Question
-
Do you see growing investor interest in processing plastic waste-derived pyrolysis oil through refinery assets, such as hydrocrackers? Against this backdrop, how prepared are refiners to invest in contaminants removal systems (for pretreatment of the pyrolysis oils)?
Feb-2023
Answers
-
Joris Mertens, KBC (A Yokogawa Company), joris.mertens@kbcglobal
Yes, we see a growing interest in waste plastic pyrolysis and, consequently, in processing technology for the waste plastic pyrolysis oil (WPPO) product. Refiners are better prepared to handle WPPO in that they are familiar with hydrotreating technology, which is central to WPPO cleaning technology. Besides knowing how to start, run, and shut down these units, refiners are familiar with handling catalysts and have the necessary hydrogen to run them. On the other hand, treating WPPO requires consideration of other factors.
First is unit size. Both the treating technology and pyrolysis represent emerging technologies. The first industrial units coming online are tiny by refinery standards, with feed rates lower than 10 m3/h (below 1.5 kBPD). Sizes of the treating units are set primarily by availability of the WPPO feed rather than by technical constraints. Therefore, hydrogen availability is unlikely to be a major constraint despite the high specific hydrogen consumption. Although a simplified block flow diagram will look similar to that of a hydrocracker, KBC expects most of these units will be grassroots projects rather than revamps of existing units because of their size difference. For the same reason, the possibility of repurposing existing facilities to construct a WPPO cleaning/conversion facility will be limited.
Despite the small size of the contaminant/treatment unit, the variability and (un)availability of the WPPO feedstock could pose a significant operational concern. The waste plastic source will strongly influence unit performance, with some generating olefinic paraffins and others producing aromatic products, which may be less suitable for certain applications (such as ethylene cracking). Therefore, the refiner should be well aware of both the quality of the WPPO and the risk of disruptions in supply.
Feb-2023
SPONSORS