Residue Upgrading

Today’s refiners need to maximize the returns out of every barrel of oil. The decision on which technology to use to upgrade residue is an important one, with long-term impacts and economic consequences.

UOP offers various solutions for upgrading both atmospheric and vacuum residue streams. The choice of technologies depends upon both the quality of the resid stream and the quality of the final fuel products produced. Slurry hydrocracking, such as UOP’s Uniflex^TM process family, offers the maximum amount of upgrading and produces zero fuel oil.

UOP’s residue upgrading portfolio includes a range of solutions that will help you to achieve your unique processing objectives, including:

• Slurry hydrocracking
• Resid FCC
• Residue Hydrotreating
• Coking
• Solvent Deasphalting

Learn more about UOP’s Residue Upgrading Solutions:

Slurry Hydrocracking

The UOP Uniflex process offers maximum conversion (90% +) that is selective to transportation fuels and minimizes production of residue byproduct. This process provides an optimal solution for minimizing fuel oil production.

Resid FCC

The UOP RFCC Resid FCCTM process is a cost-effective means for converting moderate to severely contaminated feedstocks to gasoline and lighter components.

Residue Hydrotreating

The UOP RCD Unionfining™ process is a residue hydrotreating process that removes contaminants and adds hydrogen for downstream Resid FCC processing. It can sometimes be used to produce low sulfur fuel oil.

Coking

The FWUSA SYDEC™ delayed coking process is a severe thermal conversion process that produces a wide range of products. Once hydrotreated, these products can be processed in other refinery processes and a byproduct residue coke.

Solvent Deasphalting

The UOP/FWUSA Solvent Deasphalting process separates residue into high quality, low contaminant level deasphalted oil for downstream hydrocracking, or FCC/RFCC units. It can also produce a highly contaminated pitch stream for residue fuel oil, power plant fuel, gasification and coking. The UOP/FWUSA Visbreaking process is a low-cost process that reduces viscosity of residues to minimize “cutter” stock in addition to making residue fuel oil.

There are several factors that impact technology selection from feedstock type and quality and product objectives to your existing refinery capabilities, feed prices and financing. Let us help you find the solution that best meets your needs.

Contact us to learn more.