreaker
Technology. Shell Global Solutions has developed the Vacuum Flasher Technology, for
which ABB Lummus Global acts as the authorized licensor.
Vacuum Flasher Technology has two major advantages when added to a Shell Soaker Vis-
breaker:
I. Additional distillate products are being produced which are suitable for thermal crack-
ing, catalytic cracking or hydrocracking to improve the overall performance of the refin-
ery.
II. It produces a heavier, more viscous residue, which is still suitable for fuel blending or
which can be gasified to produce hydrogen and can be used as fuel for a power plant
directly.
The Shell proprietary design of the transfer line between the atmospheric Fractionator and
the Vacuum Flasher and of the Vacuum Flasher internals minimizes coke formation and
hence maximizes the runlength. This design also ensures a maximum yield of distillate prod-
ucts while entrainment of heavy residue is avoided.
A large number of Vacuum Flashers downstream of visbreakers and thermal gasoil units are
in operation. Shell Soaker Visbreaker units have successfully been revamped with the addi-
tion of a Vacuum Flasher.
2.3.2 IMPLEMENTATION
When a refinery has a Visbreaker unit in operation, it is worthwhile to investigate whether

additional distillate processing capacity is available. If this is the case, revamping the Vis-
breaker unit using Vacuum Flasher technology will result in more distillate products, and thus
improved margins.
With a limited amount of investment, Vacuum Flashing technology offers two advantages
over Visbreaker units without a Vacuum Flasher:
n Additional distillate products are produced which are suitable for thermal cracking,
catalytic cracking or hydrocracking. This results in improve economics of the refinery.
n It produces a heavier, more viscous residue, which is still suitable for blending into fuel
oil, and can be burned in the refinery fuel system. As an alternative, this residue stream
can be gasified to produce hydrogen and is then used as fuel for a power plant directly.
When a Vacuum Flasher is added to a Visbreaker unit, only minor modifications to the Frac-
tionator system are required. The feed preheat train and product rundown will typically be
checked for the new situation.
The Vacuum Flasher concept has evolved from the crude / vacuum column design. In a
Vacuum Flasher the following products are produced:
n Heavy Gas Oil (HGO)

n Vacuum Gas Oil (VGO)
n Vacuum Flashed Visbreaker Residue
Typical product yields (in wt % on total feed to the Visbreaker unit) for moderate conversion
rates are:
HGO 1-2% cut point 350 - 365 °C

VGO 11 - 15% cut point 365 - 520 °C
VF Residue 65 – 70 % cut point 520 °C - plus
By-Products:
VF Off-gas: 0.1 wt %
VF Sour Water 2.0 wt %
Slops 0.1 - 0.2 wt %
2.3.3 ECONOMICS
A calculation has been done for a typical visbreaker unit with a capacity of 4000 t/sd, proc-
essing Middle East Vacuum residue with a viscosity of 3900 cSt at 100 °C. Below, the differ-
ence in blending of a visbreaker unit and a visbreaker unit with Vacuum Flasher has been in-
dicated.
GAS GAS
76 76
NAPHTHA
FEED VB 164
VB NAPHTHA 164
4000
GASOIL 460 FEED
4000 GASOIL 460
GAS
1404
HGO + OIL
VB RES. 3200 3200
VB RES. VGO 620
4924
FUEL VF
GAS OIL
OIL 2680 VB TAR FUEL
1164 4544
OIL
Figure 1: Blending example
The difference in gross margin between a Shell Soaker Visbreaker and a Shell Soaker Vis-
breaker with Vacuum Flasher is approximately $5 per ton of residue feed. For a 4000 T/SD
Visbreaker, the advantage is $ 6.6 Million per year. The difference in investment cost for the
addition of a Vacuum Flasher is approximately $ 6 Million. The pay out time for Shell Vacuum
Flasher technology is thus less than 1 year.
Actual pay out time depends on the location, product prices, design conversion, feedstock
specifications, etc.
2.3.4 PROJECT EXECUTION
ABB Lummus Global has a history of executing various visbreaker revamp projects. A typical
revamp project would start with assessment of operating data of the existing visbreaker
plant, followed by a feasibility study phase, where different revamp options are evaluated in
more detail. Results from the feasibility study are discussed with the client and a plan will be
made for the next phase of the project which is the preparation of the basic design package.
The basic design phase will be followed by the detailed engineering.
The Vacuum Flasher section can be built in a modular way and added next to the visbreaker
plot. Given below is an example of a 3-D model of a visbreaker unit which was originally built
by Shell and for which a Vacuum Flasher was added later on. The Vacuum Flasher section
has been highlighted.
3D model of visbreaker unit with Vacuum Flasher
2.4 SHELL DEEP THERMAL CONVERSION TECHNOLOGY
2.4.1 OVERVIEW
1 HEATER GAS
2 SOAKER
3 FRACTIONATOR
NAPHTHA
4 CYCLONE
STEAM
3 LGO
HGO
1 STEAM
VISBREAKER
FEED 5
VACUUM
FLASHED
CRACKED
RESIDUE
The Shell Deep Thermal Conversion process fills the gap between visbreaking and coking. It
was developed based on many years of experience with the Shell Soaker Visbreaking proc-
ess. The process yields a maximum of distillates by applying deep thermal conversion of the
vacuum residue feed and by vacuum flashing of the cracked residue. High distillate yields
are obtained while still producing a stable liquid residual product, referred to as vacuum
flashed cracked residue. This stream, which is not suitable for blending to commercial fuel, is
used for specialty products, gasification and/or combustion, e.g. to generate power and/or
hydrogen.
The Shell Deep Thermal Gasoil process is a combination of the Shell Deep Thermal Conver-
sion and the Shell Thermal Gasoil processes. In this alternative high conversion scheme, the
heavy gasoil (HGO) from the atmospheric Fractionator and the vacuum gasoil (VGO) from
the vacuum flasher are converted in a distillate thermal conversion heater into lower boiling
point gasoil.
Deep Thermal Conversion
Preheated vacuum residue is charged to the visbreaker heater and from there to the soaker,
where the deep conversion takes place. The conversion is maximized by controlling the op-
erating temperature and pressure. The soaker effluent is routed to a cyclone and the cyclone
overheads are charged to the flash zone of the atmospheric Fractionator to produce the de-
sired products like gas, LPG, naphtha, kero and gasoil. The fractionator bottoms are routed
to a vacuum flasher, which recovers additional gasoil and vacuum gasoil (VGO). Vacuum
flashed cracked residue is routed for further processing depending on the end use.
Deep Thermal Gasoil
The heavy gasoil from the atmospheric Fractionator and the VGO from the Vacuum Flasher
are cracked in a distillate thermal conversion heater. The product from the thermal conver-
sion heater is routed to the Fractionator.
2.4.3 YIELDS
Products yields are dependent on feed type and product specifications. Typical product
yields for Middle East crude are given below.
Feed vacuum residue Middle East


gas 4.0
waxy distillate ECP 520°C 22.5
2.4.4 ECONOMICS
The investment amounts to 1300 - 1600 US$/bbl installed excluding treating facilities and
depending on the capacity and configuration.

fuel, Mcal 26
3
cooling water, m 0.15
2.5 SHELL THERMAL GASOIL PROCESS
2.5.1 OVERVIEW
1 HEATER GAS
2 SOAKER
3 FRACTIONATOR
NAPHTHA
4 CYCLONE
5 DISTILLATE HEATER

STEAM GASOIL
3 GAS
HGO
4
5
VGO
1 STEAM
VISBREAKER
FEED 6
VACUUM
FLASHED
CRACKED
RESIDUE
ABB offers the Shell Thermal Gasoil process to upgrade atmospheric residue and waxy dis-
tillate. Originally developed in the 1960s, continued improvement in the Shell-designed
soaker drum and heater designs resulted in the present Thermal Gasoil technology, a com-
bination of three mature, well-proven Shell technologies:
n Soaker Visbreaking
n Vacuum Flashing
n Thermal Cracking
Shell was the first to develop and employ soaker visbreaking technology. The soaker drum,
with patented internals, achieves higher conversion and improved viscosity reduction com-
pared to other visbreaking technologies.
ABB and Shell have extensive experience in the design of thermal conversion processes.
With continual feedback from operating units, we are able to provide advanced designs and
practical advice on operational matters. Shell’s ongoing research and development in ther-
mal cracking technology and equipment design assures the availability of the most up-to-
date know-how in this field.
Atmospheric residue is pumped through feed preheat exchangers, where the feed is heated
against cracked residue, and then routed to the visbreaker heater. In the heater, the feed is
heated to the required cracking temperature and routed to the soaker where the majority of
the thermal cracking occurs under controlled conditions. The soaker effluent is routed to a
cyclone and the cyclone overheads are charged to the flash zone of the atmospheric frac-
tionator.
In the top section of the Fractionator, the soaker effluent is split into four fractions: heavy
gasoil, gasoil, naphtha and offgas. The gasoil is taken from the Fractionator as a draw off,
steam-stripped in a side stripper to improve the flash point, and sent to the battery limit. The
overhead vapors are condensed in a two-stage condensing system: in the first stage, only
the reflux is condensed; in the second stage, the naphtha product is condensed. From the
overhead system, the offgas and naphtha are sent to the battery limit.
Inside the Fractionator, the liquid is quenched to prevent further cracking and then steam-
stripped. The hot Fractionator bottoms, together with the cyclone bottoms, are routed to the
vacuum flasher where the vacuum gasoil (VGO) is recovered. The VGO is sent, together
with the heavy gasoil from the atmospheric Fractionator, to a distillate thermal conversion
heater where it is partly converted into lower boiling fractions. The heater effluent is routed to
the flash zone of the atmospheric Fractionator. The unconverted heavy gasoil is recovered in
the Fractionator and Vacuum Flasher and is recycled back to the distillate thermal conver-
sion heater to maximize the gasoil yield.
The vacuum-flashed residue is cooled against the VGO and then by steam generation. The
cooled residue is sent to fuel oil blending where it is blended with gasoil product and/or other
cutter-stocks to meet the specified fuel oil viscosity.
2.5.3 YIELDS
Depend on feed type and product specifications.
Feed atmospheric residue Middle East


gas 6.4
Viscosity 165°C plus, cSt @100°C 7.7
2.5.4 ECONOMICS
The investment amounts to 1400 - 1600 US$/bbl installed excluding treating facilities and
depending on capacity and configuration.

fuel, Mcal 34
cooling water, m 3 0.17
2.6 UPGRADING POSSIBILITIES FOR THE VISBREAKER UNITS
Three well-proven advanced technologies from Shell are now available for licensing from
ABB Lummus Global, that provide an economically feasible extension and upgrade of the
Visbreaker Unit.
2.6.1 SHELL VACUUM FLASHER TECHNOLOGY
The visbreaker residue still contains a considerable amount of heavy gasoil (TBP range ap-
proximately 350-500 °C) that can be used as an attractive supplementary feed to further up-
grading processes such as catalytic cracking or hydrocracking. Heavy gasoil is recovered by
vacuum flashing of the atmospheric visbreaker residue. Shell has accumulated a vast wealth
of research and operational experience in visbreaker residue vacuum flashing. Shell’s Vac-
uum Flasher technology is available for licensing through ABB Lummus Global. The main
features of the Shell Vacuum Flasher Technology are:
n Excellent distillate yield, combined with high product qualities of vacuum flasher distil-
lates.
n Superior runlength, when compared to conventional, open art, vacuum flashers.
1 HEATER GAS
2 SOAKER
3 FRACTIONATOR
NAPHTHA
4 CYCLONE
STEAM
LGO
HGO
2
1 STEAM
VISBREAKER
FEED
5
VACUUM
FLASHED
CRACKED
RESIDUE
2.6.2 SHELL THERMAL GASOIL TECHNOLOGY
Shell Thermal Gasoil Technology is utilized for the production of middle distillates from at-
mospheric residue by a combination of visbreaking and distillate thermal conversion. Heavy
distillates withdrawn from the Visbreaker atmospheric Fractionator and vacuum flasher are
further cracked in a separate thermal conversion furnace. This process combines the ad-
vantages of Shell’s visbreaker process with distillate conversion furnace design. The Shell
Thermal Gasoil Technology provides an excellent low cost solution for reducing fuel oil pro-
duction. The distillate Thermal Conversion Technology (based on converting distillate feed)
can also be licensed separately.
1 HEATER GAS
2 SOAKER
3 FRACTIONATOR
NAPHTHA
4 CYCLONE
5 DISTILLATE HEATER

STEAM GASOIL
3 GAS
HGO
4
5
VGO
1 STEAM
VISBREAKER
FEED
6
VACUUM
FLASHED
CRACKED
RESIDUE
2.6.3 SHELL DEEP THERMAL CONVERSION TECHNOLOGY
Shell’s latest development in the area of Thermal Conversion is the Shell Deep Thermal
Conversion Technology. Due to the increase in non-fuel oil outlets of thermally converted
residues, new opportunities have arisen for thermal conversion. The use of undiluted ther-
mally converted residues removes the usual stability constraint allowing substantially n i-
creased conversion levels in the operation of a Thermal Conversion unit. In practice how-
ever, the maximum achievable conversion levels are often limited by the rapidly decreasing
unit run length. Shell has been able to improve the design and operation of the unit such that
high conversion levels can be achieved while maintaining long run lengths.
This technology closes the gap between visbreaking and delayed coking. It realizes most of
the delayed coking upgrading while avoiding the drawbacks of solids handling. The residual
product of Deep Thermal Conversion remains liquid and is referred to as vacuum flashed
cracked residue.
The main characteristics of the technology are listed below:
n Can be applied to both Visbreaking as well as Thermal Gasoil units.

n Includes Shell Soaker Visbreaking technology.
n Includes Shell Vacuum Flasher technology.
n Typically 45-55 %wt of Vacuum Residue is converted to distillate products.
n Revamp of an existing unit is possible.
n Liquid residual product.
n Includes both design and operational know-how.
The main benefits of Shell Deep Thermal Conversion technology compared to ‘high conver-
sion’ operation on traditional thermal conversion technology can be summarized as follows:
n Substantially higher conversion.

n Longer run length and higher on stream time.
n Higher distillate yields from Vacuum Flasher.
n Lower capital expenditure.
n Additional gasoil from Vacuum Flasher
n Improved operability due to use of pressure and temperature as control variables.
On the other side the main benefits of Shell Deep Thermal Conversion technology compared
to delayed coking technology can be summarized as follows:
n Slightly lower conversion

n Better quality products
n Higher selectivity to gasoil
n Substantially lower capital expenditure
n No solids handling.
2.7 PLANT AVAILABILITY
Proper design of the Visbreaker Heater utilizing the expertise of Shell/ABB Lummus Global
and proper operation supervision, results in an onstream time of these heaters of about 350
days per year. The fractionation section, the soaker and the heat exchangers in the unit have
far longer run lengths. The availability of the Visbreaker Unit is expected to be as shown
below:
Number of decoking shutdowns per year 1
Average length of decoking shutdown in days 8
Average total scheduled shutdown days per year 1 14
Average unscheduled shutdown days per year 1

Available stream days per year 350
Plant availability 95.9%
Onstream availability 99.7%
1
Average scheduled shutdown days per year is based on one major turnaround every four years and includes de-
coking shutdowns.
30935,0 DMS 1 0 SSVB - TECHNICAL INFORMATION PACKAGE 3. COMPETITIVE ADVAN-

3. Competitive Advantages
3.1 COMPARISON SHELL SOAKER VISBREAKING VS. COIL VISBREAKER TECHNOLOGY
The Shell Soaker Visbreaking Process is a low-temperature, long residence time cracking
technique. It offers significant advantages over conventional heater coil cracking in opera-
tional flexibility, investment and operating cost. Developed by Shell, the Soaker Visbreaking
Process is available worldwide from ABB Lummus Global.
The Shell Soaker Visbreaking process is a mature and proven technology. It is currently ap-
plied in over 80 units throughout the world, for a variety of feedstocks and in different con-
figurations. The process produces a residue, which after final blending yields fuel oils that
meet all commercial stability requirements.
The Shell Soaker Visbreaking process has proven to offer many benefits that have made it
the leading Visbreaker technology in the world:
n Up to 15% Capital Investment Savings

The major part of the thermal conversion takes place in the soaker drum. This soaker
enables a lower temperature, leading to capital investment savings of up to 15% or
even more, when compared to conventional coil visbreakers. The lower temperature
downstream the heater results in a smaller heater, and smaller heat exchange equip-
ment.
n Up to 30% Fuel Savings

The lower heater outlet temperature results in a fuel saving of up to 30% compared to
conventional coil visbreakers. Due to the lower heater outlet temperature, also less
waste-heat steam is generated. Typically, refineries have little demand for low-level
steam. Therefore, the value of low-level steam is not very favorable under these condi-
tions. Overall, economics are best when fuel consumption is small, and the amount of
steam generation is minimal.
n Longer Run-lengths
Lower temperatures mean lower heater tube wall temperatures. This results in reduced
coking, extended tube life and run lengths that are at least three times the run length of
conventional visbreakers. Run lengths of more than a year in a Shell Soaker Vis-
breaker are common, compared to a run length of 3 to 6 months for a Coil type Vis-
breaker. The improved run length gives the Shell Soaker Visbreaker the same on-
stream factor as the upstream crude and Vacuum Distillation units. In contrast, the Coil
Visbreaker is down for decoking for at least two times per year for five days. During
these extra ten days of downtime each year, the vacuum residue has to be blended to
fuel viscosity without visbreaking.
n Enhanced Operating Flexibility

Soaker visbreakers have both the heater outlet temperature and the soaker pressure
(i.e. reactor residence time) as variables for process control. This provides more flexi-
bility in the operation of the visbreaker.
n High Turndown Ratio

The enhanced operating flexibility ensures stable and controlled operation at 50% of
the design capacity. ABB Lummus has licensed a Shell Soaker Visbreaker to a Euro-
pean client that was designed to run at a turndown of 44% of design capacity.
n Up to 2% Higher Gasoil Gain

The configuration and the internals of the Shell Soaker ensure an optimal flow pattern.
It minimizes back mixing and hence gives an optimal residence time distribution to get
a higher conversion at constant residue stability. As a result of the application of these
internals, the gasoil gain of the Shell Soaker Visbreaker process is 1-2% higher than
that in a process using soakers without internals at the same residue stability.
n Well-proven Technology
The large number of designs made for Shell Soaker Visbreaker units and the continu-
ing feedback received in many operating units have built up vast experience on soaker
cracking. It is this experience which provides a guarantee for both advanced designs
and practical advice on operational matters.
3.2 LICENSING FROM ABB LUMMUS GLOBAL
Licensing the Shell Soaker Visbreaking Technology from ABB Lummus Global gives access
to a unique package of services:
n Latest Know-how Available

Shell's ongoing research and development effort in the field of both technology and
equipment for soaker cracking assures the availability of a most up-to-date know-how
in this field.
n Active Support
Regularly, conference meetings are organized for licensees by Shell and ABB Lummus
Global to exchange information between participating operating companies on a variety
of subjects related to soaker cracking. Training and appropriate routine and trouble-
shooting assistance to operators or during EPC and commissioning phases is provided
tailor-made to the Owner’s requirements.
n Pilot Plant Facilities

Pilot plant facilities are available for the evaluation of unfamiliar feedstocks for new de-
signs or to assess for clients the cracking characteristics - and thus the economic value
- of new feedstocks.
n Residue Stability Analyzer ("P-value Analyzer")

A quality analyzer for residue stability is available to licensees to monitor unit operation
and to make sure that the unit is continuously operated at optimum severity.
n Stability and Blending Know-how

Proprietary know-how on the stability of residues and on blending of fuel oils is avail-
able to licensees. Together with the readings of the residue stability analyzer, the in-
formation enables the operator to make the link between unit operation and fuel blend-
ing - a link indispensable to optimize the cracking operation.
n Full EPCOM Capabilities

ABB Lummus Global, as a leading contractor, can offer full EPC of visbreaker plants on
lump sum turnkey basis, extended with operations and maintenance tailored to any re-
quirement.
Once an appropriate level of understanding has been reached, potential licensees are
given the opportunity to visit operating plants, so that they can make their own judg-
ment on such issues as process operability, maintenance and onstream time. A frank
exchange of ideas is considered necessary prior to the initiation of any design work.
This will assure that the plant design is tailor-made to Owner's requirement.
Once a license agreement is concluded, the know-how is provided by ABB Lummus

Global in the form of a complete basic engineering package. The information in this ba-
sic engineering package is very complete and will enable any qualified engineering
contractor, chosen by the Owner, to perform the detailed engineering, procurement and
construction of the plant.
During the detailed engineering phase of the project, ABB Lummus Global will review
and approve selected areas of EPC contractor's detailed design. This is a necessary
requirement to ensure that the design is being carried out in the correct manner and
guarantees will be met.
30937,0 DMS 1 0 SSVB - TECHNICAL INFORMATION PACKAGE 4. EXPERIENCE SUMMARY

4. Experience Summary
4.1 LICENSE SUMMARY
ABB Lummus Global became involved in licensing the Shell Thermal Conversion process in
1979. Since that time, several Shell Thermal Conversion units have been designed and/or
built by Shell and ABB Lummus Global, for processing a variety of feedstocks from long resi-
due to propane asphalt.
The vast majority of the Thermal Conversion capacity in the world added in the last 15 years
is based on Shell’s technology. On average, four new Thermal Conversion units are licensed
each year, which is illustrated in the graph below:
Units Licensed
Cumulative Capacity
15 450,000
12 360,000
Cumulative Capacity, T/Yr

Units Licensed
9 270,000
6 180,000
3 90,000
0 0
1952 1957 1962 1967 1972 1977 1982 1987 1992 1997 2002
Year
Although initially only Shell Soaker Visbreaker technology was available for licensing, more
advanced thermal conversion technologies were added later to the Shell Thermal Conver-
sion portfolio. The table below shows the number of licenses and capacity for the different
technologies.
Capacity Number of
MT/D Licenses
Shell Soaker Visbreaker Technology 248,797 61
Shell Soaker Visbreaker Technology + Vacuum Flasher 85,500 22
Shell Thermal Gasoil Technology 50,650 15
Shell Deep Thermal Conversion technology 17,700 4
Total 402,647 102
A more detailed list is attached on the next few pages
Year Capacity,
Licensee Licensed MT/D Technology Note
Lukoil-Permnefteorgsyntez, 2001 2900 SSVB

Perm, Russia
Samir, 2001 4500 SSVB

Mohammedia, Morocco
Saras SpA, 2001 7200 SSVB / SVF Upgrade

Sarroch, Sardinia, Italy
TNK-Ukraina, 2001 3500 SSVB

Lisichansk, Ukraine
Chennai Petroleum Corp. Ltd. (CPCL), 2000 3600 SSVB / SVF

Manali, Chennai, India
Deutsche Shell AG - TGU-1, 2000 2700 SVF / STG Upgrade

Godorf, Germany
Deutsche Shell AG - TGU-2, 2000 2500 SVF / STG Upgrade

Godorf, Germany
Petrola Hellas, 2000 3207 SSVB

Elefsis, Greece
Petronor, 2000 7250 SSVB / SVF

Somorrostro Vizcaya, Spain
DEA Mineraloel AG, 1999 2400 SSVB / SVF

Heide, Germany
Nagarjuna Oil Corp Ltd., 1999 2150 SSVB

Cuddalore, India
Samarec, 1999 7700 SSVB

Saudi Arabia
AGIP/Hohbond Refinery, 1998 3600 SSVB / SVF

Haikou, Hainan Island, China
SSVB = Shell Soaker Visbreaker Technology SDTC Shell Deep Thermal Conversion Technology
STG = Shell Thermal Gasoil Technology SVF Shell Vacuum Flasher Technology
Year Capacity,
Czech Refining Company, 1998 2500 SSVB / SVF /

Litvinov, Czech Republic SDTC
Repsol YPF, 1998 4250 SSVB / SVF

La Pampilla, Lima, Peru
Saudi Aramco-Shell (Sasref), 1998 5250 SVF / STG

Al-Jubail, Saudi Arabia
TAIF, 1998 5400 SSVB

Nizhnekamsk, Russia
Arpechim SA, 1997 2400 SSVB

Pitesti, Romania
Dansk Statoil AS, 1997 3120 SSVB Upgrade

Kalundborg, Denmark
Mangalore Refinery & Petrochemicals Ltd. 1997 2300 SSVB / SVF

Plant II, Mangalore, India
Saudi Arabian Oil Co. (Saudi Aramco), 1997 11700 SSVB

Rabigh, Saudi Arabia
Api Raffineria di Ancona SpA, 1996 750 STG Upgrade

Falconara, Italy
El-Nasr Petroleum Co., 1996 3250 SSVB

El-Suez, Egypt
Staatsolie Maatschappij Suriname NV, 1995 390 SSVB

Wanica District, Suriname
Kirishinefteorgsintez, 1994 5700 SSVB / SVF

Kirishi, Russia
Mitteldeutsche Erdoel-Raffinerie GmbH, 1993 4200 SSVB / SVF

Leuna, Germany
Year Capacity,
Hovensa LLC, 1992 6400 SSVB / SVF

St. Croix. Virgin Islands, United States
Mangalore Refinery & Petrochemicals Ltd. 1992 2300 SSVB / SVF

Plant I, Mangalore, India
Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., 1992 3300 SVF / STG

Tabangao, Phillipines
Rayong Refinery Company, 1992 3200 SSVB

Map Ta Phut, Rayong, Thailand
National Iranian Oil Co., 1991 5050 SSVB

Abadan, Iran
Petroleum Co. of Trinidad & Tobago Ltd., 1991 5000 SSVB / SVF
Pointe-a-Pierre, Trinidad
Petrogal, 1990 4400 SSVB

Sines, Portugal
National Iranian Oil Co., 1988 5250 SSVB

Bandar Abbas, Iran
Saras SpA, 1988 7200 SSVB / VF

Sarroch, Sardinia, Italy
Turkish Petroleum Refineries Corp 1988 3100 SSVB

(Tüpras),
Izmir, Turkey
ExxonMobil Refining & Supply Co., 1985 1420 SSVB

Naples, Italy
Raffineria di Roma SpA, 1985 4700 SSVB

Rome, Italy
Sinopec, 1985 3000 SSVB

Guangzhou, China
Year Capacity,
Sinopec, 1985 3000 SSVB

Yanshan, China
Elf France, 1984 4800 SSVB

Donges, France
ExxonMobil Refining & Supply Co., 1984 2000 SSVB

Frontignan, France
MOL Hungarian Oil & Gas Co., 1984 2100 SSVB

Szazhalombatta, Hungary
Belgian Refining Corp. NV, 1983 3650 SSVB

Antwerp, Belgium
Hellenic Petroleum SA, 1983 3800 SSVB

Aspropyrgos, Greece
Honam Oil Ref. Co. Ltd., 1983 5300 SSVB

South-Korea
Perac, 1983 2000 SSVB

Pakistan
Saudi Aramco-Shell (Sasref), Al-Jubail, 1983 4000 SSVB

Saudi Arabia
Total SpA, 1983 3000 SSVB

Aquila, Italy
Cie. de Raffinage et de Distribution Total 1982 3200 SSVB / VF

France,
Gonfreville l'Orcher, France
Premcor Refining Group, 1982 3200 SSVB

United States
Repsol YPF SA, 1982 4800 SSVB

Cartagena Murcia, Spain
Year Capacity,
Shell Nederland Raffinaderij - TGI-a, 1982 4000 SSVB / SVF /

Pernis, The Netherlands SDTC
Chevron-Texaco Corp., 1981 4400 SSVB

Pembroke, United Kingdom
Motor Oil (Hellas) Corinth Refineries SA, 1981 3000 SSVB

Aghii Theodori, Greece
PCK Raffinerie GmbH, 1981 4800 SSVB / SVF

Schwedt, Germany
Petro-Canada Products Ltd., 1981 2200 SSVB

Montreal, Canada
Repsol YPF SA, 1981 4800 SSVB

Tarragona, Spain
Ste. Tunisienne Industries des Raffinage, 1981 3640 SSVB

Bizerte, Tunisia
Thai Oil Ref. Co. Ltd, 1981 3000 SSVB / VF

Sriracha, Thailand
Deutsche BP AG, 1980 2400 SSVB

Hamburg, Germany
Deutsche Shell AG, 1980 1300 SSVB / VF

Godorf, Germany
ERN, 1980 2400 SSVB

Neustadt, Germany
Gulf, 1980 2100 SSVB

Sarni, Italy
Kuwait National Petroleum Co., 1980 5600 SSVB

Kuwait
Year Capacity,
Refineria Isla Curazao SA, 1980 7000 SSVB Upgrade

Emmastad, Curacao, Netherlands Antilles
Shell Canada Ltd., 1980 2700 SSVB

Montreal, Canada
Shell Canada Ltd., 1980 570 SSVB

Sarnia, Canada
Shell Nederland Raffinaderij - TGI-b, 1980 4000 SSVB / SVF /

Pernis, The Netherlands SDTC
Singapore Petroleum Co. Ltd., 1980 4800 SSVB

Pulau Merlimau, Singapore
Thai Oil Ref. Co. Ltd, 1980 4500 SSVB

Thailand
Total SpA, 1980 4000 SSVB

Aquila, Italy
Cie. de Raffinage et de Distribution Total 1979 4400 SSVB / VF

France,
La Méde, France
Lindsey Oil Refinery, 1979 4500 SSVB

Killingholme South Humberside, United
Kingdom
OMV AG, 1979 3000 SSVB

Schwechat, Austria
Orion Refining Corp., Good Hope [Norco], 1979 19000 SSVB

Louisiana, United States
Shell Eastern Petroleum (Pte.) Ltd., 1979 5500 SVF / STG Upgrade
Pulau Bukom, Singapore
SIBP, 1979 7300 SSVB

Antwerp, Belgium
Year Capacity,
BP PLC, 1978 3500 SSVB / SVF

Lavera, France
DEA Mineraloel AG, 1978 3300 SSVB

Wesseling, Germany
Deutsche Shell AG, 1978 2500 SSVB / VF

Harburg, Germany
Api Raffineria di Ancona SpA, 1977 2000 SSVB / VF

Falconara, Italy
Fortum Oil and Gas Oy, 1977 1200 SSVB

Naantali, Finland
Netherlands Refining Co., 1977 6600 SSVB

Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Ste. des Petroles Shell, 1977 4100 SSVB

Berre l'Etang, France
Fortum Oil and Gas Oy, 1976 4800 SSVB

Porvoo, Finland
Petroplus, 1976 1900 SVF / STG

Cressier, Switzerland
Shell and BP PLC Petroleum Refineries 1976 4600 SSVB / SVF

Pty. Ltd. (SAPREF),
Durban, South-Africa
Cie. Rhenane de Raffinage, 1974 3000 SVF / STG

Reichstett - Vendenheim, France
Shell, 1974 4650 STG

Gothenburg, Sweden
Shell, 1974 2000 STG

Teesport, United Kingdom
Year Capacity,
Shell Eastern Petroleum (Pte.) Ltd., 1973 5500 SVF / STG

Pulau Bukom, Singapore
Shell Cia. Argentina de Petroleo SA, 1970 1500 SSVB

Buenos Aires, Argentina
Phillips 66, Wood River. IL, 1968 2900 SSVB

United States
Shell, Sofa, 1968 4000 STG

Norway
Deutsche Shell AG - TGU-2, 1966 2500 SVF / STG

Godorf, Germany
AS Dansk Shell, 1964 4400 VF / STG Upgrade

Fredericia, Denmark
Ste. des Petroles Shell, 1963 2000 SSVB / SVF

Petit Couronne, France
Deutsche Shell AG - TGU-1, 1961 2700 SVF / STG

Godorf, Germany
Paraguana Refining Center - RV1, 1958 5000 SSVB

Cardon/Judibana, Falcon, Venezuela


ABB Lummus Global
Opportunities for optimization of refineries using
Thermal Conversion technologies
by
F. Hollander, A. Keukens, M. van Es

ABB Lummus Global, The Hague, The Netherlands
&
B. Douwes
Shell Global Solutions, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
0. Summary
Thermal Conversion technologies remain dominant technologies in residue

upgrading in most parts of the world. Their simple basic process layout has
been refined in recent years to remain a reliable and economic technology
with distinct advantages over more complex and high investment conversion
technologies. Also for the near future Thermal Conversion processes are
expected to play a key role in refinery operations relying on further
improvements in technology, operation and unit management. Russia and
the CIS Republics depend heavily on fuel oil and heavy distillates. Not
surprisingly, demand for state-of-the-art Thermal Conversion technologies is
growing, both in revamp situations and new applications. Shell, with ABB
Lummus Global as authorized licensor, has developed innovative Thermal
Conversion technologies that play a leading role in today’s residue upgrading
market, but also in the conversion of heavy and vacuum gasoils. That
leading role of Shell and ABB has resulted in more than 80 operating units
worldwide. Based on the latest projects, most of them in Russia and the CIS
Republics, different case studies - including revamping of existing crude or
visbreaking units, addition of the Shell Vacuum Flasher and grass-roots Shell
Soaker Visbreaking, Shell Thermal Gasoil Process and Shell Deep Thermal
Conversion units - are presented showing the “opportunities for optimization
of refineries using Thermal Conversion technologies”.
Russian Refining Technology Conference 2001 Page 1 of 24

ABB Lummus Global
1. Introduction
The Shell Soaker Visbreaker process has a long and successful history. The
relationship between Shell and ABB Lummus Global in the field of
visbreaking was first established in the early sixties, with the construction of
a number of conventional coil visbreakers. By the early 1970’s, the Shell
Soaker Visbreaker concept was sufficiently developed to be commercially
applied. The process was licensed for the first time in 1977. At this time,
Shell appointed ABB as the authorized licensor for the process and to
become more deeply involved in servicing this technology. The Shell Soaker
Visbreaker Technology has subsequently become one of the more widely
applied refining processes. The number of licensed units totals 90 with a total
installed capacity of about 400,000 tons per day, approximating to more than
70 percent of the world’s visbreaking capacity in the last decade.
Visbreaking has shown to be a robust technology in the dynamic refining

market. Although other competitive processes have been developed, Shell
Soaker Visbreaking remains of major importance in the upgrading of heavy
residues. The installation of new visbreaking plants nowadays continues at
the same pace as in the 1980’s. This success is based on the fundamental
strengths of the process. It remains a low cost, high conversion, long run
length process that is very flexible with regard to feedstock and operational
changes while producing valuable light products and stable fuel oil.
Over the years continued implementation of improvements in the Shell

Soaker Visbreaker process, have resulted in designs geared to high
reliability and performance. Shell’s continuous effort in the development of
new applications has resulted in new thermal conversion technologies such
as vacuum flashing technology, deep thermal cracking and thermal gasoil
conversion. These new technologies are emerging, well-proven and will
widen the choice of refiners to optimize their refinery with Thermal
Conversion solutions.
This paper describes in brief four different Shell Thermal Conversion

technologies licensed by ABB as authorized licensor based on the latest
projects in Russia and the CIS Republics, the Czech Republic, Germany,
India and Saudi Arabia. Different case studies - including revamping of
existing crude, vacuum or visbreaking units, addition of the Shell Vacuum
Flasher and grass-roots Shell Soaker Visbreaking, Shell Thermal Gasoil
Process and Shell Deep Thermal Conversion units - are presented.
Other technologies from the Shell Thermal Conversion portfolio, are Shell
High Pressure Distillate Conversion and technologies that are developed to
(co-)process slops and asphalts. These technologies are aimed to meet the
future gasoil endpoint and environmental specifications.

ABB Lummus Global
2. Technologies
2.1 Shell Soaker Visbreaking Technology (SSVB)
The Shell Soaker Visbreaking (SSVB) Technology has been developed by

Shell in the late seventies. The technology has since evolved further and has
been successfully licensed and applied in over 80 units worldwide. Shell
Soaker Visbreakers account for over 70% of the total Visbreaking capacity
built or being built in the last 10 years. This makes it the most successful and
widely applied residue upgrading technology in the world.
The main objective of the Shell Soaker Visbreaker is to reduce the viscosity
of Atmospheric or Vacuum Residue, which significantly reduces the need of
cutterstock for blending to commercial fuel oil. Besides the viscosity
reduction, valuable products like LPG, Naphtha and Gasoil are produced.
Other possible feedstocks that can be used are asphalt and slops.
By shifting the majority of the cracking process from the heater coils (as in
all-coil designs) to the Soaker drum, prolonged residence time is achieved,
allowing a lower cracking temperature. In combination with Shell’s patented
Soaker internals this assures better selectivity, longer runlength, lower
energy demand and lower capital investment.
The main characteristics of the technology are:

§ Typical feedstock is Vacuum Residue
§ Large feed stock flexibility
§ Compact unit comprising a residue conversion and a fractionation
section
§ Application of a soaking vessel with proprietary internals
§ The amount and the viscosity of the residue (and hence of the fuel oil)
are reduced, typically fuel oil production reductions of 25 wt.% can be
achieved
The benefits of the Shell Soaker Visbreaking technology compared to the

conventional furnace (coil) cracking technology can be summarized as
follows:
§ Longer run length and higher on stream time
§ Improved selectivity towards Gasoil
§ Reduced fuel and power consumption
§ Lower capital expenditure
§ Improved operability due to use of pressure (Soaker) and temperature
(heater) as control variables
Figure 2.1 below presents the Shell Soaker Visbreaker process. Preheated
residue feedstock is charged to the Visbreaker heater (1) and from there to
the Soaker (2). The conversion takes place in both the heater and the
Soaker. The operating temperature and pressure are controlled such as to
reach the desired conversion level and/or unit capacity. The cracked feed is

ABB Lummus Global
then charged to an atmospheric fractionator (3) to produce the desired

products like gas, LPG, naphtha, kero, gasoil and cracked residue.
gas
3 naphtha
x
steam
steam
gasoil
2
Charge 1 visbroken residue
Figure 2.1 Simplified Flow Scheme of Shell Soaker Visbreaker Unit
Revamping of existing crude and (coil) Visbreaker units is possible, ABB has
revamped succesfully several existing coil visbreakers and crude units into
Shell Soaker Visbreaker. The Russian market shows great potential with a
growing number of crude and visbreaking units nearing the end of their
economic life span. With an investment of between 30% and 60% of a new
grass roots unit, revamping towards a Shell Soaker Visbreaker is a fast and
low cost solution to reduce the amount of cutterstock required for the
production of fuel oil.
2.1.1 Case 1: Grass-roots Shell Soaker Visbreaker Unit
Client: Kirishinefteorgsintez
Project: Basic Design and Engineering / Detailed Engineering
Time: 1994 / 2001
Background:
The project involved the implementation of a new Shell Soaker Visbreaker

Unit, consisting of the following elements:
• Feed heating and reaction

• Fractionation and residue stripping
• Gasoil stripping
• Naphtha stabilization
• Off-gas amine absorbe

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Currently, the project is in the detailed engineering phase. Expected start-up

is in 2003.
Feedstock:
The Shell Soaker Visbreaker Unit will process a blend of vacuum residues
from West Siberian and Ukhta origin. The unit capacity is 5789 MT/SD.
Yields and Properties:
The following product yields can be obtained. Main product properties are
also shown:
Feedstocks
Vacuum Residue 241.2 t/h
Viscosity 1941 cSt @ 100°C
Products
-
Offgas (C4 ) Yield 1.8 wt%
H2S content < 0.005 wt% (Note 1)
+
C5 content 8.2 wt%
Stabilized Naphtha (C5 – 173°C) Yield 4.4 wt%
2
RVP < 0.7 kg/cm a
+
Visbreaker Residue (173°C ) Yield 93.8 wt%
Flashpoint > 65 °C
Table 2.1 Yields and Properties of Shell Soaker Visbreaker products
Note 1: After Amine treatment.
Blending details:
The final fuel oil product will fulfil the Mazut M100 specifications of which
viscosity is the governing parameter. In this example, blending with typical
Light Cycle Oil (LCO) from a Fluid Catalytic Cracker is shown.
In the Table 2.2, the required amount of LCO is given for the situation with
and without a Shell Soaker Visbreaker Unit.
Saving 60 t/h on LCO and producing more than 70 t/h less Fuel Oil clearly
underlines the benefits of a Shell Soaker Visbreaker Unit.

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Fuel Oil
LCO Requirements
Production
Vacuum Residue (w/o SSVB) 90 t/h (27.2 % of total) 331 t/h
Visbreaker Residue (with SSVB) 31 t/h (13.5 % of total) 257 t/h
Table 2.2 Cutterstock requirements and fuel oil production comparison
2.1.2 Case 2: Revamp to Shell Soaker Visbreaker Unit
Client: LUKOIL Permnefteorgsyntez

Project: Basic Design and Engineering Package
Time: 2001
Background:
The project involves the revamp of an existing thermal cracker into a Shell
Soaker Visbreaker Unit. The main objective of this project is to re-use as
much of the existing equipment as possible. The unit includes the following
sections:

Feedstock:
While the current feedstock consists of residual material of varying nature

and various refinery slops, the revamped unit will process a mixture of
vacuum residue originating from West Siberian and Local Perm crudes. The
design unit capacity is 2800 MT/SD.
Process Scheme:
The current process scheme with respect to the separation and fractionation
of the heater effluent is given in the Figure 2.2 below. The Rectifier operates
at elevated pressure compared to the Stripper, which operates at near
atmospheric conditions. Steam is used for stripping of the residue.

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CURRENT OPERATION
NAPHTHA
RECTIFIER
LIGHT GASOIL
HEATER EFFLUENT
SEPARATOR
REACTOR
NAPHTHA
HEAVY GASOIL
STRIPPER
RESIDUE
Figure 2.2: Current situation
In an attempt to redeuce investment cost, by re-using as much of the existing

equipment (specifically the columns) as possible, the following flow scheme
was developed and proposed to the client:
PROPOSED OPERATION
NAPHTHA / OFFGAS
RECTIFIER
SEPARATOR
GASOIL STRIPPER
SOAKER
STRIPPER
HEATER EFFLUENT
GASOIL
RESIDUE
INDICATES REUSED EQUIPMENT
Figure 2.3 Proposed new scheme
As can be seen from Figure 2.3, the Separator, Stripper and Rectifier will be
re-used. As advanced construction materials are required for such high

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temperature equipment, re-using these columns is of primary importance for

reducing the required investment. A new stripper is foreseen for quality
control of the Visbreaker Gasoil.
The complete fractionation section is operating near atmospheric pressure in

the new situation. This highly improves the quality of separation between
Residue, Gasoil and Naphtha. The Naphtha is further processed in a
Naphtha Stabilizer (the existing column and associated equipment will be
re-used for that purpose) producing Stabilized Naphtha, LPG and Fuel Gas.
The Fuel Gas is treated to remove H2S in a central amine absorber unit.
With the proposed scheme, the following product yields can be obtained.
Main product properties are also shown:
Feedstocks
Vacuum Residue 118 t/h
Coker Naphtha (note 1) 20 t/h
Products
-
+
C5 content < 5 wt%
LPG (C3/ C4) Yield 1.0 wt%
+
C5 content < 3 wt%
Stabilized Naphtha (C5 – 165 °C) Yield 17.3 wt%
-
C4 content < 1 wt%
Gasoil (165 – 350 °C) Yield 10.0 wt%
Flashpoint > 65°C
Visbreaker Residue (350 °C+) Yield 70.3 wt%
Table 2.3 Yields and properties of Case 2
Note 1: Unstabilized Naphtha from the Delayed Coker Unit is stabilized

together with the Visbreaker Naphtha in the common Naphtha
Stabilization section.
Blending details:
The final fuel oil product will fulfil the Mazut M100 specifications of which
viscosity is the governing parameter. In this example, blending with typical

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Light Cycle Oil (LCO) from a Fluid Catalytic Cracker with and without a Shell
Soaker Visbreaker Unit is shown.
In Table 2.4, the required amount of LCO and the total fuel oil production is
presented.
Fuel Oil
LCO Requirements
Production
Vacuum Residue (w/o SSVB) 30 t/h (20% of total) 148 t/h
Visbreaker Residue (with SSVB) 6.4 t/h (5.5% of total) 117 t/h Note 1
Table 2.4 Cutterstock requirements and fuel oil production comparison,

Case 2
Note 1: Includes gasoil produced by unit.
From Table 2.4, the benefits of a Shell Soaker Visbreaker Unit can be seen.
2.2 Shell Vacuum Flasher (VF) Technology
To maximize the recovery of distillates from the Thermal Conversion

effluents Shell has developed proprietary Flashing Technology for
integration/combination with Thermal Conversion Units. Shell has developed
a proprietary transfer line that maximizes the recovery of distillates and
avoids entrainment of residue. The other draw back of open art flashing
technology in thermal conversion service is the short run length of the
vacuum columns due to severe coking and fouling. Due to the application of
proprietary column internals the fouling and coking has been reduced
substantially resulting in vacuum flasher run lengths up to several years.
The main characteristics of the technology are listed below.

§ Proprietary transfer line and column internals
§ No residue entrainment
§ Long run length
§ High Flashed Distillate Yield
§ No feed heater
§ Effective cutpoints up to 550°C can be achieved
§ Production of Light Flashed Distillate to Gasoil specification
§ Can be applied to all Thermal Conversion Technologies except Delayed
Coking
§ Can be added to existing thermal conversion units
The main benefits of Shell Thermal Conversion Flashing Technology

compared to open art flashing technology can be summarized as follows:
§ Longer run length and higher on stream time

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§ Higher distillate yields

§ Additional Gasoil recovery
Figure 2.4 below presents the Shell Soaker Visbreaker process including the
Shell Vacuum Flasher. Similar to the SSVB, preheated residue feedstock is
charged to the Visbreaker heater (1) and from there to the Soaker (2). The
cracked feed is then charged to an atmospheric fractionator (3). The cracked
residue is fed into the Shell Vacuum Flasher (4) which separates the light
vacuum gasoil (LVGO) and heavy vacuum gasoil (HVGO) from the vacuum
flashed cracked residue (VFCR).
gas
3 naphtha
steam
gasoil
LVGO
steam
2
4
HVGO
Charge 1
vacuum flashed
cracked residue
Figure 2.4 Shell Soaker Visbreaker with Shell Vacuum Flasher
A calculation has been done for a typical Visbreaker unit with a capacity of
4000 MT/SD, processing Middle East Vacuum residue with a viscosity of
3900 cSt at 100°C. Figure 2.5 presents the difference in blending of a
Visbreaker unit and a Visbreaker unit with Vacuum Flasher.
The Shell Vacuum Flasher is an option for refineries were Heavy or Vacuum
Gasoil can be processed in a Hydrocracker or an FCC unit or Shell Thermal
Distillate Conversion unit. Visbroken Vacuum Gasoil, by its parrafinic nature,
is a good feedstock for FCC’s.

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GAS GAS
76 76
NAPHTHA
FEED VB 164
VB NAPHTHA 164
4000
GASOIL 460 FEED
4000 GASOIL 460
GAS
1404
HGO + OIL
VB RES. 3200 3200
VB RES. VGO 620
4924
FUEL VF
GAS OIL
OIL 2680 VB TAR FUEL
1164 4544
OIL
Figure 2.5 Blending example
The Shell Vacuum Flasher can be built in a modular way and added next to
the visbreaker plot. Figure 2.6 shows a 3D-model of a visbreaker unit
originally built by Shell and to which a Shell Vacuum Flasher was added later
on. The Shell Vacuum Flasher section has been highlighted.
Figure 2.6 Modular design of Shell Vacuum Flasher Add-on

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2.2.1 Case 3: Shell Soaker Visbreaker Unit with Vacuum Flasher
Client: Indian client

Project: Basic Design and Engineering Package
Time: 2000
Background:
The project involved the basic design of a new Shell Soaker Visbreaker Unit
including Shell Vacuum Flasher Technology, consisting of the following
elements:

• Overhead product compression (recontacting) section
• Vacuum Flasher
Currently, the project is in the EPC phase. Expected start-up is in 2002.
Feedstock:
The Shell Soaker Visbreaker and Vacuum Flasher Unit will process a
feedstock comprising of 85% Vacuum Residue and 15% PDA pitch
originating from a 50:50 Arab mix crude. The unit capacity is 3600 MT/SD.
Table 2.6 shows the product yields and main properties that will be obtained
in this unit.
Light and Heavy Vacuum Gasoils are used as feed to the Hydrocracker. The
Vacuum Flashed Cracked Residue is blended to meet refinery fuel oil
specifications.

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Feedstocks
Viscosity 7,251 cSt @ 100°C
Products
-
H2S content 11.1 wt%
Stabilized Naphtha (C5–165°C) Yield 4.1 wt%
2
RVP < 0.7 kg/cm a
Visbreaker Gasoil (165–350°C) Yield 11.2 wt%
Flashpoint 60 °C
Light Vacuum Gasoil (350–420°C) Yield 1.8 wt%
C7-insolubles < 0.2 wt%
Heavy Vacuum Gasoil (420–520°C) Yield 10.0 wt%
+
Vacuum Flashed Cracked Residue (520°C )
Yield 70.9 wt%
2.2.2 Case 4: Shell Vacuum Flasher added to existing SSVB
Client: Shell Harburg

Project: by Shell
Time: 1979
Background:
The project involved the addition of a Shell Vacuum Flasher to an existing

Shell Soaker Visbreaker Unit including, consisting of the following elements:
• Vacuum Flasher
The revamped plant was started-up in 1981.
Feedstock:
The Shell Soaker Visbreaker and Vacuum Flasher Unit process a mix of
Deutsche Roh Oel and Tia Juana Pesado vacuum residue. The unit capacity
is 2500 MT/SD.

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The following product yields can be obtained. Main product properties are
also shown:
Feedstocks
Products
-
2
RVP < 0.7 kg/cm a
Flashpoint 60 °C
Vacuum Gasoil (365–530°C) Yield 13.0 wt%
+
Yield 65.2 wt%
The Vacuum Flashed Cracked Residue is blended to meet European fuel oil
specifications.
2.3 Shell Thermal Gasoil Process (STGP)
As highlighted in Section 2.2, by implementation of a vacuum flasher in the

Shell Soaker Visbreaker Process, considerable amounts of valuable vacuum
distillate can be recovered from the Visbroken residue. The recovered
vacuum distillate can be further processed in a conversion unit, like for
instance a Hydrocracker (HCU) or a Fluid Catalytic Cracker (FCC).
In refineries with no vacuum distillation unit, or in refineries withfully loaded

HCU or FCC, an interesting solution is to convert the recovered vacuum
distillate in an integrated recycle thermal cracker heater system. The
combination of a Shell Soaker Visbreaker for residue conversion and a
separate thermal conversion heater system for distillate conversion is called
the Shell Thermal Gasoil Process (STGP). This technology was originally
developed in the sixties as an alternative for conversion of atmospheric
residue by FCC and HCU, and has since then been continuously improved
and developed further. Shell currently operates nine (8) such units.

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Description
Although there can be very significant differences with respect to choice of

feedstock and the recovery of different products, most units applying the
Shell Thermal Gasoil Process follow the same concept, which is shown in
Figure 2.7.
gas
naphtha
4 steam gasoil
3 steam 6
5
Charge 1
vacuum flashed
cracked residue
Figure 2.7 Simplified Flow Scheme of Shell Thermal Gasoil Process
The preferred feedstock for the Shell Thermal Gasoil Process is atmospheric
residue, although vacuum residue can be used as well. The preheated
feedstock is charged to the visbreaker heater (1) and from there to the
soaker (2). The conversion takes place in both the heater and the soaker.
The operating temperature and pressure are controlled such as to reach the
desired conversion level and/or unit capacity. The cracked feed is then
charged hot to a cyclone (3) to separate the majority of the residue from the
valuable distillate products. The cyclone overheads are routed to the
atmospheric fractionator (4) to produce the products like gas, naphtha,
gasoil, heavy distillate and a residue. Cyclone bottoms and fractionator
bottoms are routed to a vacuum flasher (5) together. In this vacuum flasher,
vacuum distillate is recovered from the residue. The temperature and
pressure in the flashzone determine the cutpoint between the distillate and
residue. The recovered heavy and vacuum distillates from the fractionator
and the vacuum flasher are converted in the distillate cracking heater (6) at
elevated pressure. Conversion levels, defined here as 165 - 350°C TBP
material on feed, can be as high as 30 - 40 wt%. To fully convert the
distillate, the unconverted material is recycled via the atmospheric
fractionator and vacuum flasher. Consequently, the distillate furnace feed
consists partly of fresh feed and partly of recycled material.

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Benefits
The benefits of the Shell Thermal Gasoil Process compared to other

conversion technologies (Fluid Catalytic Cracking and Hydrocracking) can be
summarized as follows:
§ Due to the highly integrated compact two stage thermal conversion unit
design, comprising of a residue and a recycle distillate conversion
section, a combined fractionation and vacuum flashing section,
substantial lower capital expenditure is required.
§ In a STGP large feedstock flexibility is possible, ranging from
atmospheric residue to vacuum residue, due to the nature of the
process. In contrast to FCC and HCU technologies, which are limited in
their feedstock flexibility.
§ Complete conversion of the waxy distillate fraction, although a slightly
lower conversion is achieved on the overall conversion compared to FCC
and HCU technologies; the only products are gas, naphtha, gasoil and
vacuum residue, typically 55-60 wt% of the atmospheric residue is
upgraded to gasoil minus products.
§ No up-front vacuum distillation unit is required, as the majority of the
vacuum gasoil in the atmospheric residue can be recovered in the
vacuum flasher.
2.3.1 Case 5: Shell Thermal Gasoil Process
Client: Saudi Client

Project: by Shell
Time: 1994/2000
Background:
The project involved the installation of a new Shell Thermal Gasoil unit
integrated with a gasturbine for power production. The unit consists of the
following elements:
• Integrated heat recovery and feed heating and reaction

• Cyclone
• Vacuum Flasher
• Gasturbine
Successful Start-up of the unit took place in 2000.

ABB Lummus Global
Feedstock:
The Shell Thermal Gasoil Unit processes a mix of atmospheric and vacuum
residue from Arab Light Crude. The unit capacity is 5,250 MT/SD.
Table 2.7 shows the product yields and properties that are obtained.
Feedstocks
Products
-
2
RVP < 0.7 kg/cm a
Flashpoint 35 °C
+
Yield 65.2 wt%
About two thirds of the Visbreaker Gasoil is blended with the VFCR to make
European spec fuel oil. The remainder is sent to the refienry gasoil pool.
2.3.2 Opportunities for Russian refineries
The main objective of the Shell Thermal Gasoil Process is the reduction of
the viscosity of the residue feedstock while maximizing the production of
gasoil by thermally cracking the recovered heavy and vacuum distillates. For
hydroskimming refineries, i.e. refineries without upgrading potential of the
atmospheric residue or in refineries withfully loaded HCU or FCC, this option
has some very interesting features.
A phased approach can be applied to this unit. Initially only the residue
upgrading part, i.e. the Shell Soaker Visbreaker part, will be installed, with
some pre-investment for the next step. In the next step the vacuum flasher
and recycle distillate conversion heater are incorporated. Not only is the
initial investment lower, also a gradual reduction in fuel oil production and
associated gasoil production increase, will be achieved. This is certainly very
interesting for refineries producing for markets where there is still a vast
demand for fuel oil, like the Russian market.

ABB Lummus Global
Additionally the installation of a Shell Thermal Gasoil Process will eliminate

the requirement of installation of a vacuum distillation unit and upgrading
facilities for the produced vacuum gasoil, like a fluid catalytic cracker or a
hydrocracker. Both of these units require huge investments (over 100 million
US$), while the investment required for a Shell Thermal Gasoil Process will
be substantially lower. This will facilitate an easier financial closure of a
project.
For refineries already converting atmospheric residue in a visbreaker,

implementation of the Shell Thermal Gasoil Technology is a low cost option
to reduce fuel oil production and increase production of valuable distillate
products. A revamp of a coil type visbreaker unit to a STGP Unit would
require installation of a soaker, cyclone, vacuum flasher and a recycle
distillate cracking heater. Also some modifications to the feed preheat and
the atmospheric fractionator and its overhead system, due to the changes in
yield, need to be implemented.
Based on aboves STGP, Shell has developed Shell's High Pressure

Distillate Conversion Process, to convert heavy tails of gasoils. With 80%
conversion of the 330°C - 370 °C (heavy) gasoil fraction into lighter materials
(< 330 °C), this technology enables refiners to meet tighter future gasoil
specifications.
2.3.3 Case 6: Comparison of SSVB and STGP
Client: Russian Client

Project: Feasibility study
Time: 2001
Background:
Hydroskimming refineries and refineries that process atmospheric, vacuum

or a combination of atmospheric and vacuum residues in thermal cracking
units or exisiting visbreakers can benefit clearly from the Shell Thermal
Gasoil Process.
The example below is a study for a Russian refiner, processing Ukhta crude,
considering to revamp an existing crude unit into a Shell Soaker Visbreaker.
Comparison of the SSVB and STGP technologies indicates the possibilities
when choosing for the latter.
While both technologies produces stable on-spec Mazut M100 without the
requirement of additional cutterstock, the Shell Thermal Gasoil Process
produces 350 MT/SD of high cetane gasoil that, after treatment, is an
outstanding component in the gasoil blending pool.

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Feedstock:
Comparison is made on the basis of Ukhta crude.
Shell Soaker Shell Thermal Gasoil

Feedstock
Visbreaker Process
Mix of Atmospheric and Vacuum Residue 2400 MTD 2400 MTD
Viscosity 188 cSt @ 100°C 188 cSt @ 100°C
Products
- 2.0 wt%
+ < 5 wt%
C5 content < 5 wt%
Stabilized Naphtha (C5 -165°C) yield 4.1 wt% 10.3 wt%
- < 1 wt%
C4 content < 1 wt%
Gasoil (165 – 350 °C) Yield 12.6 wt% 37.9 wt%
Flashpoint > 65°C > 65°C
+ 81.3 wt%
Visbreaker Residue (350°C ) Yield -
+ -
Visbreaker Residue (520°C ) Yield 47.4 wt%
After blending the Visbroken Residue with Visbroken Gasoil following

products remain:
Gasoil Production Fuel Oil

(net) Production (M100)
Shell Soaker Visbreaker 50 MTD 2205 MTD
Shell Thermal Gasoil Process 410 MTD 1638 MTD
Table 2.9 Gasoil and fuel oil production comparison, Case 6
2.4 Shell Deep Thermal Conversion Technology
The latest development by Shell in the area of Thermal Conversion is the

Shell Deep Thermal Conversion Technology. Due to the increase in non-fuel
oil outlets of thermally cracked residues new opportunities have arisen for

ABB Lummus Global
thermal conversion. Shell has been able to improve the design and operation
of the unit such that high conversion levels can be achieved while
maintaining an acceptable unit run length.
This technology closes the gap between visbreaking and delayed coking
(Figure 2.8). It realizes most of the delayed coking upgrading while avoiding
the drawbacks of solids handling. The residual product of Shell Deep
Thermal Conversion remains liquid and stable and is referred to as ‘liquid
coke’. Liquid coke can no longer be blended into a stable fuel oil and is
processed directly in gasifiers (in power production or Partial Oxidation units)
or is used as refinery fuel.
Thermal Conversion yield patterns
70
60
50
40
Yield, wt%
30
20
10
0
C4-MINUS C5-350°C 350-520°C VFCR/COKE
Fraction
Visbreaking + VF Deep Thermal Conversion DTC Delayed Coking
Figure 2.8 Closing the gap between Visbreaking and Delayed Coking
The main characteristics of the technology are listed below:

§ Can be applied to both Shell Soaker Visbreaking as well as Shell
Thermal Gasoil units
§ Typically 45-60 wt% of Vacuum Residue is converted to distillate
products
§ Revamp of an existing unit is possible
§ Liquid residual product
§ Includes both design and operational know how
The main benefits of Shell Deep Thermal Conversion technology compared

to traditional Thermal Conversion technology can be summarized as follows:
§ Substantially higher conversion
§ Competitive run length and on-stream time

ABB Lummus Global
§ Higher distillate yields from Vacuum Flasher

§ Improved operability due to use of pressure and temperature as control
variables
On the other side the main benefits of Shell Deep Thermal Conversion
technology compared to delayed coking technology can be summarised as
follows:
§ Higher quality products (needing less hydrotreating)
§ Higher selectivity to gasoil
§ Substantially lower capital expenditure
§ No solids handling
Figure 2.9 below presents the Shell Deep Thermal Conversion process.
Preheated short residue is charged to the heater (1) and from there to the
soaker (2), where the deep conversion takes place. The conversion is
maximized by controlling the operating temperature and pressure. The
cracked feed is then charged to an atmospheric fractionator (3) to produce
the desired products like gas, LPG, naphtha and gasoil. The fractionator
bottoms are subsequently routed to a vacuum flasher (4), which recovers
additional gasoil and waxy distillate. The residual liquid coke is routed for
further processing depending on the outlet.
gas
3 naphtha
x
steam
gasoil
steam
2
x
waxy
4x distillate
Charge 1
liquid coke
Figure 2.9 Shell Deep Thermal Conversion
The Shell Deep Thermal Conversion can also be combined with the Shell
Thermal Gasoil Process. Similar to STGP, an additional furnace will convert
the heavy distillates into gasoil.

ABB Lummus Global
2.4.1 Case 7: Deep Thermal Conversion
Client: CRC Litvinov, Czech Republic

Project: BDEP, EPC, Start-up
Time: 1997-1999
Background:
The project involved the basic design, EPC and start-up of a new Shell Deep
Thermal Conversion Unit including Shell Vacuum Flasher Technology, with
the possibility to operate in Visbreaking and Deep Thermal Conversion
mode. The unit consists of the following elements:

• Overhead product compression (recontacting) section
• Vacuum Flasher
Successful Start-up took place in 1999.
Feedstock:
The Shell Deep Thermal Conversion Unit processes a mixture of black

distillate and vacuum residues originating from a Ural crude. The unit
capacity is 2500 MT/SD.
Table 2.10 presents the product yields and main properties of this unit
running in SDTC mode.
When running in the SDTC mode, all vacuum distillates are sent to the FCC
unit; the VFCR is sent to the POX.
In SSVB mode conversion of the feed is significantly less severe, enabling

the unit to produce commercial fuel oil after blending with the vacuum
distillates and a small amount of cutterstock.
This unit demonstrates the maturity of the Shell Thermal Conversion

technologies, as it maximizes yields while maintaining a remarkable flexibility
toward the need of the client.

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Feedstocks
Products
-
+
C5 content < 12.0 wt%
Unstabilized Naphtha (C5–165°C) Yield 7.6 wt%
2
RVP < 0.7 kg/cm a
Flashpoint 60 °C
VB Vacuum Gasoil (370–420°C) Yield 1.3 wt%
CCR < 0.8 wt%
Heavy Vacuum Distillate (420–520°C) Yield 14.7 wt%
CCR < 0.8 wt%
+
Vacuum Flashed Cracked Residue (VFCR) (520°C )
Yield 56.8 wt%
2.4.2 Link to Russian market
Implementation of an IGCC is a high investment that can only be justified in

refineries that can consume all the power produced or in liberalized power
markets where refiners can export their excess production to the public grid.
Still, even without an IGCC, Shell Deep Thermal Conversion is an interesting
solution for refiners having an outlet for the residual product of this process.
Russian and other refineries alike, depending on the crude, especially when
not too heavy, can use the residue of SDTC economically as refinery fuel, for
the production of carbon black or in cement kilns.
Another outlet can be as fuel for neighbouring power plants. With a typical
heating value 40,000 kJ/kg, the only real constraint is maximum viscosity that
can be handled by the burners. Currently, burners are able to handle
viscosities up to 300 cSt.
3. Economy
Shell Thermal Conversion Technologies are, in general, low cost solutions

with very short payback times (normally in the order of one year). Of course,
this all depends on feedstock, configuration and prices for products. The

ABB Lummus Global
table below presents a (rough) comparison of the TIC for four different
technologies. This comparison is based upon a 3,000 MT/SD unit processing
Atmospheric and/or Vacuum Residue from a typical Ural crude.
SSVB SSVB+VF STGP SDTC

Feed VR VR AR/VR VR
Typical TIC MM US$ 20.6 25.5 28.3 28.2
Table 2.11 Estimated TIC for Shell Thermal Conversion Technologies
The estimated TIC’s are based on new brown field unit including
engineering, equipment, instrumentation, piping, structures, buildings, etc.
The estimated TIC’s are CIS based and have an accuracy of 30%. Excluded
from the estimated TIC’s are other processing units for treatment, etc, utility
systems and license fees.
4. Conclusion
With the improvements and wider applicability of Shell's present Thermal

Conversion technologies good opportunities exist to process cheaper crude
oils and/or cheaper feedstocks (such as asphalt) and meeting future gasoil
specifications while maintaining the well-proven robustness. Shell's
continuous development in Thermal Conversion technologies provide higher
distillate yields, while increasing unit reliability and operability. The co-
operation of ABB and Shell guarantee the best possible provision of proven
experience and know-how in the Thermal Conversion area.
Depending on refinery layout, crude, product slate and environmental

legislation there is a Shell Thermal Conversion option for every refinery.

Shell Soaker Visbreaking
The Shell Soaker Visbreaking process is ideally The technology provides refiners with the
Overview suited for the reduction of heavy fuel oil product means to conserve valuable cutter stock while still
via resid viscosity reduction and maximum pro- producing high quality, stable fuel oil. This con-
duction of distillates. Typical applications include servation of valuable cutter stock, combined with
atmospheric and vacuum resids and solvent fuel savings derived from the technology, offers
deasphalter pitch. The Shell Soaker Visbreaking an overall cost advantage that leads to project
process is jointly licensed by Shell and ABB. payouts of one to two years.
ABB and Shell have extensive technical and Shell’s visbreaking process can be tailored to
commercial experience in soaker visbreaking, which meet the refiners’ specific needs. A vacuum flasher
results in highly efficient and reliable units. Over can be added to obtain increased distillate recov-
80 Shell Soaker Visbreaking units have been built ery. Incorporating two-stage cracking in combina-
or converted from coil visbreakers and crude units. tion with a vacuum flasher will increase conversion
Over 70% of the total visbreaking capacity built and distillate recovery.
during the last 10 years was based on this Shell With typically 20% of the vacuum resid feed
technology. It offers demonstrated advantages converted to distillate and lighter products, Shell
that include significantly lower fuel requirements, Soaker Visbreaking is one of the lowest cost
increased heater run length, and higher conver- conversion process options.
sion operation with better viscosity reduction.
Process Features Client Benefits

Advantages
Lower cracking temperatures and longer Selective cracking to distillate product
residence time ■ less sensitive to operational and feedstock
fluctuations better process control longer
■ ■
run lengths and less down time

Use of soaker drum with special internals Higher conversion for the same fuel oil
minimizes backmixing stability more distillate production
■
■ less cutter stock usage
Smaller furnace Lower investment cost less waste heat

■
recovery equipment lower fuel consumption

■
Lower furnace pressure drop Less power consumption
Performance 0.4-0.7% Higher Conversion (165°C-)

Characteristics 1-2% More Distillate Yield (350°C-)
30-35% Lower Heat Duty
15% Lower Investment Cost
1 of 2
Shell Soaker Visbreaking
Resid feed is pumped through the preheat ex- Liquid visbreaker residue is steam-stripped in
Process changers before entering the visbreaker heater, the bottom of the fractionator and pumped through
Description where the resid is heated to the required cracking the cooling circuit to battery limits. Visbreaker
temperature. The high efficiency heater is also gasoil, which is drawn off as a side stream, is
utilized to superheat stripping steam. Heater steam-stripped, cooled and sent to battery limits.
effluent is sent to the soaker drum where most of Alternately, the gasoil fraction can be included
the thermal cracking and viscosity reduction takes with the visbreaker effluent. It is also possible to
place under controlled conditions. Soaker drum obtain a heavy vacuum gasoil fraction by adding
effluent is flashed and then quenched in the a vacuum flasher downstream of the fractionator.
fractionator. Heat integration is maximized in Cutter stocks, such as light cycle oil or heavy
order to keep fuel consumption to a minimum. atmospheric gasoil, may be added to the visbreaker
The flashed vapors can be fractionated into gas, residue/gas oil mixture to meet the desired fuel oil
gasoline, gasoil and visbreaker residue. specification.
Process Flow Air

Diagram Cooler
Gas
Reflux Drum
Gasoline
Stripper
Steam
Soaker
Drum Fractionator
Gasoil
Steam
Residue
Fresh Feed
Heater
ABB Lummus Global

1515 Broad Street, Bloomfield, NJ 07003-3096 USA
Tel. 1-973-893-1515 Fax. 1-973-893-2000
2 of 2 e-mail: [email protected]
Shell Thermal Gasoil
ABB offers the Shell Thermal Gasoil process to conversion residue. The specially designed trans-
Overview upgrade atmospheric residue and waxy distillate. fer line and vacuum flasher internals maximize
Originally developed in the 1960s, continued im- the flashed distillate yield and quality, and assure
provement in the Shell-designed soaker drum and a run-length comparable to that of the rest of the
heater designs resulted in the present Thermal Thermal Gasoil unit despite the severe fouling
Gasoil technology, a combination of three ma- tendencies of the residue feed.
ture, well-proven Shell technologies: The design of the distillate Thermal Cracking
■ Soaker Visbreaking heater is based on Shell’s experience and know-
■ Vacuum Flashing how in the field of thermal cracking in general.
■ Thermal Cracking ABB and Shell have extensive experience in
Shell was the first to develop and employ the design of thermal conversion processes. With
soaker visbreaking technology. The soaker drum, continual feedback from operating units, we are
with patented internals, achieves higher conver- able to provide advanced designs and practical
sion and improved viscosity reduction compared advice on operational matters. Shell’s ongoing
to other visbreaking technologies. Over 80 units research and development in thermal cracking
have been designed and built worldwide. technology and equipment design assures the
The Shell Vacuum Flashing technology was availability of the most up-to-date know-how in
developed to recover distillates from thermal this field.

Advantages
Lower cracking temperatures and longer residence Selective cracking to distillate product ■ less
time sensitive to operational and feedstock fluctuations
■ better process control ■ longer run-lengths and
less down time

Use of soaker drum with special internals Higher conversion for the same fuel oil stability
minimizes backmixing ■ more distillate production ■ less cutter stock usage
Distillate cracking heater Maximum naphtha yield ■ maximum gasoil yield

Smaller visbreaker heater Lower investment cost ■ less waste heat recovery
equipment ■ lower fuel consumption
Lower visbreaker heater pressure drop Less power consumption
Typical Feedstock Typical Product

Performance
Characteristics % wt on feed
Atmospheric residue ___________________ Middle East Gas ___________________________________________________ 6.4
Viscosity, cst @ 100°C _____________________________ 31 Gasoline ECP 165°C _____________________________ 12.9
Gasoil ECP 350°C ________________________________ 38.6
Residue ECP 520°C + ____________________________ 42.1
Viscosity 165°C plus, cst @ 100°C _____________ 7.7
1 of 2
Shell Thermal Gasoil
Atmospheric residue is pumped through feed pre- Inside the fractionator, the liquid is quenched
Process heat exchangers, where the feed is heated against to prevent further cracking and then steam-
Description cracked residue, to the visbreaker heater. The stripped. The hot fractionator bottoms, together
feed is heated to the required cracking tempera- with the cyclone bottoms, are routed to the
ture and routed to the soaker where the majority vacuum flasher where the vacuum gasoil (VGO)
of the thermal cracking occurs under controlled is recovered. The VGO is sent, together with the
conditions. The soaker effluent is routed to a heavy gasoil from the atmospheric fractionator, to
cyclone and the cyclone overheads are charged to a distillate thermal cracking heater where it is
the flash zone of the atmospheric fractionator. partly converted into lower boiling fractions. The
In the top section of the fractionator, the heater effluent is routed to the flash zone of the
soaker effluent is split into four fractions: heavy atmospheric fractionator. The unconverted heavy
gasoil, gasoil, naphtha and offgas. The gasoil is gasoil is recovered in the fractionator and vacuum
taken from the fractionator as a draw off, steam- flasher and is recycled back to the distillate
stripped in a side stripper to improve the flash thermal cracking heater to maximize the gasoil
point, and sent to the battery limit. The overhead yield.
vapors are condensed in a two-stage condensing The vacuum-flashed residue is cooled against
system: in the first stage, only the reflux is con- the VGO and then by steam generation. The
densed; in the second stage, the naphtha product cooled residue is sent to fuel oil blending where it
is condensed. From the overhead system, the offgas is blended with gasoil product and/or other cutter-
and naphtha are sent to the battery limit. stocks to meet the specified fuel oil viscosity.
Process Flow Offgas

Diagram
Naphtha
Atmospheric
Fractionator Steam
Gasoil
Heavy Gasoil
Steam
Cyclone
Distillate Thermal
Cracking Heater
Soaker
Vacuum
Flasher
VGO
Atmospheric
Residue
Vacuum Flashed
Visbreaker Cracked Residue
Heater
ABB Lummus Global

Tel. 1-973-893-1515 Fax. 1-973-893-2000
Shell Deep Thermal Conversion and Shell Deep Thermal Gasoil
The Shell Deep Thermal Conversion process fills gasoil (HGO) from the atmospheric fractionator
Overview the gap between visbreaking and coking. It was and the vacuum gasoil (VGO) from the vacuum
developed based on many years of experience flasher are cracked in a distillate thermal cracking
with the Shell Soaker Visbreaking process. The heater into lower boiling point gasoil.
process yields a maximum of distillates by apply- For more than 20 years, ABB has been an
ing deep thermal conversion of the vacuum authorized licensor for Shell Thermal Conversion
residue feed and by vacuum flashing of the technologies, which include Shell Deep Thermal
cracked residue. High distillate yields are ob- Conversion (SDTC), Shell Deep Thermal Gasoil
tained while still producing a stable liquid re- (SDTG), Shell Thermal Gasoil Process (STGP),
sidual product, referred to as liquid coke. The Shell Soaker Visbreaking (SSVB) and Shell Vacuum
liquid coke, which is not suitable for blending to Flashing (SVF). These technologies have been
commercial fuel, is used for specialty products, successfully applied worldwide. ABB and Shell’s
gasification and/or combustion, e.g. to generate extensive experience includes almost 100 projects
power and/or hydrogen. and even more studies, and covers both new units
The Shell Deep Thermal Gasoil process is a and conversions of existing crude, vacuum and
combination of the Shell Deep Thermal Conver- (soaker) visbreaking units into SDTC, SDTG,
sion and the Shell Thermal Gasoil processes. In STGP and SSVB.
this alternative high conversion scheme, the heavy

Advantages
Lower cracking temperatures and longer residence Selective cracking to distillate product ■ less
time sensitive to operational and feedstock fluctuations
■ better process control ■ longer run-lengths and
less down time

Use of soaker drum with special internals Higher conversion for the same fuel oil stability
minimizes backmixing ■ more distillate production ■ less cutter stock usage
Smaller visbreaker heater Lower investment cost ■ less waste heat recovery
equipment ■ lower fuel consumption
Lower visbreaker heater pressure drop Less power consumption
Deep Thermal Gasoil: Distillate cracking heater Maximum naphtha yield ■ maximum gasoil yield
Typical Feedstock Typical Product

Performance
Deep Thermal Deep Thermal
Characteristics Product in % wt on feed Conversion Gasoil
Vacuum residue ____________ Middle East Gas _________________________________________ 4.0 ________________ 4.0
Viscosity, cst @ 100°C ________________ 770 Gasoline ECP 165°C ____________________ 8.0 ________________ 8.0
Gasoil ECP 350°C ______________________ 18.1 _______________ 40.6
Waxy distillate ECP 520°C + __________ 22.5 __________________ –
Residue ECP 520°C + __________________ 47.7 _______________ 47.4
1 of 2
Shell Deep Thermal Conversion and Shell Deep Thermal Gasoil
Deep Thermal Conversion: Preheated vacuum a vacuum flasher, which recovers additional gas-
Process residue is charged to the visbreaker heater and oil and vacuum gasoil (VGO). The residual liquid
Description from there to the soaker, where the deep conver- coke is routed for further processing depending
sion takes place. The conversion is maximized by on the end use.
controlling the operating temperature and pres-
sure. The soaker effluent is routed to a cyclone Deep Thermal Gasoil: The heavy gasoil from the
and the cyclone overheads are charged to the flash atmospheric fractionator and the VGO from the
zone of the atmospheric fractionator to produce vacuum flasher are cracked in a distillate thermal
the desired products like gas, LPG, naphtha, kero cracking heater. The cracked distillates are routed
and gasoil. The fractionator bottoms are routed to to the fractionator.
Deep Thermal Offgas
Conversion
Process Flow Naphtha
Diagram Atmospheric
Fractionator
Steam
Gasoil
Steam
Cyclone
Soaker Vacuum
Flasher
VGO
Visbreaker
Heater
Vacuum
Residue Liquid Coke
Deep Thermal Offgas
Gasoil Process Naphtha

Flow Diagram
Atmospheric
Fractionator Steam
Gasoil
Heavy Gasoil
Steam
Cyclone
Soaker Distillate Thermal
Cracking Heater
Vacuum
Flasher VGO
Visbreaker
Heater
Vacuum
Residue Liquid Coke
ABB Lummus Global

Tel. 1-973-893-1515 Fax. 1-973-893-2000

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What are the different types of thermal conversion technologies discussed in the document?

What are the different types of thermal conversion technologies discussed in the document?

What are the advantages of Shell Soaker Visbreaking technology compared to coil visbreaking technology?

What are the advantages of Shell Soaker Visbreaking technology compared to coil visbreaking technology?

Technical Information Package

for Shell Thermal Conversion Technologies

Proposal No. 3-3676

ABB Lummus Global

30927,0 DMS 1 0 SSVB - TECHNICAL INFORMATION PACKAGE INDEX 30927LDR-0

1.1 VISBREAKER HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENTS

3.1 COMPARISON SHELL SOAKER VISBREAKER VS. COIL VISBREAKER TECHNOLOGY

4.1 LICENSE SUMMARY

30928,0 DMS 1 0 SSVB - TECHNICAL INFORMATION PACKAGE 1. INTRODUCTION 30928LDR-0

1.1 VISBREAKER HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENTS

1.2 CHEMISTRY OF VISBREAKING

Asphaltenes are, in general, very complex high-molecular-weight hydrocarbons containing

The micelle consists of a core of asphaltenes to which high-molecular-weight aromatic hy-

To these high-molecular-weight aromatic hydrocarbons, other hydrocarbons with a some-

1.3 CONVERSION AND VISCOSITY REDUCTION

4. The conversion of a visbreaker, in fact, is expressed in the amount of unwanted prod-

1.4 PRODUCT PROPERTIES AND USE

Table 1: Typical Soaker Visbreaker Product Properties

Gas Oil (165-350°C)

Table 2: Typical Feed/Residue Properties (Middle East Crude)

Feedstock Visbroken Residue

30933,0 DMS 1 0 SSVB - TECHNICAL INFORMATION PACKAGE 2. TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW

The three main configurations of Shell Thermal conversion technologies are:

n Shell Soaker Visbreaker without Vacuum Flasher

2.2 SHELL SOAKER VISBREAKING TECHNOLOGY

2.2.2 PROCESS DESCRIPTION

Feed vacuum residue Middle East

Products in % wt. on feed

Utilities, typical per bbl @ 180°C:

2.3 VACUUM FLASHER TECHNOLOGY

5 SHELL VACUUM FLASHER

When a refinery has a Visbreaker unit in operation, it is worthwhile to investigate whether

n Heavy Gas Oil (HGO)

HGO 1-2% cut point 350 - 365 °C

Figure 1: Blending example

2.3.4 PROJECT EXECUTION

3D model of visbreaker unit with Vacuum Flasher

2.4 SHELL DEEP THERMAL CONVERSION TECHNOLOGY

5 SHELL VACUUM FLASHER

2.4.2 PROCESS DESCRIPTION

Deep Thermal Conversion

Deep Thermal Gasoil

Feed vacuum residue Middle East

Products in % wt. on feed

Utilities, typical per bbl @ 180°C:

2.5 SHELL THERMAL GASOIL PROCESS

6 SHELL VACUUM FLASHER

2.5.2 PROCESS DESCRIPTION

Depend on feed type and product specifications.

Feed atmospheric residue Middle East

Products in % wt. on feed

Utilities, typical per bbl @ 180°C:

2.6 UPGRADING POSSIBILITIES FOR THE VISBREAKER UNITS

2.6.1 SHELL VACUUM FLASHER TECHNOLOGY

n Superior runlength, when compared to conventional, open art, vacuum flashers.

5 SHELL VACUUM FLASHER