REFINERIA ISLA (CURAZAO) S.A.

Crude Unit Optimization at Refineria Isla, Curacao

A ROMeo Case Study

S. Ranganathan , A. Offerman and J. Cijntje

Refineria ISLA, Curacao
R. C. McFarlane, V. Lough
Invensys Production Management

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REFINERIA ISLA (CURAZAO) S.A.
Talk Outline

™ Project overview/scope

™ ROMeo overview

™ Process MRA overview

™ CD3 Crude Unit Case Study

™ Conclusions

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 REFINERIA ISLA (CURAZAO) S.A.
Overview: Refineria Isla

™ Refineria Isla (Curacao) S. A.

Š Curacao, Netherland Antilles
Š Affiliate of PDVSA, Venezuela
Š Crude Distillation Unit-3 capacity : 180,000 bbls/day
Š 26-30 API; switch every 2-3 days

™ Scope of CD3 optimization model

Š Atmospheric unit
Š Vacuum unit
Š Preheat train including furnaces
Š Gas plant

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 REFINERIA ISLA (CURAZAO) S.A.
Overview: Highlights

™ Real-time Optimization: ROMeo

Š State-of-the-art equation-based modeling/real-time
optimization package
Š Enhanced usability features for faster implementation/
ease of maintenance
™ Invensys Process MRA
Š Reliable, robust online NMR technology
Š Crude, kerosene and naphtha stream analysis for
improved APC and optimizer performance

™ Project executed by refinery staff

Š 1.5 refinery engineers
Š 0.25 Invensys engineer (consulting only)

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Overview: Milestones

™ MRA Analyzer
Š Test Installation Nov 2000
Š Final Installation including Crude August 2001
™ ROMeo
Š Started June 2001
‰ Model building/application configuration performed entirely
by refinery staff; consulting from Invensys
Š Online, open-loop since Jan, 2002
‰ Optimization moves reviewed before being implemented by
operations staff
Š Online, closed-loop since March, 2002
‰ Optimization moves transmitted to DCS and implemented
automatically

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REFINERIA ISLA (CURAZAO) S.A.

ROMeo Overview

™ ROMeo: Rigorous On-line Modeling and Equation-based

Optimization

Š Joint development project between Invensys/SimSci and Shell

U.S.A
Š Implemented worldwide in FCCUs, Hydrotreaters/Hydrocrackers,
Crude units, Ethylene crackers
Š Common look/feel for all stages of model configuration,
implementation, maintenance and off-line studies
Š Enhanced usability features cut down implementation time,
improve maintainability
Š Refinery engineers required only three days of training to carry out
most of the configuration tasks

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 REFINERIA ISLA (CURAZAO) S.A.
What are the Process MRA
Features ?

™ Minimum temperature and no

chemical pre-conditioning
™ Sampling is non invasive and
simple in design
™ Structural Groups have their own
domains (orthogonal)
™ Energy absorption is Linear
across the spectral range
™ Short track execution, with
conceptual study, basic design
and reduced client risk
™ Robust, less noisy measurement
-->significant benefit to APC &
Optimization 60 M Hz
8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 -1
Methyl Paraffinic
Aromatic Olefinic Water Oxygenate Aromatic

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REFINERIA ISLA (CURAZAO) S.A.

CD3 Crude Unit

Case Study

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 REFINERIA ISLA (CURAZAO) S.A.

Real-time Optimization Objectives

™ How to maximize most valuable products like kerosene,

heavy gasoil, LPG?

™ How should circulating reflux flows be adjusted to maximize

heat integration with the gas section?

™ How to adjust the crude and vacuum furnace duties?

™ Can column pressure, reboiler and reflux in gas section be

adjusted to minimize fuel gas?

™ Can we achieve uniform operating philosophy acceptable to

all shifts?

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REFINERIA ISLA (CURAZAO) S.A.

System Overview

Economics.XLS Blend.XLS

ROMeo

Limits ProcessModel DataRec

(MS ACCESS)

Optimization
Lab
LIMS
TARGETS

PI System

MRA DCS

PLANT

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 REFINERIA ISLA (CURAZAO) S.A.
Problem Size, Platform and
Performance

™ Size
Š 252 Measurements
Š 26,000 Equations
Š Degrees of Freedom
‰ 170 in Data Reconciliation (tuning parameters)
‰ 31 in Optimization (targets to APC/DCS)
™ Platform
Š Dell PC with dual 1-GHz CPUs , 2 GB RAM.
Š Windows NT Enterprise server
Š Networked to Foxboro I/A, PI, LIMS.
™ Performance
Š Reconciliation: 10 minutes
Š Optimization: 5 minutes

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On-line MRA data

™ MRA supplies real-time measurements to APC and ROMeo

Optimizer
™ ROMeo:
Š Crude: 5 pt TBP
Š improves feed characterization during data
reconciliation

™ ROMeo, APC:
Š Kero: freeze point, flash point
Š Naptha: end point
Š closer operation to constraints by APC and ROMeo
improved benefits

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REFINERIA ISLA (CURAZAO) S.A.

Feed Characterization

Crude Tank
Composition

Crude Book

Blend Select Tank

Assay Data
Components Lineup

Plant
Reconciliation NMR TBP Data
Measurements

Lab Data

Reconciled Crude Assay

Legend:
Real Time

Daily

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REFINERIA ISLA (CURAZAO) S.A.
On-line Feed Characterization
with MRA

Crude Adjustment

100

90

80

70

60
WT% Yield

Before
50
After
40 NMR

30

20

10

0
-150 50 250 450 650 850 1050
CutPoint Deg C

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Benefits

™ Online:
Š Preliminary benefit estimate: 7-12 K $US/Day
Š benefits derived primarily from:
‰ kero maximization

‰ improved heat integration

™ Off line:
Š Several circulating reflux flows were moved from their
traditional operating levels
Š Avoided unnecessary opening of columns and
exchangers during short turn around
Š Understand the impact of crude switch on downstream
units

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 REFINERIA ISLA (CURAZAO) S.A.

Conclusions

™ The usability features of ROMeo allowed application to be

configured by plant engineers on time (4 months) and
within budget

™ On-line optimization provides a set of operating guidelines

to capture the benefit in real time instead of running the unit
on preset operating guidelines that may be suboptimal

™ Process MRA provides valuable real-time measurements to

enhance APC and ROMeo performance

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