1

FUTURE TECHNOLOGY IN HEAVY OIL PROCESSING (H-Oil Unit)

To Process Heavy Crude Oil in Qayyarah, and Atmospheric Residue (AR) in Baiji
Mohmmed Abdullah Sanam
Master of Chemical Engineering (Heavy Oil, Multiphase Flow, Computational Fluid Dynamic), 2019.

Contents
1. Heavy Oils.
2. Properties of Heavy Oils.
3. Process Options for Upgrading Heavy Oil.
4. H-Oil Process.
5. Ebullated Bed Reactor (EBR).
6. Parts of the Ebullated Bed Reactor.
7. Advantages and Disadvantages of EBR.
8. Lukoil Refinery.
9. Process Economics.
10.References.

Summary

The change in crude oil quality around the world has impacted petroleum refining
industry in such a way that current and new refineries are being re-configured and
designed respectively to process heavier feed stocks. This is of course due to the
reduction of light crude oil and the increase of heavy or extra heavy crude oils
production. These new feeds are characterized by high amounts of impurities (sulfur,
metals, nitrogen, asphaltenes) and low distillate yields, which make them more difficult
to process compared with light crude oils. Contrarily, the demand of light distillates for
producing the so-called clean fuels (e.g. ultra-low sulfur diesel and gasoline) is increasing
throughout the world. These circumstances situate not only refineries but also research
centers, catalyst manufacturers and process developers in a great dilemma, which need to
adapt and design future technologies for properly conversion and upgrading of heavy
oils. There are various commercially available technologies to upgrade heavy petroleum.
The hydroprocessing technology is well recognized and has been widely practiced in
refineries universal. Special attention has been put for their application for upgrading of
heavy petroleum. Ebullated bed reactors are commonly found within H-Oil used to
convert heavy oil, atmosphere and vacuum tower residue to lighter more valuable
products in heavy oil upgrading.

Mohmmed Abdullah Sanam 19 / 11 / 2019

 2

1.Heavy Oils:

Heavy Oil is characterized by low API gravity and high amounts of

impurities. In general, it is known that the lower the API gravity, the higher the
impurities content. Such properties make the processing of heavy Oil different
from that used for light distillates, causing several problems (Ancheyta, 2013):

 Permanent catalyst deactivation in catalytic cracking and hydrocracking

processes, caused by metals deposition.
 Temporary deactivation of acid catalysts, due to the presence of basic
nitrogen.
 Higher coke formation and lower liquid product yield, as a result of high
Conradson carbon and asphaltene contents.
 Products with high levels of sulfur.

2.Properties of Heavy Oils:

Heavy oils exhibit a wide range of physical properties. Whereas properties

such as viscosity, density, and boiling point may vary widely, the ultimate or
elemental analysis varies over a narrow range for a large number of samples. The
carbon content is relatively constant, while the hydrogen and heteroatom contents
are responsible for the major differences in various heavy oils (Ancheyta, 2013).

The complex nature of heavy oil fractions is the reason that refining of these
feeds becomes so difficult. Therefore, an evaluation of the overall chemical and
physical characteristics of petroleum feeds is mandatory to determine the
processing strategy. Apart from having low API gravity (high density), high
viscosity, and a high initial boiling point, heavy oils exhibit higher contents of
sulfur, nitrogen, metals (Ni and V), and high molecular weight material
(asphaltenes) (Lane et al., 2016).
Mohmmed Abdullah Sanam 19 / 11 / 2019
 3

Generally, the majority of the sulfur and nitrogen species present in a crude
oil is found in the heaviest fractions. These heteroatoms are removed from
hydrocarbon streams in downstream refining units to produce environmentally
acceptable fuels and/or to provide better quality feeds to subsequent processes: for
example, feed with a low concentration of basic nitrogen is required to avoid the
temporary poisoning effect on acid catalysts typically used in fluid catalytic
cracking (FCC). Metals are found in most heavy oils in the form of
metalloporphyrins and are concentrated exclusively in the residual fraction. The
problem with metal - containing feeds is the permanent catalyst deactivation
experienced in FCC and residue fluid catalytic cracking (RFCC). Asphaltenes are
the most complex structures and cause many problems in refining operations.
Known as coke precursors , they reduce catalyst cycle life and liquid yield and are
the main contributors of solids formation, producing fouling in all types of
equipment (Martı´nez et al., 2010).

Heavy oils and residua have a similar composition (e.g., sulfur, metals, and
asphaltene contents), and the latter represents a significant portion of a barrel of
crude oil. In the case of heavy petroleum, the yield of residue may be as high as
85%. For this reason, in the near future the material at the bottom of the barrel will
be the main raw material for obtaining valuable liquid products, to keep up with
fuel demand (Ancheyta, 2013). A summary of different crude oil properties is
shown in Table.1.

Mohmmed Abdullah Sanam 19 / 11 / 2019

 4

1- Crude oil source Kirkuk

Residue yield (vol.% of crude) 43% as atmospheric residue (AR) 343 ˚C+
Gravity (API) 17.7
Ni (wppm) 31.226
V (wppm) 54.944
Sulfur (wt%) 3.99%
Carbon Residue 8%
2- Heavy Crude oil source Qayyarah
Gravity (API) 15.4
Ni (wppm) 36.4
V (wppm) 84.67
Sulfur (wt%) 7–8%
Resins 36.1 wt%
Asphaltenes 20.4 wt%
Table .1: Properties of various Heavy oils.

3.Process Options for Upgrading Heavy Oil:

It is well accepted that the crude oil available to refineries are becoming
heavier (Figure .1).

Figure .1: Crude Oil reserves (Yang Tao, 2006).

Mohmmed Abdullah Sanam 19 / 11 / 2019

 5

Meanwhile, the demand for high value products such as gasoline and middle
distillates is increasing. The trend towards heavy oil and urgent demand for high
quality products as well as tightening fuel regulations are presenting new
challenges for refineries. Among them, how to enhance product quality and
maximize returns from the bottom of the barrel is significant (Speight, 2004; Rana
et al., 2007). To reduce such problems, numerous catalytic and non-catalytic
technologies petroleum research institutions are commercially available to upgrade
heavy oil as following:

1- Hydrogen addition: hydroprocesses such as hydrotreating and

hydrocracking, hydrovisbreaking, and donor - solvent processes.
2- Carbon rejection: coking, visbreaking, and other processes, such as solvent
deasphalting.

Among all these various technologies, H-Oil process is most commonly

practiced in the petroleum refining industry to treat heavy oil (Ancheyta et al.,
2005, Ancheyta, 2013).

4.H-Oil Process:

The meaning of ‘‘H’’ is only to represent that H-Oil is a hydrogen addition

process. The H-Oil process is licensed by Institute French Petroleum (IFP)
(Martı´nez et al., 2010). The H-Oil process can convert heavy oil into higher value
products with simultaneous hydrodenitrogenation (HDN), hydrodesulphurization
(HDS), hydrodemetallization (HDM), conradson carbon residue (CCR), resins and
asphaltene conversion in the existence of catalysts and hydrogen under high
pressure condition. The hydroprocessing technology is well recognized and has
been widely practiced in refineries universal.

Mohmmed Abdullah Sanam 19 / 11 / 2019

 6

Process selection of upgrading technologies depends on the product

specifications, combination of cost, and byproduct considerations. Since the
petroleum is depleting, recently process selection has tended to favors
hydroprocessing technologies which maximize yield of distillate, minimize
byproducts (especially coke) and viscosity reduction. Hydroprocessing is a process
in which high molecular weight feed stocks are converted and hydrogenated to
lower molecular weight products. It has a high product selectivity of light products.
In summary, hydroprocessing is categorized by addition of hydrogen, removal of
heteroatom, minimal carbon rejection and using catalysts. Hydroprocessing plays
an important role as one of the main conversion processes in the refinery. It is
mainly used to produce middle distillates of low sulfur content such as gas oil and
diesel (Sanchez et al., 2008, Ancheyta, 2013). A flow scheme of H-Oil process is
given in Figure (2).

Figure .2: F1owscheme of H-Oil process with two ebullated bed reactors (Axens, 2019).

Mohmmed Abdullah Sanam 19 / 11 / 2019

 7

In the existence of a hydrogenation catalyst, the hydrogen is able to be added

into feed and converts heteroatoms such as oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen to water,
sulphide, and ammonia etc. and the coke formation is repressed at the same time
(Ancheyta et al., 2007, Ancheyta, 2013). Industrial reactor technologies for
hydrocracking of heavy oil can be classified according to the kind of catalytic bed:
fixed bed reactor (FBR), moving bed reactor (MBR), ebullated bed reactor (EBR)
and slurry bed reactor (SBR). Choice of the reactor is commonly a function of the
composition of the feedstock, quality, preferred level of conversion and removal of
impurities. The main benefit of fixed bed reactor is to refer to its operation and
relative simplicity of scale-up. However, the major problem is the accumulation of
metals such as (vanadium and nickel), coke in the mouth of catalyst pores which
lead to block the access of reactants into the internal surface. EBR eliminates this
difficulty by fluidizing the catalyst of the bed. The catalyst of the bed is
continuously added and removed from the reactor to save the activity of catalyst at
sure constant level. Typically, dirty feeds can be processed successfully in
ebullated bed reactors.

5.Ebullated Bed Reactor (EBR):

Ebullated bed hydroprocessors consist of a three phase (gas-liquid-solid)

fluidized catalyst bed and internal liquid recycle. The novel H-Oil process reactors,
which are considered a crucial equipment and of great importance for many
industrial applications are ebullated bed reactors (EBRs) (Lane et al., 2016). The
hydroprocessing ebullated bed reactors have the unique capability of deeply
transforming the most problematic feeds, such as atmospheric residue, vacuum
residue and heavy oil having a high content of asphaltenes, metals, sulfur and
including sediments while working with a long cycle time (Colyar and Wisdom,
1992, 1994, 1997). EBRs are commonly designed to have an expanded catalyst bed
Mohmmed Abdullah Sanam 19 / 11 / 2019
 8

of 130 to 150% of the settled catalyst bed, which has been demonstrated to be the
bed expansion for achieving uniform fluidization and good contacts among
hydrogen, oil, and catalyst (Ancheyta, 2013). It is greatest applicable for
exothermic chemical reactions and for feed stocks which are problematic to
process in a fixed bed reactor because of high contains of impurities (Morel et al.,
1997).

6.Parts of the Ebullated Bed Reactor:

The technology of ebullated bed hydroprocessing reactors (EBHRs) are used
widely for upgrading heavy oil (Lane et al., 2016). The hydroprocessing operations
demand high energy, thus these reactors play an important role in reducing cost
and emissions of hydroprocessing due to their high efficiency. In general, ebullated
bed hydroprocessing reactors consist of (Martínez et al., 2010):
 Recycle Cup.
 Flow Distributor System (Plenum).
 Distributor Grid.
 Recycle line.
 Ebullating Pumps.

Mohmmed Abdullah Sanam 19 / 11 / 2019

 9

Figure .3: Schematic representation of the ebullated bed reactor (Rana et al., 2007).

A schematic of the ebullated bed reactor is shown in Figure (3). Heavy feed
and hydrogen enter the reactor at the bottom while catalyst is fed from the top.
Ebullated bed reactor is a system in which the catalyst is kept in a fluidized state
through the upward lift of liquid reactants (feed, heavy oil and recycle) and gas
(hydrogen). They are enter the plenum of the reactor and are distributed across the
solid bed through distributor grid. Vapor product removed from a vapor space at
the top of the reactor is cooled and condensed partially. The gaseous portion which
is mostly hydrogen is purified, reheated and recycled to the reactor. Heavy oil

Mohmmed Abdullah Sanam 19 / 11 / 2019

 10

effluent from the reaction zone is recycled and fractionated. Ebullated bed catalyst
height is adjusted by the flow-rate of heavy oil recycle. The flow of ebullating
heavy oil from the separator region within the reactor is controlled by changing the
speed of the ebullating pump (Morel et al., 1997; Schweitzer and Kressmann,
2004; Ancheyta et al., 2007).

7.Advantages and Disadvantages of the EBR system:

This reactor has several advantages over other reactors as follows (Martínez et al.,
2010):

1- Fresh catalyst can be added and spent catalyst withdrawn to adjust the
activity of catalyst in the reactor, allowing for a long period of operation.
2- Good heat transfer can make overheating of the catalyst bed is reduced and
fewer coke forms.
3- Good mixing results in operation approximately isothermal (i.e, uniform
temperature) then the EBR behaves as continuous stirred-tank reactor
(CSTR).
4- Moreover, the bed plugging and the channeling due to coke formation are
eliminated which allows to operate the unit for a long period (several years)
because of constant and low pressure drops.

Also, this reactor has disadvantages as follows:

1- The smaller size of catalyst particle and the higher void fraction of catalyst
particle require higher volume than FBR and MBR.
2- The design and scale-up of EBR are more difficult than other reactors,
therefore they need much more information such as data of feed-stock
composition, properties of catalyst, mass and heat transfer at the catalyst
pellet and bed scales, and hydrodynamic phenomena.

Mohmmed Abdullah Sanam 19 / 11 / 2019

 11

8.Lukoil Refinery:
Figure (4) shows a schematic diagram of the H-Oil unit in the Lukoil
Refinery at Burgas-Bulgaria. Table 2,3 and Figures 5 (a, b and c) illustrates the
geometric dimensions and the operating conditions of ebullated bed reactors in the
residue hydrocracking unit, which were used as input data for the kinetic model.

Figure .4: Schematic of H-Oil Unit at Lukoil Refinery (Axens, 2014).

Figure .5-a: Geometric dimensions of the ebullated bed reactor (Axens, 2014).

Mohmmed Abdullah Sanam 19 / 11 / 2019

 12

Figure .5-b: Operating Conditions of the ebullated bed reactor (Axens, 2014).

Figure .5-c: Normal Operating Case (Axens, 2014).

Mohmmed Abdullah Sanam 19 / 11 / 2019
 13

Vacuum Residue (VR) LukOil Refinery - Bulgaria

Gravity (API) 8.3

Metals (Ni + V) (wppm) 338

Sulfur (wt%) 4%

Resins 36.1%

Conradson Carbon Residue (CCR) 17.2%

Table .2: LukOil Refinery – Vacuum Residue Specifications (Axens, 2014).

Table .3: Product with 70 wt% conversion (Axens, 2014).

Mohmmed Abdullah Sanam 19 / 11 / 2019

 14

9.Process Economics
The petroleum products prices change with crude oil prices and seasonal
product demands. Fuel oil demand is higher in winter to provide heat to those
places where the weather is cold, while the demand of gasoline is higher in
summer because of the increased travel of vacationers. To deal with these seasonal
changes in product demands, the ebullated bed reactor is designed to produce
products that are in demand (Martínez et al., 2010).

The capital investment for an H-Oil unit is in the range of 250 - 275 million
dollars (Figure 6), while the operating cost 8 - 9 $/bbl (Rana et al., 2007); it all
depends on the feed stock to be processed (Axens, 2019). The economics of the
ebullated bed technology will depend upon the difference between the feed and
product values and to some extent on the location of the refinery. The larger the
gap between feed and product prices, the more attractive will be the economics.
The net revenue estimated for a 50,000 bbl/day unit is shown in Table.4.

Figure .6: The capital investment for an H-Oil unit ( www.OGJ.com ).

Mohmmed Abdullah Sanam 19 / 11 / 2019

 15

Products Product wt% Product Selling price Selling price per

ton/day $/ton day
Natural Gas (C1, C2, C3, C4) 3.4 261 Used as a feed for Hydrogen Production Plant
Stabilized Naphtha 7.82 600 450 270,000 $
Diesel 25.41 1,947 400 778,800 $
VGO 34.98 2,681 270 723,870 $
Fuel oil S<1 wt% 27.26 2,089 125 261,125 $
Net conversion% ~70
Operating cost 8 $/bbl
Operating cost per day 400,000 $
Total selling price per day 2,033,795$
Net Profit per day 1,633,795 $
Net Profit per month 49,013,850 $
Net Profit per year 588,166,200 $

Table .4: Total economic cost for upgrading (50,000 bbl/day) of heavy crude oil of Qayyarah with
70wt% as a conversion.

Mohmmed Abdullah Sanam 19 / 11 / 2019

 16

10.References:
Ancheyta, J. (2013). Modeling of processes and reactors for upgrading of
heavy petroleum. CRC Press.‫‏‬
Ancheyta J., Rana M.S., Furimsky E. (2005). Hydroprocessing of heavy
petroleum feeds: Tutorial. Catal. Today 109, 3-15. [A critical review for the heavy
oil hydroprocessing that also describes the effect of the physical and chemical
properties of the catalyst].
Ancheyta, J., & Speight, J. G. (2007). Hydroprocessing of heavy oils and
residua. CRC Press.
Axens Company, H-Oil Process, Axens, (2014), “Operation Training
Program, Lukoil Refinery”.
Axens Company, (2014), private communication.
Axens Company, (2019), private communication.
Colyar, J. J., & Wisdom, L. I. (1992). Upgrading vacuum residue from
Mexican crudes for Petroleos Mexicanos hydrodesulfurization residue complex
Miguel Hidalgo Refinery. Tokyo (Japan): Japan Petroleum Institute.‫‏‬
Colyar, J. J., & Wisdom, L. I. (1994). Second generation ebullated-bed
technology. In JPI Petroleum Refining Conference, Tokyo, Japan.‫‏‬
Colyar, J. J., & Wisdom, L. I. (1997). The H-Oil [R] Process: A Worldwide
Leader in Vacuum Residue Hydroprocessing. NATIONAL PETROLEUM
REFINERS ASSOCIATION-PUBLICATIONS-ALL SERIES.‫‏‬
Lane, C. D., McKnight, C. A., Wiens, J., Reid, K., & Donaldson, A. A.
(2016). Parametric analysis of internal gas separation within an ebullated bed
reactor. Chemical Engineering Research and Design, 105, 44-54.
Martínez, J., Sánchez, J. L., Ancheyta, J., & Ruiz, R. S. (2010). A review of
process aspects and modeling of ebullated bed reactors for hydrocracking of heavy
oils. Catalysis Reviews, 52(1), 60-105.
Morel, F., Kressmann, S., Harlé, V., & Kasztelan, S. (1997). Processes and
catalysts for hydrocracking of heavy oil and residues. In Studies in Surface Science
and Catalysis (Vol. 106, pp. 1-16). Elsevier.
Mohmmed Abdullah Sanam 19 / 11 / 2019
 17

Rana, M. S., Samano, V., Ancheyta, J., & Diaz, J. A. I. (2007). A review of
recent advances on process technologies for upgrading of heavy oils and
residua. Fuel, 86(9), 1216-1231.
Sánchez, J. L., Ruiz, R. S., Alonso, F., & Ancheyta, J. (2008). Evaluation of
the hydrodynamics of high-pressure ebullated beds based on dimensional
similitude. Catalysis Today, 130(2-4), 519-526.
Schweitzer, J. M., & Kressmann, S. (2004). Ebullated bed reactor modeling
for residue conversion. Chemical Engineering Science, 59(22-23), 5637-5645.
Speight, J. G., (2004). New Approaches to Hydroprocessing. Catal. Today
98, 55-60.
Yang tao, (2006), “Research and Development of Strong Ebullated Bed
Residue Hydrotreating Technology”.

www.OGJ.com .

Mohmmed Abdullah Sanam 19 / 11 / 2019