Petroleum Processing Research Articles

Examining the Influence of Silver(I) Ion Coordination Environment in Ionic Liquids on Olefin-Paraffin Separations using Inverse Gas Chromatography.

Silver(I) ions (Ag+) undergo selective π-complexation with olefins and have been employed as separation media for the isolation of olefins from structurally similar paraffins. Ionic liquids (ILs) possess minimal vapor pressures, exceptional thermal stabilities, low melting points, as well as provide a favorable environment for π-complexation between Ag+ ions and olefins. The development of molecular drivers capable of highly selective olefin/paraffin separation systems with Ag+-containing ILs necessitates a comprehensive understanding of all factors that affect olefin solubility and selectivity. This study examines how coordinating different ligand species to Ag+ ions produces separation media with varying interaction strengths to olefins. Four coordination compounds, (4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine)silver(I) bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide ([Ag+(DMBP)][NTf2-]), bis(pyridine)silver(I) [NTf2-] ([Ag+(Py)2][NTf2-]), bis(2,6-lutidine)silver(I) [NTf2-] ([Ag+(Lut)2][NTf2-]), and (triphenylphosphine)silver(I) [NTf2-] ([Ag+(PPh3)][NTf2-]) were dissolved in the 1-decyl-3-methylimidazolium [NTf2-] ([DMIM+][NTf2-]) IL and employed as stationary phases for inverse gas chromatography. Ligand coordination to the Ag+ ion was observed to modulate interactions of unsaturated hydrocarbons. The [Ag+(Py)2][NTf2-] complex offered the greatest olefin retention among the coordination complexes reaching 54% of the 1-octene retention factor of the uncoordinated [Ag+][NTf2-]. Hydrogen (H2) exposure studies showed ligand-dependent rates of reduction from Ag+ ion to elemental silver (Ag0). The [Ag+(PPh3)][NTf2-] complex exhibited superior stability, compared to the neat [Ag+][NTf2-] salt, reducing the retention factor of 1-octene by 15.3% and 19.4%, respectively, after 200 h of H2 exposure at 70 °C. The results from this study show that coordination complexes with Ag+ ions are useful in highly selective and efficient petroleum processing systems.

Transforming reservoir management in petroleum processing: a synergistic approach with IoT and Blockchain for enhanced emissions monitoring and regulatory reporting

This article proposes an innovative method to transform reservoir management in petroleum processing through the integration of the Internet of Things (IoT) and Blockchain technologies. In response to increasing demands for strict emissions monitoring and regulatory compliance, our approach aims to increase the precision, transparency, and security of data collection and reporting. In our proposed framework, we leverage IoT technology to deploy sensor networks across reservoirs and processing plants. The collected data is integrated into a Blockchain. This creates an immutable and transparent ledger for emissions-related information. Blockchain’s decentralized and tamper-proof features preserve data integrity and facilitate secure information sharing between stakeholders, including regulators and operators. Considering the specific scalability and performance requirements for data management in the petroleum industry, we propose a 4-layer system architecture. Our study examines the practical implementation and benefits of this innovative synergy.

Catalytic engineering of transition metal (TM: Ni, Pd, Pt)-coordinated Ge-doped graphitic carbon nitride (Ge@g-c3n4) nanostructures for petroleum hydrocarbon separation: An outlook from theoretical calculations

The extraction, processing, and utilization of petroleum often results in the release of diverse hydrocarbon pollutants into the environment, leading to severe ecological and health implications. Herein, the adsorption and separation of ethane (EAN), ethene (EEN), ethyne (EYN), and benzene (BZN) fractions of paraffin, olefin, acetylene, and aromatic petroleum hydrocarbons were investigated via the catalytically engineered nickel group transition metals; nickel (Ni), palladium (Pd), and platinum (Pt). These transition metals were coordinated on Germanium-doped graphitic carbon nitride (Ge@g-C3N4) nanostructures, and the behavior of the systems was studied through Kohn–Sham density functional theory (KS-DFT) with the B3LYP–D3(BJ)/Def2-SVP computational method. The adsorption of petroleum hydrocarbons decreased in the order Ge_Ni@C3N4 > Ge_Pd@C3N4 > Ge_Pt@C3N4>Ge_Pt@C3N4. These results showed that the coordination of Ni, Pd, and Pt within Ge@C3N4 improved the separation of petroleum hydrocarbons.

An Occupational Dimethylacetamide Poisoning Incident Responded Efficiently in Health Emergency Response Network - Zhuhai City, Guangdong Province, China, August 2023.

Dimethylacetamide (DMA), a colorless liquid with low toxicity, is commonly used as a solvent in the production of synthetic materials, petroleum processing, and pharmaceutical manufacture. In comparison to substances of higher toxicity, occupational exposure to DMA presents a deceptive risk due to its insidious and subacute progression, increasing the likelihood of escalating into major incidents. In August 2023, an incident of occupational DMA poisoning involving six cases was reported at a spandex manufacturing factory in Zhuhai City, Guangdong Province, China, following post-fire management activities. All affected individuals were employees of an equipment maintenance company tasked with cleaning polymerizers. With the coordinated efforts of the health institutions in Guangdong Health Emergency Response Network for Poisoning Emergencies (HERNPE), the situation was promptly identified and addressed. HERNPE serves as an effective framework for enhancing the integration of health institutions across various levels, facilitating a coordinated response that combines clinical services with public health initiatives. By leveraging the leadership of national centers, HERNPE plays a crucial role in the early detection, prevention, and management of large-scale health events.

Analysis of Furnace Performance Efficiency 201-H-001 Prefractionation Unit PT Trans-Pacific Petrochemical Indotama Tuban-East Java

Petroleum processing generally begins with a heating process, so equipment is needed to heat the crude oil before entering the fractionation column. This heating is closely related to the separation of fractions based on differences in boiling points. Heating at a fairly high temperature is used by a furnace, where the heat source comes from gas fuel. Based on the discussion above, furnace efficiency is fascinating to calculate as an indication of whether or not the furnace is operational. This efficiency calculation is also a reference for PT. Trans-Pacific Petrochemical Indotama to shut down and repair equipment, especially furnaces. This research aims to understand the furnace's working principles, determine the parameters that influence furnace performance, and calculate the efficiency of Furnace 201-H-001 in the Prefractionation unit. The results obtained in this research are that there are variables used to calculate thermal furnace efficiency. These variables are air temperature, fuel gas temperature, fuel gas flow, flue gas temperature, theoretical air requirements, and excess air in terms of efficiency and combustion reactions. The results of the furnace efficiency calculations were 78.03%, 77.34%, and 77.75% respectively. The minimum thermal efficiency value ranges from 75 - 80%, so it can be said that the furnace in this research is still suitable for use.

Dynamic tank-in-series modelling and simulation of gas-liquid interaction in trickle bed reactor designed for gas fermentation

Trickle bed reactors (TBR), historically utilized in petroleum processing and wastewater treatment, now extend their applicability in biological gas conversions, including syngas biomethanation for renewable methane production. Despite operational benefits, optimizing TBR design and scale-up demands a good understanding of the reactor's hydraulic behavior and mass transfer phenomena. This study's novelty is TBR's hydraulic characterization in respect to liquid and gas flowrates and simulation of the gas-liquid interaction by a dynamic gas-liquid transfer model. Residence time distribution (RTD) experiments in 220 mL lab- and 5000 mL pilot-scale TBRs with co-current flow of gas and liquid were conducted to determine the liquid and gas working volume and the number of tanks for a dynamic tank-in-series (TIS) model. RTD experiments revealed 2–6 tanks for varying liquid flowrate (constant gas flowrate) and 5–8 tanks for varying gas flowrate (constant liquid flowrate). A dimensionless equation, fitted to RTD experimental data, predicted the liquid working volume of a TBR at various liquid flowrates and reactor configurations. TBR simulation by TIS model considering 8 well mixed gas and liquid phase tanks connected in series, resulted in an excellent model validation with an R2 at 0.99. Finally, the model simulated the mass transfer kinetics of H2, CO, and CO2 in water under varying gas and liquid flowrates for lab- and pilot-scale TBRs. Simulation results showed increased dissolved gas concentration with higher gas flowrate (constant liquid flowrate) for both scales TBR. It was also noticeable that under constant gas flowrate, the dissolved gas concentration initially decreased (0.01 < ReL < 17), then increased (17 < ReL < 34), and again decreased (34 < ReL < 105). This behavior was the same for both scales TBR and revealed an optimum ReL value irrespective of TBR size.

Investigation of Removing Asphaltene-Resin-Paraffin Deposits by Chemical Method for Azerbaijan High-Paraffin Oil Production Process

Asphaltene-resin-paraffin deposition (ARPD) is a complicated and prevalent issue in the oil and gas industry, impacting the efficiency and integrity of petroleum extraction, production, transportation and processing systems. Considering all witnessed ARPD problems in Azerbaijan oil fields, this paper proposed a chemical method and optimized the type and concentration of chemical inhibitors. Then, the effect of selected chemical reagents on inhibiting the ARPD amount and thus enhancing oil recovery was detected by reservoir simulation during both waterflooding and CO2 flooding production. Three new chemical compounds (namely, Chemical-A, Chemical-B and Chemical-C) were examined in laboratory conditions, and their impact on rheological properties of high-paraffin oilfield samples of Azerbaijan (X, Y and Z) were investigated. Experimental results show that Chemical-C with a concentration of 600 g/t has the best efficiency for alleviating the problems. After adding Chemical-C to the crude oil, the freezing point of oil was decreased from 12 °C to (−4) °C, the ARPD amount declined from 0.185 to 0.016 g, and oil effective viscosity was reduced from 16.2 mPa·s to 3.1 mPa·s. It was determined that for water and CO2 flooding, higher injection pressure resulted in reduced asphaltene precipitation. Adding the selected ARPD inhibitor, the oil recovery for waterflooding can increase from 52% to 62%, while it can rise from 55% to 68% for CO2 flooding.

Chemical and engineering bases for green H2O2 production and related oxidation and ammoximation of olefins and analogues.

Plastics, fibers and rubber are three mainstream synthetic materials that are essential to our daily lives and contribute significantly to the quality of our lives. The production of the monomers of these synthetic polymers usually involves oxidation or ammoximation reactions of olefins and analogues. However, the utilization of C, O and N atoms in current industrial processes is <80%, which represents the most environmentally polluting processes for the production of basic chemicals. Through innovation and integration of catalytic materials, new reaction pathways, and reaction engineering, the Research Institute of Petroleum Processing, Sinopec Co., Ltd. (RIPP) and its collaborators have developed unique H2O2-centered oxidation/ammoximation technologies for olefins and analogues, which has resulted in a ¥500 billion emerging industry and driven trillions of ¥s' worth of downstream industries. The chemical and engineering bases of the production technologies mainly involve the integration of slurry-bed reactors and microsphere catalysts to enhance H2O2 production, H2O2 propylene/chloropropylene epoxidation for the production of propylene oxide/epichlorohydrin, and integration of H2O2 cyclohexanone ammoximation and membrane separation to innovate the caprolactam production process. This review briefly summarizes the whole process from the acquisition of scientific knowledge to the formation of an industrial production technology by RIPP. Moreover, the scientific frontiers of H2O2 production and related oxidation/ammoximation processes of olefins and analogues are reviewed, and new technological growth points are envisaged, with the aim of maintaining China's standing as a leader in the development of the science and technologies of H2O2 production and utilization.

Joint mining of fluid knowledge and multi-sensor data for gas–water two-phase flow status monitoring and evolution analysis

Gas-water two-phase flow process widely exists in petroleum, chemical and other industrial processes, which is intricate, manifested by dynamic evolution of fluid structures and real-time fluctuation of flow parameters. Detailed description and real-time monitoring of flow status are of great significance to safe operation of industry processes. In this paper, a monitoring framework jointly mining the fluid knowledge and latent property behind multi-sensor data is proposed to address the issues of uncertainty and sample scarcity in transitional flow statuses, which enables real-time monitoring on structural evolution and parameter change of flow process. Firstly, the shared iterative algorithm with multi-task weight discovery is proposed to establish the relative semantic description system to characterize flow process knowledge by mining the relationship between multi-sensor data and different fluid semantic properties, which is helpful for interpretable monitoring of flow status structure and parameter information. Secondly, latent properties mined from multi-sensor data by sparse exponential discriminant analysis contribute to flow characterization completeness and discrimination. Thirdly, the process knowledge and latent information of flow status is transformed into different degrees of describable semantic and latent properties, which obtain relative representations of flow status in the joint description space realized by rank support vector machine. The results demonstrate that the method enables precise monitoring and detailed description of typical and uncertain flow statuses in the absence of transitional flow status modeling samples.

Silk fibroin-graphene oxide composite membranes for selective separation of ions and molecules from water

Nanofiltration membranes with controlled pores are useful in many fields, such as pharmaceuticals, desalination, petroleum, and food processing. Recently, graphene oxide has emerged as a promising candidate for the fabrication of highly efficient and pressure-resistant nanofiltration membranes with excellent water permeability and solute rejection. However, it remains difficult to achieve increased permeability while maintaining excellent separation ability. Herein, we report a novel silk fibroin-graphene oxide (FGO) composite membrane prepared by using fibroin as a cross-link reagent, which is extracted from natural Bombyx mori silkworm cocoons. Such a FGO membrane shows a pure water permeance of ∼280 L m−2 h−1 bar−1, which is five times greater than previously reported GO-based membranes. Further, such a membrane also exhibits excellent separation efficiency (> 99 %) for different feed molecules. Additionally, these membranes exhibit high chemical stability in water, acidic and basic solutions for several days compared to pristine GO membranes.

Pemanfaatan Limbah High Density Polyetylene (HDPE) Geomembrane Sebagai Campuran Beton Normal

High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) is a thermoplastic polymer material processed by the heating process of petroleum. One processed product is geomembrane sheets, commonly used to construct ponds in geothermal areas. This Final Project researched High-Density Polyethylene geomembrane waste as an additional material mixed into ordinary or everyday concrete mixtures with fc' = 25 MPa quality. The added waste material from the geomembrane (HDPE) is 0.5 x 0.5 cm and has been cut or chopped with a particular machine. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) content is included in the mixture in regular concrete with a volume composition of 0.00%, 0.25%, 0.50%, 0.75%, and 1.00%. The method for calculating the composition of the concrete mixture uses the American Concrete Institute (ACI) standard. The results showed that the most optimum value for obtaining the compressive strength of concrete fc' 25 MPa with the highest value of split tensile strength (3.54 MPa) was a mixture with 0.50% chopped geomembrane (HDPE). Based on these results, waste in geothermal areas is expected to be reduced by using concrete and a mixture of chopped geomembrane (HDPE).

Molybdenum disulfide catalyzed co-hydrogenation of coal tar and coking residue

Co-hydrogenation of coking residual (CR) and coal tar (CT) is an important idea to expand the field of petroleum processing technology. A low crystallinity molybdenum disulfide catalyst was synthesized by the two-step hydrothermal method and applied to CT/CR co-hydrogenation. The co-hydrogenation can increase the yield of light fuel while decreasing gas, and coke yields. In addition, the co-hydrogenation will result in a significant increase of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a significant decrease of alkanes and monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (MAH), and a favorable naphthalene generation in the products. This provides a new idea to produce chemicals from poor-quality oils.

Review of ISO 45001:2018 Implementation as Prevention Effort from Fire Occurred in PT Pertamina (Persero) Refinery Unit VI Balongan

Abstract PT Pertamina Refinery Unit VI Balongan has made a significant contribution in providing good income for PT Pertamina and the state. A large number of petroleum processing products produced daily cause a high risk of fire. Fires and explosions at oil refineries are still common even though major oil companies have occupational safety and health systems in place. Monitoring errors and the absence of re-evaluation of established companies for a long time are the reasons why this can happen. This research uses a descriptive approach through literature studies to collect data and obtain the necessary information by studying various journals, conference proceedings, books, and written references. The results of the research were obtained by PT Pertamina Refinery Unit VI Balongan, which applies several rules regarding work safety from ISO 45001: 2018 based on technical and non-technical aspects. In the technical aspect, the rules include the installation of warning signs and signs, noise, temperature, lighting intensity and personal safety equipment. Meanwhile, the regulations include administration and licensing as Safe Work Permits in non-technical aspects. However, based on several parameters of the application of ISO 45001: 2018, aspects that do not meet the standards are found and can be a problem, resulting in the potential for fire. This study concluded that PT Pertamina Refinery Unit VI Balongan must be able to provide firmness in implementing work safety rules or procedures for its employees.

Extraction of Dual‐Switch Fluorescent Nanosheets from Asphaltenes under Ambient Conditions

AbstractAsphaltene, often regarded as an undesirable by‐product of petroleum processing, possesses abundant reserves but limited market value. In this study, a simple and environmentally friendly solvent extraction method is conducted under ambient conditions to convert low‐value asphaltene into high‐value asphaltene‐based fluorescent carbon nanosheets (a‐FCS). This approach yields dual‐switch a‐FCS capable of emitting orange‐red fluorescence in solid‐state or water environment and exhibiting blue‐to‐yellow fluorescence in organic solvents. Moreover, the redshift observed in the fluorescence emission wavelength in the solvent is attributed to its intrinsic self‐assembly behavior, which becomes more pronounced with increasing concentration. Upon introduction to water, hydrophobic interactions induce the aggregation of a‐FCS. This aggregation triggers the orange‐red fluorescence by restricting intramolecular rotation on the surface, a phenomenon facilitated by the entanglement of aliphatic chains from asphaltene molecules. This unique property makes them applicable in anti‐counterfeiting and determination of ethanol content in aqueous solution.

Student perception of sustainability in industry: a case study in an undergraduate petroleum processing course

Research demonstrates a predominantly negative public perception of the oil and gas (O&amp;amp;G) industry, regardless of initiatives created to minimize the environmental impact. This might be attributed to a lack of open communication and debate spaces where these initiatives are learned and discussed. To test our hypotheses within a university setting, a major revamp of the course “Petroleum Processing” in our university was implemented, where sustainability concepts and open discussion were assimilated into the lecture content. Pre- and post-surveys were conducted to assess students’ perceptions regarding sustainability in the O&amp;amp;G industry before and after the course. Perceptions remained unchanged following course delivery. However, students believe they are more informed about the sustainability approaches implemented.

INFLUENCE OF ELECTROMAGNETIC TREATMENT ON HYDRAULIC CHARACTERISTICS OF HOT PIPELINES DURING NEWTONIAN AND NON-NEWTONIAN PETROLEUM SYSTEMS TRANSPORTATION

This work examines the influence of radio-frequency (RF) electromagnetic (EM) influence on the hydraulic characteristics of hot pipelines for the transport of petroleum Newtonian and non-Newtonian systems.Newtonian and non-Newtonian petroleum and their rheological properties before and after RF EM exposure, as well as the hydraulic characteristics of hot petroleum pipelines for pumping selected petroleum, were selected as objects of study.As a result: a methodology for petroleum processing has been developed that corresponds to industrial practice in the operation of petroleum pipelines; empirical dependences of petroleum viscosity on temperature were obtained in the form of piecewise exponential functions. The influence of RF EM exposure on the thixotropic properties of petroleum and the values of ultimate shear stresses was assessed. A decrease or complete disappearance of hysteresis loops after RF EM exposure to petroleum and a decrease in the maximum shear stress for non-Newtonian petroleum were revealed.By using the software developed by the authors, «Hydraulic calculation of isothermal and non-isothermal petroleum pipelines (GRINT)», the processes of pipeline transport of petroleum treated with EM fields were modeled, taking into account the obtained empirical dependencies. An assessment of the influence of RF EM exposure on the hydraulic characteristics of «hot» pipelines was carried out. It has been established that after RF EM exposure to petroleum, the zone of stable operation of a «hot» petroleum pipeline increases and the required pressure for pumping the same volume of petroleum decreases.

Maximizing enhanced oil recovery via oxidative cracking of crude oil: employing air injection and H2O2 with response surface methodology optimization

The utilization of air injection as a method to enhance oil recovery in oil fields has gained prominence due to its cost-effectiveness and widespread availability, particularly in heavy oil production. This study focuses on optimizing the oxidative cracking process of Algerian crude oil by employing air injection supplemented with H2O2 and analyzing the interaction of key operating parameters like temperature and catalyst amount using response surface methodology. The predicted values derived from the response functions closely aligned with experimental data, demonstrating high accuracy (R2 = 0.9727 for liquid oil, R2 = 0.9176 for residue, and R2 = 0.7399 for gas phases). Using the developed second-order model, optimal conditions were determined through contour and surface plots, as well as regression equation analysis using Design software. At these optimal parameters (14.78 wt% of H2O2, 2 l min−1 of air flow, 100 ml of crude oil at 354.05 °C for 40 min), the oxidative cracking process yielded 96.32% liquid oil, 3.018% residue, and 0.662% gas products. Notably, the experimental produced liquid oil constituted 96.07 vol. %, matching well with the optimization outcomes. Physicochemical analysis of liquid product phase obtained from oxidative cracking process of petroleum confirmed the prevalence of light aliphatic compounds (C2-C11) at 70.59%, alongside 29.41% of C12-C36. The process also resulted in reduced viscosity, density, refractive index, and sulfur content in the liquid phase. The combination of air injection and H2O2 showcases promise in recovering residual oil effectively and contributes to the ongoing advancements in EOR techniques.

Equivalent notional nozzle model for high nozzle pressure ratio leakage of petrochemical high-pressure facility

Little work has been performed in the petrochemical safety field involving supersonic flows during accidental leakage in petroleum processing. The key technical challenge is on the changing process of gas cloud expansion after the jet. To address this, an equivalent notional nozzle model was developed for high single phase NPR (NPR＞2) gas leakage scenarios in petrochemical high-pressure facilities. This model aimed to determine the essential physical parameters of the equivalent cloud formed after air is drawn in with high NPRs. By utilizing CO2 as the gas phase, the validity of the equivalent notional nozzle model was assessed based on three crucial shock structure properties and the axial and radial velocity fields, the chocked flow intensity was applied as an indicator for the consistent trend of the jet velocity and decompression process of the high NPR gas leakage. The research findings unequivocally demonstrate the efficacy of the equivalent notional nozzle model in facilitating rapid numerical calculations for assessing the impact of high-pressure jets in the petrochemical industry.

Inhibition of asphaltene aggregation using deep eutectic solvents: COSMO-RS calculations and experimental validation

Asphaltene precipitation/deposition adversely affects various oil and gas processes, such as oil recovery, transportation, and petroleum processing. The resulting increase in viscosity of crude oil decreases distillate yields creating unstable phase separation. Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have recently gained interest as inhibitors of asphaltene aggregation. The goal of the present study is to derive the mechanism of inhibition of petroleum asphaltene aggregation by a novel screening of DESs. An archipelago-based chemical structure of asphaltene was adopted for performing quantum chemical calculations. The structure was used in the conductor-like screening model for real solvents (COSMO-RS) model to screen potential DESs for asphaltene precipitation. It was found that DESs containing thymol were the most promising of the 153 DES combinations screened. The COSMO-RS predictions were validated experimentally using solubility data of asphaltene in DESs. Among the studied DESs, thymol-diphenyl ether provided the highest solubility for asphaltene, which was further validated using the experimental and the COSMO-RS predicted data. In addition, to characterize the structural interactions between asphaltene and DESs, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements were performed. It was found that strong interaction between asphaltene and the DESs is responsible for the higher asphaltene dispersion. The present approach opens pathways to rationally design and understand the impact of structural variation of DESs based on their interactions with asphaltene.

Nutrient Removal from Industrial Wastewater Systems Using Controlled Activated Sludge Treatment

Biological treatment with activated sludge as an alternative treatment was studied, and nitrogen and phosphorus were monitored. This scheme involves modifying the treatment tank by dividing it into anoxic and aerobic sections. According to this scheme, the process simulation was performed using Hydromantis' GPS-X 7.0 computer software. Wastewater discharges are usually generated by various industrial activities such as the milk (dairy) processing industry, petroleum processing refineries and slaughterhouses, which were studied in detail. The economic evaluation (cost estimation) of removing nutrients has been done using the CapdetWorks 4.0 computer simulation software. A cost sensitivity analysis has also been performed for the variable influent flows, altering the alpha factor for oxygen transfer during the aeration process and serving as a typical variable. The simulation procedure and economic evaluation have been carried out for a complete wastewater treatment plant, including both treatment lines (the water line and the sludge line simultaneously), and the derived results have been represented through illustrated graphs, tables, and meaningful diagrams.