The reduced availability of light and sweet crudes, and the consequential increase in the cost of such feedstocks, makes it more and more attractive for refiners to take in heavier and sourer feeds.

However, there are consequences. Refiners that use higher-sulphur crudes can find it extremely challenging to respond to trends such as:

n increasingly stringent fuel specifications

n diminishing fuel oil market

n tightening emissions regulations

This sulphur paradox, namely that more sulphur is coming into the refinery (as the availability of sweet crudes diminishes) but less must leave the refinery within the finished products or as harmful emissions. There is never a silver bullet solution: a flexible and tailored approach is necessary to account for individual circumstances such as

n seasonal product demand shifts;

n changes in crude slate;

n the availability of capital;

n local market conditions; and

n individual unit design differences.

Intelligently applied, leading-edge technology, and a robust sulphur management strategy is imperative.

AbouT THe TecHnology Shell global Solutions provides a comprehensive solution to help refiners to meet their specific short- and long-term business goals. Initial consultancy and extended services throughout the project life cycle may include:

n market studies, such as scenario planning and masterplanning to help take a view of the future market and to enable more robust decision making regarding location, feedstock, logistics, process configuration and hardware requirements;

n front-end development to optimise process design and technology selection;

n implementation support, such as project management support and contractor management to ensure budgets and schedules are met; and

n start-up and commissioning services to reduce the time to reach optimal operations, and organisational effectiveness reviews.

AT A GLANCECustomer driver: legislative constraints (permits/licence to operate, fuel specifications); margin improvement (optimised production, efficiency and availability); changing feedstock slate (heavy/sour/high TAn/syn crudes)

Solution: A comprehensive portfolio of integrated, best-in-class technologies customised to meet a refiner’s specific business objectives

Value delivered: enhanced yield of high-value products; ability to process sourer crudes; optimised environmental footprint.

Proof point: over 100 years of experience as one of the technology pioneers

Shell SulPhur TeChnology PlaTformConsultancy and technologies to help take control of the sulphur paradox

Shell global Solutions

TodAy’s fEEdsToCks TypiCALLy CoNTAiN iNCrEAsiNG LEvELs of suLphur, buT fuEL spECifiCATioNs ArE TiGhTENiNG – This is ThE suLphur pArAdox.

Through our Sulphur Technology Platform strategy, we can provide a portfolio of integrated, comprehensive technology solutions to meet your specific needs. We license a suite of technologies that can deal with sulphur in various forms (Figure 1). These are:

n sulphur in crude;

n sulphur in all products, from liquefied petroleum gas (lPg) to residue;

n hydrogen sulphide (H2S);

n sulphur dioxide (So2);

n mercaptans; and

n solid sulphur.

Various characteristics set Shell global Solutions apart from other licensors in this area. The Shell Sulphur Technology Platform is:

n comprehensive. We have a wide range of catalysts and technologies.

n integrated. This enables the process configuration to be optimised across the refinery.

n customised. Solutions can be tailored to meet a refiner’s short- and long-term business goals.

The Shell global Solutions licensing portfolio includes technologies from key, carefully selected companies. For instance, solutions may incorporate:

n criterion catalysts & Technologies’ hydroprocessing catalysts;

n Zeolyst International’s hydrocracking catalysts;

n Merichem company’s liquid treating technologies;

n cansolv Technologies Inc.’s So2 scrubbing and carbon dioxide (co2) removal technologies;

n Praxair, Inc.’s conox technology;

n cDTecH’s fluidised catalytic cracking (Fcc) gasoline selective hydrodesulphurisation technology; and

n Sandvik’s sulphur solidification and handling systems.

criterion and cansolv are wholly owned by Shell. cDTecH and Zeolyst are Shell joint ventures.

PeRFoRMAnce DATAcontinuous research and development has helped to improve the relative volume activity of criterion’s market-leading desulphurisation catalysts by a factor of five.

The ScoT process enhances sulphur recovery from claus plants to over 99.8%, thereby helping facilities to meet even the most stringent environmental limits, including World bank standards.

Merichem liquid treating technologies offer key advantages, including high-performance impurity removal and smaller processing vessels, and require reduced capital expenditures.

cAnSolV So2 scrubbing technology can achieve So2 emissions as low as 10 ppmv, depending on the design parameters, and produces minimal effluent.

buSIneSS VAlueShell global Solutions supports customers through the crucial front-end development phase – where decisions are critical and have a strong influence on the overall project value. We bring our experience and

Figure 1: The Shell Sulphur Technology Platform.

Technologies Technology developer application

Hydroprocessing and catalysts

Shell global Solutions, criterion, cRI, Zeolyst

Hydroprocessing applications, including:

n naphtha hydrotreating;n kerosene hydrotreating;n diesel hydrotreating and;n hydrocracking.

In addition we offer catalysts for residue hydrotreating fixed and ebullating bed, and selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxide (nox) from furnaces, heaters, boilers and turbines.

gas/liquid treatment and sulphur recovery technologies

Shell global Solutions The ADIP‡ process removes H2S from refinery gases and the ScoT‡ process enhances sulphur recovery from claus plants to over 99.8%, thereby helping facilities to meet even the most stringent environmental limits.

The sulphur degassing process is used to remove H2S from the liquid sulphur produced in claus sulphur recovery units.

liquid treating technologies

Merichem THIoleX™: caustic extraction of acid gas and mercaptan compounds from liquid and gas hydrocarbon streams.THIoleX coS: caustic/catalyst extraction of acid gas and carbonyl sulphide (coS) compounds from liquid and gas hydrocarbon streams. Regen®: Regeneration of rich caustic streams to improve caustic utilisation. Regen ulS: Regeneration of mercaptide-rich caustic.MeRIcAT™ and MeRIcAT c: A caustic/catalyst/air mixture removes hydrogen sulphide and sweetens mercaptan compounds in gasoline, naphtha, condensate and crude oil streams.MeRIcAT J: A special solution mixed with air oxidises heavy mercaptans in jet fuel and middle distillate streams without the need for a fixed carbon bed.MeRIcAT II: A caustic/catalyst/air mixture removes hydrogen sulphide and sweetens mercaptan compounds in jet fuel, kerosene and gasoline and naphtha streams.nAPFInIng™ and nAPFInIng HiTAn: caustic extraction of naphthenic acid compounds from jet fuel, kerosene, diesel, condensate and crude oil streams.eXoMeR™: A proprietary treating reagent removes the recombinant mercaptans that form in selectively hydrotreated Fcc gasoline or heavier molecular weight mercaptans from liquid hydrocarbon streams. AQuAFInIng™: Water extraction of soluble organic and inorganic impurities from liquid and gas hydrocarbon streams. MeRIcon™: on-site solutions for the processing of spent caustics to reduce their biochemical oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand, control odour and adjust acidity.cHloReX™: Alkaline water extraction of inorganic chloride compounds from reformer gas and liquid product streams.AMIneX™ and AMIneX coS: A special amine removes acid gas and coS compounds from lPg-type and gas streams.

cAnSolV® So2 scrubbing

cansolv For the control of emissions and to capture additional by-product value from flue gas streams generated by Fcc units, process heaters, sulphur plants and spent acid regeneration units

cAnSolV® co2 removal cansolv For the bulk removal of co2 from post combustion flue gas streams. When integrated with the cAnSolV So2 scrubbing system, this reduces parasitic energy consumption.

Praxair conox Technology

Praxair An innovative solution for controlling carbon monoxide (co) and nox emissions from Fcc units

Fcc gasoline selective hydrodesulphurisation technology

cDTecH catalytic distillation technology that processes Fcc gasoline streams to produce a stream that is essentially free of mercaptans.

Sulphur solidification and handling systems

Sandvik complete turnkey project solutions for sulphur pastillation and handling plants are available

‡ADIP and ScoT are Shell trademarks.eXoMeR, MeRIcAT, MeRIcAT II, MeRIcon, nAPFInIng, Regen ulS and THIoleX are service marks of Merichem.

Regen is a trademark of Merichem company.cAnSolV is a trademark of cansolv Technologies Inc.

PRoceSS DeScRIPTIon

techniques, such as scenario planning and masterplanning, so that value is built in from the start.

We then work with customers to provide optimised technical solutions that can help them to:

n reduce the sulphur levels of their products, from gasoline and diesel through to lPg and jet, to meet product specifications;

n remove H2S, So2, and co2 from their off-gases to meet their environmental mandate;

n process opportunity crudes, which represent an additional revenue opportunity; and

n reduce the production of residue and fuel oil.

Moreover, our support does not end with the delivery of a set of recommendations. We also spearhead their implementation and remain with customers until they see the benefits.

HAVe you conSIDeReD HoW you cAnn react as the marine fuels specifications tighten?n increase the capacity of your sulphur recovery unit?n maximise the use of high-sulphur residue fuels?

For more information, please visit our website at www.shell.com/globalsolutions

All statements regarding Merichem company and Praxair, their affiliates and their products are based solely on information provided by Merichem company and Praxair. Inc. and have not been independently verified by Shell global Solutions.

Shell global Solutions is a network of independent technology companies in the Shell group. In this material, the expressions “Shell” and “Shell global Solutions” are sometimes used for convenience where reference is made to these companies in general, or where no useful purpose is served by identifying a particular company.

The information contained in this material is intended to be general in nature and must not be relied on as specific advice in connection with any decisions you may make. Shell global Solutions is not liable for any action you may take as a result of you relying on such material or for any loss or damage suffered by you as a result of you taking this action. Furthermore, these materials do not in any way constitute an offer to provide specific services. Some services may not be available in certain countries or political subdivisions thereof.

copyright © 2010 Shell global Solutions International bV. All rights reserved. no part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including by photocopy, recording or information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Shell global Solutions International bV.

gS33331110 en(A)

proof poiNTscIS refiner revamps for ultra-low-sulphur diesel (ulSD)A cIS refiner was producing 350-ppm diesel but needed to adapt in order to produce 50-ppm diesel (euro IV product specifications) in 2012. To achieve a no-regret investment, the company was also looking ahead to the requirement to meet euro V in 2015.

The solution involved expanding the volume of catalyst and replacing the catalyst with a more active ulSD catalyst and a new dewaxing catalyst to improve the diesel’s cold flow properties. The application of Shell’s wash-water design helped to combat fouling and corrosion issues. This involved capital expenditure of about $10–15 million (excluding the first catalyst fill) and could be worth $8 million in annual margin to the refiner.

uS refiner meets stricter So2 regulationsFaced with stricter So2 regulations, a refinery in california, uSA, needed to find an alternative solution to treat the tail gas of its alkylation spent acid regeneration plant, as the existing ammonium sulphate process was troublesome and did not integrate well with the refinery sulphur product chain.

A cansolv So2 scrubbing system was selected to replace the existing ammonium sulphate system. Since the unit’s start-up in 2002, performance has exceeded the targeted design conditions. The refiner has decoupled the operation of the acid plant from its So2 emissions by exploiting the technology’s ability to treat a range of inlet So2 concentrations. The cansolv So2 scrubbing system has consistently met So2 emissions of 20 ppmv or less while treating acid plant tail gas with So2 content as high as 6,000 ppmv.

A ComprEhENsivE porTfoLio of iNTEGrATEd TEChNoLoGiEs, dErivEd from ANd fiNE-TuNEd usiNG rEAL busiNEss ChALLENGEs, ThAT CAN bE CusTomisEd To mEET your spECifiC busiNEss NEEds.