Fossil Fuels Future: Crude Oil To Chemicals

COTC-Crude Oil to Chemicals is a concept designed to enable oil majors like Saudi Aramco, Technip, and Chevron to find new markets for their oil as fuels markets continue to erode.

Thanks to a Google® Scholar Alert, I found the following article.

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Composition-performance Relationships in Catalysts Formulation for the Direct Conversion of Crude Oil to Chemicals
Mohammed Alabdullah,[a] Tuiana Shoinkhorova,[a] Alberto Rodriguez-Gomez,[a] Alla Dikhtiarenko,[a] Jullian Vittenet,[a] Ola S. Ali,[b] Isidoro Morales-Osorio,[b] Wei Xu,[b] and Jorge Gascon*[a]
[a] M. Alabdullah, T. Shoinkhorova, Dr. A. Rodriguez-Gomez, Dr. A. Dikhtiarenko, Dr. J. Vittenet, Prof. J. Gascon
KAUST Catalysis Center (KCC)
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, (Saudi Arabia)
E-mail: jorge.gascon@kaust.edu.sa
[b] O. S. Ali, I. Morales-Osorio, Dr. W. Xu
Chemicals R&D Lab at KAUST Research and Development Center, Saudi Aramco
[EXCERPT]
Abstract
Maximizing the production of petrochemicals from crude oil at the expense of fuels is among the most important targets for refiners. In this conversion, catalyst composition and formulation play a key role. Here we present a thorough study of the effect of formulated FCC catalyst composition on the one-step cracking of Arabian light crude oil. Our results demonstrate that over a 35 wt.% yield to light olefins can be achieved on spraydried catalysts containing 1:1 mixtures of ZSM-5 and FAU zeolites (alongside binder and clay). Coke deposition and catalyst deactivation can be correlated to the nature and content of each zeolite component.
Introduction
Light olefins (C2􀀀 C4) play a crucial role in the petrochemical industry. They are essential building blocks for the production of a wide variety of commodities, from surface coatings, fibers, solvents, and adhesives to plastics, and resins. In contrast to other oil-derived products, the demand for these chemicals will continue to increase in the decades to come.[1] Light olefins can be produced from a variety of feedstocks, and through different technologies, however, steam crackers account for circa 60% of the overall production of propylene.[2] Nevertheless, the recent investment trend towards ethane based steam crackers, highly selective to ethylene, could result in a decrease in the production of propylene and benzene.[3] Typical propylene yields in steam crackers from heavy feed (crude oil, VGO) are around 14 wt.% while only 2 wt.% are recorded for ethane units.[4] One emerging strategy to overcome the large demand for these building blocks is the development of refinery strategies for the direct conversion of crude oil to petrochemicals. Self-reliance from refinery streams and reduction of capital and energy costs are some benefits of this approach.[5] In addition, as future demand for fuels and gasoline is expected to drop, maximizing chemical production from oil holds a great promise for the sustainability of refineries.[6]
Several crude oil to chemicals (COTC) processes have been reported in the literature, mainly based on modern steam crackers, fluidized catalytic crackers (FCC), and hydroprocessing technologies, as recently reviewed by Bogle,[7] and Corma et al.[5] Commercial units have been recently commissioned or are under construction in China and the Middle East.[6a] Since 2014, ExxonMobil is operating a pretreated light crude oil steam cracker in Singapore.[8] Saudi Arabia is also developing its own COTC portfolio.[9] For instance, Saudi Aramco is involved in several joint development processes with Axens, TechnipFMC, McDermott, and Chevron Lummus Global to commercialize its Thermal Crude to Chemicals (TC2 C™) and Catalytic Crude to Chemicals (CC2 C™) technologies.[10]
Targeting high propylene yield, COTC catalytic routes will be preferred compared to thermal cracking processes. Various studies already highlighted this point by comparing the thermal cracking of several Arabian crudes to simulated FCC conditions using fixed-bed microactivity tests (MAT).[11] In the presence of a catalyst and at reaction temperatures of 600 °C, the propylene to ethylene ratio is almost three times higher than under similar conditions in the absence of a catalyst.[11b] The use of ZSM-5, recycling of liquid fractions, as well as lowering partial pressure, are commonly used strategies in FCC units to maximize propylene yield, also when crude oils are fed.[11–12] However, still, a lot of work is needed to optimize catalyst composition further.[13]
Although the effect of FCC additives like ZSM-5 to improve gasoline production is well-known,[13–14] very little is known about composition-performance relationships for the direct cracking of crude oil, the main focus of this article. Here we present a thorough study of the effect of formulated FCC catalyst composition on the one-step cracking of Arabian light crude oil.
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Jean Steinhardt served as Librarian, Aramco Services, Engineering Division, for 13 years. He now heads Jean Steinhardt Consulting LLC, producing the same high quality research that he performed for Aramco.

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