Petroleum Refining in Nontechnical Language

by Leffler, William L.

• ISBN13: 9780878147762
• ISBN10: 0878147764
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-02-01
• Publisher: Pennwell Corp

Author Biography

Recently retired, William Leffler has nearly 40 years of experience in the petroleum industry. Most recently he was Lead Strategist for Shell UK.

Table of Contents

List of Figures	x
List of Tables	xiii
List of Acronyms	xiv
Introduction	1	(6)
The Evolution of Petroleum Refining	4	(3)
Crude Oil Characteristics	7	(14)
Distillation Curves	10	(1)
Crude Oil Composition	10	(2)
Fractions	12	(1)
Cutting Crudes	13	(1)
Gravities	14	(2)
Sulfur Content	16	(1)
Volumes	17	(2)
Review	19	(1)
Exercises	19	(2)
Distilling	21	(16)
The Simple Still	23	(1)
The Distilling Column	24	(5)
Reflux and Reboil	29	(1)
Cut Points	30	(2)
Setting Cut Points	32	(2)
Exercises	34	(3)
Vacuum Flashing	37	(10)
The Cracking Phenomenon	39	(2)
Effects of Low Pressure	41	(1)
Vacuum Flashing	42	(2)
Review	44	(1)
Exercises	45	(2)
The Chemistry of Petroleum	47	(10)
Atoms and Molecules	49	(1)
Hydrocarbons	50	(2)
Naphthenes	52	(1)
Olefins and Aromatics	53	(3)
Exercises	56	(1)
Cat Cracking	57	(14)
The Process	58	(1)
Reaction Section	59	(3)
Catalysts	62	(1)
The Regenerator	63	(1)
The Fractionator	64	(2)
Yields	66	(2)
Process Variables	68	(1)
Review	69	(1)
Exercises	70	(1)
Refinery Gas Plants	71	(12)
Sats Gas Plant	73	(4)
Disposition	77	(2)
Cracked Gas Plant	79	(1)
Storage Facilities	79	(2)
Exercises	81	(2)
Alkylation	83	(10)
The Chemical Reaction	85	(1)
The Process	86	(2)
Yields	88	(1)
Process Variables	89	(1)
Review	90	(1)
Exercises	91	(2)
Catalytic Reforming	93	(12)
The History	95	(1)
The Chemical Reactions	96	(2)
The Hardware	98	(2)
Regeneration	100	(2)
Process Variables	102	(1)
Review	103	(1)
Exercises	103	(2)
Residue Reduction	105	(12)
Thermal Cracking	107	(3)
Coking	110	(3)
Visbreaking	113	(1)
Other Residue Reduction Options	114	(1)
Exercises	115	(2)
Hydrocracking	117	(8)
The Process	119	(1)
The Hardware and the Reactions	120	(4)
Exercises	124	(1)
Gasoline	125	(26)
Gasoline Engines	127	(3)
Vapor Pressure	130	(3)
Octane Number	133	(6)
Leaded Gasoline	139	(2)
Petrochemical Blending Components	141	(4)
Combating Smog and Ozone	145	(1)
TOX, NOx, VOCs, and SOx	146	(1)
Gasoline Blending and Its Impact on Operations	147	(2)
Conclusion	149	(1)
Exercises	149	(2)
Distillate Fuels	151	(8)
Diesel Engines	153	(1)
Diesel Fuel	154	(2)
Furnace Oil	156	(2)
Exercises	158	(1)
Asphalt and Residual Fuel	159	(12)
Asphalt	161	(1)
Straight Run Asphalts	161	(2)
Blown Asphalt	163	(1)
Cutbacks	163	(1)
Emulsions	164	(1)
Residual Fuels	165	(4)
Exercises	169	(2)
Hydrogen, Hydrotreating, and Sulfur Plants	171	(12)
Hydrotreating	173	(3)
Hydrogen Plant	176	(2)
Sulfur Facilities	178	(3)
Exercises	181	(2)
Isomerization and Dehydrogenation	183	(8)
Butane Isomerization	185	(1)
C5/C6 Isomerization	186	(2)
Dehydrogenation	188	(2)
Review	190	(1)
Exercises	190	(1)
MTBE and Other Ethers	191	(8)
The Feedstocks	193	(1)
The Plant and Process	194	(2)
The Other Ethers	196	(1)
Exercises	197	(2)
Solvent Recovery of Aromatics	199	(6)
Applications	201	(1)
Processes	201	(3)
Benzene and Aromatics Recovery	204	(1)
Exercises	204	(1)
Ethylene Plants	205	(8)
Process	208	(3)
Exercises	211	(2)
Simple and Complex Refineries	213	(16)
Measuring Profitability	215	(6)
Tracking Profitability	221	(4)
Same Refinery--Different Modes	225	(1)
What Sets Prices	226	(2)
Review	228	(1)
Exercises	228	(1)
Crude Oil, Condensate, and Natural Gas Liquids	229	(8)
Oil Patch Operations	230	(3)
Gas Processing Plants	233	(1)
Transport and Disposition	234	(1)
Liquefied and Compressed Natural Gas	235	(2)
Fuel Values--Heating Values	237	(6)
Thermal Content	239	(1)
Competitive Fuel Value Nomogram	240	(1)
Exercises	241	(2)
Answers and Solutions	243	(26)
Glossary	269	(18)
Index	287