CCR Platforming Blog

Scenario:

Your refinery manager wants options to increase CCR Platforming unit profitability and increase the length of time between major turnarounds. She’s requested a plan for upgrading CCR Platforming unit performance and needs it fast!

How do you get started, and what can you do to respond quickly?

It Starts with a Plan!

You can develop a CCR Platforming “Performance Upgrade Plan” in one month or less.)

A strong plan can help you and your company execute the upgrade faster. It needs to be flexible and include logical “check-in” points with management and technical experts to obtain feedback. Use your actual CCR Platforming unit operating history and operating data as the facts to gain managerial acceptance and approvals to make changes.

What are the steps for a CCR Platforming Performance Upgrade Program?

Context Setting
Benchmarking
Identifying Improvements
Execution of Upgrades
Measuring Results and Control Plan

UOP can help you get started and has included a link with detailed information, including a discussion paper, typical program charters and an example brainstorm list.

A Closer Look at Benchmarking

A CCR Platforming “Performance Upgrade Plan” depends on a solid understanding of the unit history and how the unit currently is operating. With that information, it becomes easier to see where the performance gaps are in terms of reformate production metrics and unit on-stream reliability.

Benchmarking activities can be divided into categories.

Information Gathering

The first part of benchmarking is to organize existing unit operations data and historical reports.

Performance Analysis

The second part of benchmarking is to analyze the full information already available for the CCR Platforming unit. The analysis summarizes the current capability of the unit and identifies unit performance gaps, problematic issues, and equipment trouble-spots that can help improve profitability.

Unit operating data should be evaluated in the way your company normally uses. Use your regular daily reports/charts and monthly reports to get started, followed by additional plotting of CCR Platforming key data. Look at operations over the last calendar year and since the last turnaround or catalyst reload. Include normal operations and upsets.

Identify Process Performance Gaps

Building on the performance analysis, the third part of benchmarking is to understand the expected unit operation with your specific feed and process conditions. A UOP data review compares the actual unit operation with the expected operation. Parameters are charted and gaps are identified, with possible improvements and countermeasures. UOP also will highlight when additional actions can help with benchmarking, such as a material balance test run or a CCR Platforming health check.

NEW in 2021: UOP PremierPLUS Connected Services include benchmarking capability to track fundamental process unit operation variables and advanced process unit operation parameters vs aggregated anonymous operation data from similar units.

It Starts with a Plan... and it Ends with a Plan

A CCR Platforming “Performance Upgrade Plan” is a framework for performance improvements and increasing unit profitability. Upgrades can vary widely depending on timing, budget, and process impact. An upgrade plan accounts for understanding true unit operation, and allows time for vetting of improvement ideas and prioritization. Unit benchmarking is a key component of the “Performance Upgrade Plan.”

Learn more about a CCR Platforming “Performance Upgrade Plan” to improve your performance and profitability. Don’t hesitate to share this with peers.

By Edward Morgan, Project Development Manager & Peter Eckels, Technology Services.