Thursday, November 29, 2018

What Is the Petroleum Research Center? (HINT: It’s in Kuwait)


OK, technically, there are Petroleum Research Centers in various places in the world. The one we are exploring, however, is located in Kuwait.

A recent interesting PRC article is described below.

TIP: For background on the PRC, Google® Petroleum Research Center Kuwait

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Catalysis Today
Available online 6 November 2018
In Press, Accepted Manuscript
Hydroprocessing of Heavy Residual Oil: Opportunities and Challenges
A. Marafi, H. Albazzaz, Mohan S. Rana
Petroleum Research Center (PRC), Kuwait Institute of Scientific Research (KISR), Kuwait
Highlights
•Heavy oil contains a number of contaminants and a significant fraction of residue.
•Molecular analysis of heavy oil remains the most significant challenge.
•Complex feedstock force refiners to use more advanced process technologies.
•A proper catalyst selection and operating condition are vital to upgrade heavy oil.
ABSTRACT
Recently, significant changes in petroleum sources have been observed where light crude sources are becoming heavy or extra heavy, containing a large number of contaminants (S, N, metals, asphaltene, etc.), and producing a significant fraction of the bottom of the barrel (residue) after distillation. Thus, the future crude slate is a vital issue facing refiners to invest strategically in processing larger quantities of sourer crude. Due to the feedstock, refinery process operations must advance and include next-generation processes and catalysts to fulfill the demand and supply. The qualities of these products primarily meet or satisfy stringent environmental regulations. On the other hand, traditional light crude oil refineries have seen drastic changes into heavy crude oil, which present enormous challenges to the refining industry to process heavier crude oils. The global trend indicated that the world oil refining industry has to face several challenges in demand as well as supply. At the same time, refineries are expected to be under a great deal of pressure to accomplish the market demand for high-quality fuels (i.e., gasoline and diesel). The global demand for diesel fuels is increasing, while fuel oil demand is decreasing. The fuel composition and their efficiency (energy content) remain a decisive factor for the price and the communally acceptable parameter. This review will focus primarily on the relationship between the various parameters of composition, physicochemical properties of crude oil, and their impact on hydroprocessing.
Keywords
Heavy crude; residue; hydroprocessing; refining; feedstock; API gravity; sweet crude; TAN; sour crudes
source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0920586118312069
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