Hydrocarbon Processing - March 2021 - 28

Petrochemical Technology
* A world-scale swing unit
to produce HDPE and LLDPE
* A standalone HDPE unit
* A 1-butene facility to satisfy
the requirement in PE plants
as a co-monomer
* Additional chains of PP units
to convert propylene produced
from the complex
* The generated C6 stream from
pyrolysis gasoline hydrogenation

will be charged into the benzene
extraction unit from where
C6 raffinate is recycled back
to the cracker
* The hydrogenated C5 cut is
recycled back to the cracker
* The C7+ stream is routed to the
gasoline pool.
MEG production-diethylene glycol
(DEG) and triethylene glycol (TEG) as
byproducts-is not considered in this
LPG

Gas plant
Straight-run
naphtha

Naphtha
hydrotreating
unit

Kerosene
CDU

Gasoline

Isomerization
unit
Continuous
catalytic
reformer

Kerosene
treater

Diesel

Aviation fuel
Diesel

Diesel
hydrotreater
GHT

LCGO

(*) LCO

FCCU

VGO
VDU

C3=

PRU

VGO
hydrotreater
(*)

Vacuum
residue

HCGO

DCU
(*) LPG to gas plant

FIG. 4. Base case: Fuels refinery.

Phenol
Acetone

Cumene-phenol
LPG
CCR

Gas plant

Kerosene
CDU

Diesel

Naptha
hydrotreater
Kerosene
treater

CN
VGO
hydrotreater
VDU

Fuels

VGO
(*)
VR

HCGO
DCU

C2=

Gasoline

ISOM

Aviation Kerosene
fuel
Diesel
Diesel
hydrotreater
Gasoline
(*)
LCGO
hydrotreater
LCO

Mixed-feed
cracker

HDPE/LLDPE

C3=

Polyols

C4 mix

1-Butene

Offgas

Propylene C3=
recovery
unit

MARCH 2021 | HydrocarbonProcessing.com

2 with the base case refinery (i.e., the aromatics complex and mixed-feed cracker in
one single configuration). In addition to
the standard downstream petrochemical
units present in Case 2 (namely HDPE,
LLDPE, PP and butadiene/1-butene),
Case 3 also includes MEG production.
Case 4. This case is a modification of

Case 3, adding downstream chemicals
value chains for propylene and ethylene. These include cumene/phenol/
isopropyl alcohol (IPA), propylene oxide (PO)/propylene glycol/polyol and
styrene (as a co-product of PO). A significant demand and growth rate exist for
these downstream specialty petrochemicals to support an investment in India.
Case 4 is the highest extent of chemical
integration that this case study explores.
FIG. 5 represents a high-level block flow
diagram to detail the major streams.
Considering local market requirements for a higher diesel-to-gasoline
ratio, each configuration ensures that
this ratio remains above 2, even as petrochemicals content is increased. In addition, LPG production is curtailed and
diverted to the cracker in view of expected cheaper alternative sources. Diesel is
the predominant fuel in India's fuel mix,
and, with a significant forecasted increase
in the adoption of electric vehicles, future gasoline demand is less predictable.
The configuration achieves world-class,
single-train capacities for all major units/
blocks, while limiting the refinery capacity to 15 MMtpy. This helps limit capital
investment, while avoiding penalties due
to economies of scale. This configuration
allows the focus to be on satisfying local/
national market requirements, as well.
Summary of results. The product

slates, refinery margins, relative CAPEX
and IRR for all cases are summarized
in TABLE 2. This also provides an idea of
the multitude of capacities that can be
achieved for each product chain.
Sensitivity analysis. The global re-

Chemicals

FIG. 5. Case 4 block flow diagram: Refinery, petrochemical and aromatics complexes, and
downstream chemicals.

Case 3. Case 3 combines Case 1 and Case

PO-SM

Butadiene

FCCU
(*) LPG to
gas plant

EO-MEG

LPG
Straight-run
naphtha

Import
MEG

Benzene

Aromatics

IPA

case, and all ethylene produced is consumed in the HDPE/LLDPE units.

fining and petrochemical industries are
forecast to undergo a massive shift due to
forces emanating from either end markets
or upstream feedstock prices. The choice

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Hydrocarbon Processing - March 2021

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