Didier Lambert, Julie Williams, Topnir Systems, 425 Rue Ren Descartes, Bt. C, 13857
Aix en Provence Cedex, France
Contact: Julie Williams, Topnir Systems, (508) 736-2696, julie.williams@topnir.com
Web site: www.topnir.com
1.
INTRODUCTION
Crude diet characterization is crucial for Refinery Optimization. It firstly affects the planning and
scheduling activities, and secondly affects optimization of the individual units as well as the blending of
final products. This is particularly important when special products are produced for instance paraffinic
and naphthenic lubricants and bitumen. A good understanding of the crude to the refinery has an impact
on the planning and affects all the Refinery operations.
Real time knowledge of crude properties is the only way to ensure that full value is extracted from the
crude in the refining activity based on simulated plant operation and product quality. This affects both the
allocation of the crude to the appropriate crude distillers, and also the setting of target yields and qualities
for process units.
Short terms fluctuations of feed properties introduces instability into the unit, necessitating larger
offsets from constraints. In the time frame of days, changes in the crude mix necessitate operational
changes: steady operation over a longer period enables better optimization of the unit by pushing
against the appropriate constraints.
A huge project was completed at Ecopetrol in 2005 aiming at identifying and characterizing the whole
crude production network, including both pumping station linked to inland wells and the two
Refineries located in Cartagena and Barrancabermeja.
This unique identification and characterization of Crude mixture obtained from Topnir (Topology NIR
Software) and Simcrude (Identification Software) lead to annual benefits of several Million USD, not
only for Crude operation itself but also for downstream activities such as Diesel Blending.
This paper describes this unique project as well as the technology and real cases results.
2.
The Project, named Crude Diet and Property Monitoring project, is dedicated to monitor the composition
of crude mixtures:
At two key pumping stations (Vasconia and Ayacucho) of the in-land crude pipe network
At the entry of the two refineries, Barrancabermeja (GCB) and Cartagena (GRC) refineries.
This information feeds the SENSOR monitoring system, defined as the network of NIR analyzers, the
Planning & Scheduling and IT systems.
This project includes also the characterization (monitoring of Crude properties) of the crude mixture feed
to the Topping units at Barrancabermeja and Cartagena Refineries.
This is sketched in the following context picture:
Import/Orito
EXPORT
Covenas
GRCartagena
E&S
PS Ayacucho
E&S
Cano
Limon
GCBarranca
Castilla
El Centro
PS Vasconia
PS Tenay
PS Porvenir
Previous Situation
Sensor
%
The Barranca Refinery (GCB) acquired its crude from various locations around the country, the
composition of which varied greatly in properties such as density, sulphur, salt content and volumetric
yield, which consequently varied the quality of the feedstock to the various crude units at the GCB.
The following 4 segregations occurred:
Cusiana for low sulphur ACPM (Diesel Grades) and reduced-crude was fed direct to Cracking
Unit
Cupiagua used for paraffinic lubricants
LCT used for naphthenic lubricants
Mezclado a mixture of more than 50 crude oils for the Demex-Unibon-VRII scheme and
Bitumen.
Although the types of crude to be segregated were well established, before launching the crude project the
refinery didnt have systems that allowed characterizing the quality (Assays) of the crude arriving to the
refinery. The only properties that were known are Salt and BSW. Moreover, there was no control on the
quality of the crude fed to each one of the process units, since the only consideration was an average API.
On occasion, the homogeneity of those feeds was not good due to differences between the Top, Middle
and Bottom samples, which lead to instability in the operation of the Topping units.
There were no tools in place to allow prediction of the composition of the prepared blend, therefore it was
impossible to know the yield of products in the Topping units. Also no tools were available to prepare
feeds to maximize distillate yield, since the only consideration was an average API. It is worth noting that
two crude oils with the same API can have different yields in one crude Unit.
Finally, with the processing of light crude, Topping units were constrained in their overhead systems
resulting both in constrained throughput and increased gas to fuel gas and to the flares.
One example is that some Cusiana crude was purchased in excess of the plan to ensure that low sulphur
diesel can be produced and to meet the cetane index in the Diesel pool. This resulted in sulphur and
Cetane giveaway and was attributed to uncertainties in the crude and component logistics systems.
For Cartagena Refinery (GRC), the refinery operations were reactive to the crude fed to the refinery as
they didnt know the crude that was in the blend. Crude was segregated according to API and sulphur, not
allowing for a proper assessment of product yields and quality prior to feed the CDU.
This situation produced a suboptimal operation of the Refinery, where the plant capacities were not
maximized.
Forecasting the properties for the various intermediate or finished products that are produced both
in the Topping units as well as in the remaining process units in the refinery, to direct production
towards valuable products
To ensure raw materials regarding quality and quantity for process units downstream from topping
units.
The Crude composition is known before arrival. A combination of better information in the Ecopetrol
transportation pipeline and the use of Topology NIR technology to predict the composition of the crude
blend in the pipelines to the pumping stations and crude tanks at refineries GRC and GCB now addresses
this issue.
Once blend composition is known, product quantities and qualities of all streams in the refinery
configuration can be calculated such that refinery throughput is maximized and product qualities are
known.
A second stage, Phase 2, involves installing APC and optimization on the crude oil blender to trim the
blend within constraints given by Scheduling. This requires an on-line NIR located either on the
component streams or the blend headers to the Topping units.
Phase 2 allows the feeds to the individual topping units to be better optimized to take into account
transient effects. It will therefore give additional benefit in the areas of:
Prepare feeds that allow maximizing the yield of valuable products such as Jet A1 and/or ACPM
(Diesel Grade).
Prepare homogeneous and optimum feeds for Bitumen and lubricants preparation.
Forecast the properties for the various intermediate or end products that are produced in the
Topping units, to direct production towards valuable products and to ensure raw materials for the
process units downstream from said process.
3.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Two new at-line NIR systems (AS200 Analyzer type using FTIR Spectrometer integrated in a
cabinet) located in the two key Pumping stations Ayacucho and Vasconia, named Slave 1 and 3.
Two existing off-line NIR systems upgraded at the refineries (GCB, GRC).
One new off-line NIR system at ICP (Instituto Colombiano del Petroleo, from Ecopetrol) for
development purposes.
Model and Software to provide crude identification" application to deliver crude diet/ratio of
pure crude.
Topology Model and Software to provide crude characterization" application to deliver CDU
feed properties (density, distillation (12 points), sulphur and TAN).
Additional on-line NIR systems planned in phase 2 on the Feed inlet of the CDU Plants at
Cartagena and Baranca Refineries.
Crude Identification
=crude finger printing
Crude diet
Crude composition
% crude equival.
Figure 2: Crude
Terminology
Crude
assay
Crude allocation
Economic &
Scheduling
Blending
API, sulphur,
TBP (12x)
TAN?
Crude characterisation
=Crude properties
Crude identification applies mainly at crude mixtures at the various pumping station but also at the
crude arriving at the refinery gate aiming at facilitating the crude allocation/segregation, but also for E&S
inputs.
Crude characterisation is mainly applied at the refinery on the CDU feed to monitor the quality of the
blend feeding the various CDUs / Topping units. Such data are used for crude blending
control/optimisation; this application will therefore be limited to the two refineries.
The Figures hereafter give an overview of the project complexity. The Figures 3 describes the complexity
of the crude oil network as existing in Ecopetrol operations.
Figure 4 details the application at Cartagena Refinery while Figure 5 shows the Crude flow sheet to be
considered in Barrancabermeja Refinery.
GRC - Application
TNP Scheduling
ECP COED
Crude Schedul.
Density,
Distillation (12x)
sulphur,
TAN
Import/Orito
4.2.4 Importados (IMP)
4.2.5 Orito (South blend) (ORIM)
TNP tanks
Covenas
Blending Control
%
4.1.1
4.1.2
4.1.3
4.1.4
4.1.5
4.1.6
CDU
24 h residence time
FRC
Mezcla 6 (COVM)
Mezcla 3 (VASM)
Tib-Zulia / Cao Limn (CZTM)
Pesado Vasconia (VASH)
Parafnico Vasconia (VASP)
Cusiana OCL (CSG)
4.3.1
4.2.1
4.2.2
4.2.3
Segregate
Mezcla 6 (COVM)
Mezcla 3 (VASM)
Livianos (LIVC)
Phase 1 - Identification
Phase 1 - Identification + Only input to Charact.
Phase 1 - Only input to Characterisation
Phase 1 - Characterisation
Phase 1 - Preliminary identification
Phase 2
2.7
2.6
2.7.1
Heavy/
pesada
Galan
2.6.1
Casabe
2.5.1
Pesado Vasc.
2.1.4
Cusiana OCL
2.1.3
2.8.5
2.8.3
Blending
PH8
K-966
2.8.1
2.5
K-3850
Vasconia
2.1
Ayacucho
2.2.
2.3
Payoa/Prov
2.4
El Centro
L
i
g
h
t
K-965
Cusiana
K-3851
Par Lube
Mezcla 3
2.1.1
Mezcal Ayacucho
2.2.1
Isla 6
2.2.2
Cano Limon
2.2.3
Tib-Zulia
2.2.4
Provi.
Payoa
HCT
Light
/liviana
2.8.2
H
e
a
v
y
b
l
e
n
d
bl
e
n
d
K-962
4 Classes - blend
K-963
Cano Limon
2.4.1
2.8.6
2.4.2
K-3852
2.9.3
Nap Lube
2.8.4
Pre-blend tanks
Blend tanks
2.9.2
PH2
K-822
P
r
a
f
n
c
b
l
e
n
d
K-961
2.3.1
b
l
e
n
d
K-964
K-800
2.3.2
LCT
C
u
s
i
a
n
a
K-804
2.9.4
K-805
K-102
K-816
K-817
U2000
U150
Spare ?
U2100
T250
2.9.5
2.9.1
K-801
K-802
U200
K-823
T204
Barrancabermeja,
Cartagena
and
on
CDU
on-line
analyzers
at
One database for circa 100 in-land + 30 import crude oils for determination of % in mixtures
(identification)
One database/models for circa 100 in-land + 30 import crude oils for determination of streams
properties such as Distillation (12 points) i.e. % distillate at each cut point, degree API, sulphur
and TAN (characterization).
Note about distillation points: the points corresponding to the following 12 cuts are monitored:
CRUDE
C
Nafta Nafta Nafta Nafta Medios Medios Medios Gasoleo Gasoleo Gasoleo
CRED F
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
1
2
3
1560107- 152- 199249315371427482371+
5
60
107
152
199
249
315
371
427
482
565
4.
TBP (True Boiling Point) prediction of a pure crude or a crude blend is achieved by NIR Topology model
which procures a unique advantage in daily operations. Indeed, Advanced Control strategies have been
constrained by mainly poor availability of on-line analyzers and dubious robustness of inferential models
for stream qualities, especially during transients.
It is also possible by using Topology NIR prediction on TBP Curve (True Boiling Point, Distillation curve
for Crude), to calculate the CDU products yields at given cut points.
All the database work (update, compilation, studies, check up) is done off-line, on the laboratory PC.
A typical example of screen display is shown on Figure 6 below.
CRUDE
C
Nafta
1
1560
Nafta
2
60107
Nafta
3
107152
Nafta
4
152199
Medio
s1
199249
Medio
s2
249315
Medio
s3
315371
Gasoleo
1
371427
Gasoleo
2
427482
Gasoleo
3
482565
The Identification software is a chemometrics tool that exploits the NIR spectra to determine the % of the
pure crude in a crude blend.
Typical Crude identification is shown in the Figure 7 below.
The complexity of the crude oil in-land and Import at ECP is very high. The list of crude oils that have
been identified in mixtures and characterized is shown hereafter.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
ANG
TIB
YAR
ZUL
CCN
CSB
CST
GAL
HCT
LCT
PAY
PRO
SEG
TOQ
TOT
VEL
RSA
ARA
CLM
ALB
BC1
BC4
BRE
CAB
CND
ESC
FNV
FOR
GUF
HEI
KRP
KUI
LEO
LGT
LOR
MAR
MDN
MEN
MRL
MRY
OTE
PED
PIL
QUA
SCH
TLL
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
TOQUICRUDO
CRUDO
Crudo
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CRUDO
CARROTANQUE
ANGEL,TIS
AYACUCHO
TIBU,BARCOS
18,18 TIBU
AYACUCHO
YARIRI
??
YARIRI
AYACUCHO
ZULIA
18,18 ZULIA
AYACUCHO
COCORNA
14,15 VELASQUEZ 26BARRANCA
BARRANCA
CASABE
Blends 17,18 CASABE
CASTILLA Blends 14,15 VELASQUEZ 26BARRANCA
BARRANCA
GALAN
Blends 16,17 GALAN
BARRANCA
LIS.-HCT
Lisama blends
16,17 LA CIRA
BARRANCA
LCT
16,17 EL CENTRO
PAYOA
BARRANCA
Mz.payoa-sal MEZCLA Blends?
BARRANCA
PROVINCIA Blends 16,17 PAYO
Segundo
14,15 VELASQUEZ 26BARRANCA
TOQUI
Truck
14,15 VELASQUEZ 26BARRANCA
TOTARE
Truck
14,15 VELASQUEZ 26BARRANCA
VELASQUEZ
14,15 VELASQUEZ 26BARRANCA
Rio Saldaa
COMBUSTIBLE COMBUSTIBLE
ARAUCA
10,11 C. LIMON
COVENAS
C. LIMON
10,11 C. LIMON
COVENAS
ALBA
IMPORT
IMPORT
BCF-22
IMPORT
IMPORT
BCF-24
IMPORT
IMPORT
Brent Blend
IMPORT
IMPORT
Cabinda
IMPORT
IMPORT
CANADON SECO
IMPORT
IMPORT
ESCALANTE
IMPORT
IMPORT
Foinaven
IMPORT
IMPORT
Forcados
IMPORT
IMPORT
Gull Faks
IMPORT
IMPORT
Heidrun
IMPORT
IMPORT
CARIPITO
IMPORT
IMPORT
Kuito
IMPORT
IMPORT
LEONA-22
IMPORT
IMPORT
LAGOTRECO
IMPORT
IMPORT
LORETO
IMPORT
IMPORT
MARLIM
IMPORT
IMPORT
MEDANITOS
IMPORT
IMPORT
Menemota
IMPORT
IMPORT
MARALAGO
IMPORT
IMPORT
MEREY
IMPORT
IMPORT
ORIENTE
IMPORT
IMPORT
Pedernales
IMPORT
IMPORT
PILON
IMPORT
IMPORT
Quaiboe
IMPORT
IMPORT
Schiehallion
IMPORT
IMPORT
Troll
IMPORT
IMPORT
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
APA
BAR
CHA
CHI
CPE
CRI
CRS
CSI
CSP
CST
CUP
CUS
EST
FLO
GAE
GAN
GLN
GLO
GUR
JOR
JTP
JUN
LRF
MOR
ORO
PLT
RUB
SAR
SIA
SJP
TOC
TOR
TRI
ORI
AND
BAC
DIN
GIG
GUA
ORT
PAL
PLR
PUR
RCB
SF1
TEO
TOL
YAG
Moreover, the NIR Topology system is able to predict outlier as shown on the figures hereafter
where the spectra, the location of sample compared to the box is displayed as well as the
prediction obtained.
This is a unique advantage of this technology.
Benefits
It is expected that implementation of Phase 1 (At-line systems) allows for Barrancabermeja Refinery 10%
of Blending Product Optimization leading to an Annual Benefit of several MUSD.
For Cartagena Refinery, the estimated benefit for better crude characterization and optimization is an
increase in crude throughput from additional crude processed in the refinery leading also to an estimated
amount of several MUSD per year. Crude management takes half of this benefit and the other half is
attributed to Scheduling tools. 20% of the Product giveaway is also attributed to better crude
management.
The second stage, Phase 2, involves installing APC and optimization on the crude oil blender to trim the
blend within constraints given by Scheduling. This requires an on-line NIR located either on the
component streams or the blend headers to the Topping units.
Phase 2 allows the feeds to the individual topping units to be better optimized to take into account
transient effects. It will therefore give additional benefit in the areas of:
Prepare feeds that allow maximizing the yield of valuable products such as Jet A1 and/or ACPM
(Diesel Grade).
Prepare homogeneous and optimum feeds for Bitumen and lubricants preparation.
Forecast the properties for the various intermediate or end products that are produced in the
Topping units, to direct production towards valuable products and to ensure raw materials for the
process units downstream from said process (i.e., Cracking, Demex, Unibon and Lubes).
It is currently estimated that this phase gives an additional benefit of about 1% throughput on the Topping
units.
5.
CONCLUSION
The unique and attractive capability of Topology NIR technology represents a revolution in
Oil Industry.
Thus, this technology is able to provide two key information:
The unique system installed at Ecopetrol Sites is managing a network involving more than
100 Crude oils throughout the country.
The Identification and Characterization of Crude mixture lead to annual benefits of several
Millions USD, not only for Crude operation itself but also for downstream activities such as
Diesel Blending.