Topping Plant: An alternative approach for asphaltenic heavy crude oil processing

generally , more than 50% of heavy oil API<20 feed stock , in crude distillation unit , remains as residue, requiring upgrading process to be converted to valuable products. However , residue upgrading units often utilisecatalysts which could be easily poisoned by heavy metals of these types of residue. alternatively since residue from asphagtenic heavy crude oil is naturalyy good pitch, it would be advsntageous if the crude is directly split into several lumped distilates and pitch cut, in a topping plant.we found that high quality pitch having an excellent viscosity 350cP at 130C and adhesion property could be obtained for a typical iranian extra -heavy crude oil. based on this in this paper on innovative conceptual design following by a comprehensive economical feasibility study of a topping plant is presented for the mentionaed crude oil. the fixed capital investment of topping plant is about 2000-3000$/bbl,with an high annually rate of return on capital,i.e.50%.

کلیدواژه ها:

asphatenic crude oil ، bitumen ، feasibility study