Hydrogen in oil refinery operations

Two hydrogen production plants are presently being operated in Indonesia used in oil refinery, ammonia synthesis, and methanol production. The capacities are 1.8 10 Nm and 2.1 10 Nm, respectively. The H2 is generated from steam reforming of natural gas. It is projected to replace fossil fuels in industrial processes, in the transportation sector, and in households. 

Oil refineries (hydrogen produced in cracking and reforming operations ... 

Nevertheless, it became evident that reforming processes instituted in many refineries were providing substantial quantities of by-product hydrogen, enough to tip the economic balance in favor of hydrodesulfurization processes. In fact, the need for such commercial operations has become more acute because of a shift in supply trends that has increased the amount of high-sulfur crude oils employed as refinery feedstocks. 

The following summarizes the yields estimated in this way for Paraho shale oil (in wt % ) olefins (ethylene, propylene, butadiene, 12.2 BTX, 23.5 fuels (including methane), 39.8 coke, 18.3 and hydrogen consumption (net), 0.9. No internal fuel requirements are reflected in these yields. The 36% yield to olefins and BTX could probably be increased significantly by further work, especially on steam pyrolysis to olefins. A bench mark is given in Ref. 8 for a hypothetical petrochemical refinery operated to obtain a 60% yield of BTX and olefins from petroleum. 

Typically the last step in the edible oil refinery is deodorization, and this process is included in almost every refining operation, regardless of the other unit operations selected. While in the past limited natural fats could be utilized as edible products (such as butter and animal fats), most oils used today come from sources having natural components that if not removed impart objectionable flavors and tastes. These oils contain not only flavor bodies that must be eliminated to produce a palatable product but other unit operations, such as hydrogenation, impart a negative flavor and color that must be removed in the deodorizer. Shelf life and color are also important considerations upon which the deodorizer has a direct impact. 

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