Improve Refinery Profitability with Modus Technology

Catalytic Cracking (FCC) and Coking are the two key conversion processes in a petroleum refinery. Each technology yields light olefins, e.g. ethylene, propylene, butylenes as a byproduct. FCC and Coking Units include a gas recovery section where light olefins and gasoline/naphtha are separated. Propylene/Butylenes are normally processed in alkylation or oligomerization facilities to produce additional high octane gasoline. Unrecovered light olefins, including all of the ethylene are normally routed to the refinery fuel system. As facilities age and operate at higher capacities the recovery of propylene/butylenes diminishes with increased quantities of these valuable compounds burned as fuel. Some refiners opt to modify their gas recovery units, sometimes including cryogenic processing to increase propylene/butylenes recovery. None of these routes capture the value of ethylene for the refiner. The quantity of light olefins burned in the fuel system can become even more significant as FCC catalysts are employed that promote higher light olefin yields.

Wood has partnered with Siluria Technologies to commercialize Modus technology which converts light olefins contained in FCC/Coker fuel gas product streams to a high octane gasoline blending component. Modus is a modularized, drop in solution that requires minimal interruption of plant operations for implementation. The reaction pathway produces a high octane gasoline product containing a mixture of aromatics, olefins and paraffin isomers.

This presentation will describe the Modus technology and its application in a number of processing scenarios.