• Crude availability
• Crude quality
• Tankage and lines availability
• Economic rules
Most of these rules are self-explanatory, but notes on a few of those items, which
are not so apparent, are as follows:
Plant Performance
This is an important requirement in planning the refinery daily and long-term
operation. The exact operating capability of the various refinery plants must be
known. Such data that are essential are:
• Yields under any operating condition and any feed quality
• Product quality under any operating condition and feed quality
• Maximum and minimum plant throughput
• Fuel consumption
Blending Properties
Most finished products leaving the refinery are blends of one or more basic process
streams. For example, all gasoline products will be blends of straight run
naphtha and some high octane streams from a cracking unit and/or streams
from a catalytic reformer or other units (e.g., isomerization). Full description
and discussion on blending and blended products are given in the chapter
entitled “▶ Introduction to Crude Oil and Petroleum Processing” of this Handbook. In planning the refinery’s day-to-day operation, these blending techniques
and, when applicable, blending indices are used.
Crude Availability
With most major oil refining companies, the company’s central supply department
issues the availability of crude slates (quantities and crude source) when they issue
the requirement data. In most cases, the respective refining company has contracts
for the purchase of a few specific crudes and their quantities. Of these basic crude
slates, one or two of the crude oils may be increased or decreased if necessary.
These are called marginal crude oils. Most often there are two types of crude oils
in the slate which are marginal. One of these marginal crude oils would be used if
more crude than is shown on the slate is required. The other would be backed out
of the slate if the entire projected slate was not required. Thus, marginal crude oils
play an important part in the economic running plans for a refinery operation.
Economic Rules
Using the planning rules, it is possible to devise an infinite number of schemes that
would meet the majority of the market requirements. Only one such scheme
however would be the most profitable. It is the most profitable plan or scheme
that has to be determined and implemented, and to do, this it is necessary to
Petroleum Refinery Planning and Economics
689
• Crude quality
• Tankage and lines availability
• Economic rules
Most of these rules are self-explanatory, but notes on a few of those items, which
are not so apparent, are as follows:
Plant Performance
This is an important requirement in planning the refinery daily and long-term
operation. The exact operating capability of the various refinery plants must be
known. Such data that are essential are:
• Yields under any operating condition and any feed quality
• Product quality under any operating condition and feed quality
• Maximum and minimum plant throughput
• Fuel consumption
Blending Properties
Most finished products leaving the refinery are blends of one or more basic process
streams. For example, all gasoline products will be blends of straight run
naphtha and some high octane streams from a cracking unit and/or streams
from a catalytic reformer or other units (e.g., isomerization). Full description
and discussion on blending and blended products are given in the chapter
entitled “▶ Introduction to Crude Oil and Petroleum Processing” of this Handbook. In planning the refinery’s day-to-day operation, these blending techniques
and, when applicable, blending indices are used.
Crude Availability
With most major oil refining companies, the company’s central supply department
issues the availability of crude slates (quantities and crude source) when they issue
the requirement data. In most cases, the respective refining company has contracts
for the purchase of a few specific crudes and their quantities. Of these basic crude
slates, one or two of the crude oils may be increased or decreased if necessary.
These are called marginal crude oils. Most often there are two types of crude oils
in the slate which are marginal. One of these marginal crude oils would be used if
more crude than is shown on the slate is required. The other would be backed out
of the slate if the entire projected slate was not required. Thus, marginal crude oils
play an important part in the economic running plans for a refinery operation.
Economic Rules
Using the planning rules, it is possible to devise an infinite number of schemes that
would meet the majority of the market requirements. Only one such scheme
however would be the most profitable. It is the most profitable plan or scheme
that has to be determined and implemented, and to do, this it is necessary to
Petroleum Refinery Planning and Economics
689