Feed Alternatives Evaluation in an Oil Refinery Using a Process Simulator

Abstract

By processing a medium crude, a refinery can only operate 80 days a year due to the declining of itswells supply. In order to ensure a better improvement of its resources some feed alternatives areproposed. That depends of the availability in others country regions of raw material that demandsdilutions because of their heavier and viscosity. Taking advantage of geographic location and demands,asphalt can be obtained and also a wide cut with use in oilfields to reduce viscosity. That is why couldbe attractive to evaluate the possibilities of using the simulation model previously obtained withprofessional simulator HYSYS (version 2.2), complementing the information in order to validate resultsin a test with one of the alternatives proposed (heavy diluted crude with solvents of habitual crude)confirming the convenience of the chosen option, associated with profitable gains.