Graphoanalytical study on the economic effect of incorporating hydrocracking of the distillate feedstock in oil refineries of the fuel profile

Abstract

1. To determine the possible range of application of the hydrocracking process in the oil refining industry, we have worked out a graphical method which makes it possible to determine a plant scheme incorporating catalytic cracking or hydrocracking units for the treatment of vacuum gas-oil and warranting a given total yield of light products and a given ratio between the yields of gasoline and Diesel fuel. It has been shown that application of hydrocracking for treatment of vacuum gas-oil makes it possible to considerably extend the possible range of ratios between the yields of gasoline and Diesel fuel (from 0.4 to 1.4) and to increase the degree of oil refining to 80%, i.e., to extend the former range and increase the latter degree further than is possible by utilization of catalytic cracking. 2. Calculations performed by means of the procedure worked out have shown that at the output of an equal amount, range, and quality of the light oil products, the compared plant schemes including hydrocracking or catalytic cracking processes for the treatment of vacuum gas-oil are characterized by identical power costs (32.2–32.7 rubles/ton of light oil products). At equal production costs of gasoline and Diesel fuel, the prospects of incorporating the hydrocracking process will be determined by the demand for jet, Diesel, and boiler fuels, whereas those of catalytic cracking depend on the demand for feedstock in the petrochemical industry.