Nov. 14, 2013 –  Energy-efficient design applied to the refit of a distillation unit was achieved through optimisation between the distillation column and heat network system. Energy costs are the largest percentage of a hydrocarbon plant’s operating expenditures. This is especially true of the distillation process, which requires substantial energy consumption. Concerns over recent high costs and economic pressures continually emphasise the need for efficient distillation design and operation without a loss of performance.

This article illustrates how energy-efficient design can be applied in a distillation unit through optimisation between the distillation column and heat network system. Through a case study, a successful retrofit of an aromatics distillation unit is discussed. Detailed retrofit activities, including complex heat network evaluation, process simulation modelling and energy-friendly, high-performance distillation equipment implementation, are described.

Download the full article here.

Sonatrach, ranked by Forbes as the world’s 12^th largest oil company, is nearing completion of a new paraxylene crystallization plant at its integrated refinery/petrochemical site in Skikda, Algeria. Start-up is scheduled for December of 2013. 

The plant’s core units will utilize CrystPX℠ and GT-IsomPX℠, both licensed from GTC Technology.  CrystPX recovers paraxylene from reformate feedstock while GT-IsomPX, using ISOXYL^® catalyst from Clariant, isomerizes C8 aromatics into additional paraxylene.  The license also includes naphtha hydrotreating and reforming, aromatics extraction, and other aromatics operations. Samsung Engineering Co., Ltd., provided EPC services for the new facilities.

The paraxylene plant was originally part of Sonatrach’s petrochemical subsidiary, Naftec, which Sonatrach absorbed in 2009. 

The new units continue Sonatrach’s long-term expansion plans for additional refining and petrochemical capacity at its facilities in Algeria to meet the growing local demand for oil products.

Mar. 2014 – Matt Thundyil, David Seeger, Ramiro G. Vazquez and Sameer Pallavker, GTC Technology US, LLC, discuss an alternative approach to sulfur recover form lean sour fast streams: Over the past 20 years, environmental specifications for sulfur emissions have tightened, resulting in an increasing need for cost effective desulfurisation technology.

Download PDF Here.

Mar. 2014 – GTC’s Ilya Aranovich is among the ME-TECH delegates featured in Refining & Petrochemicals Middle East’s March 2014 issue.

 Download PDF here.

GT-LPG MAX ℠ provides a cost-effective solution for recovering LPG product using a novel process concept of absorption plus distillation within the same fractionating vessel.

Over the last several years, refiners have faced increasing challenges maximizing the recovery of high valued products from process off-gases that are either used as fuel gas or flared. These off-gases used as fuel gases hold a high composition of valuable C3, C4 components. With refiners facing increased pressure to remain profitable, there has been a high focus on maximizing recovery of LPG range material from the fuel gases.

In a refinery, fuel gases are produced from various units such as fluid catalytic crackers, catalytic reformers, hydrotreaters, coker units, crude units, etc. A typical configuration of fuel gas producing units in a refining complex is shown in Fig. 1. There are many processes available for LPG recovery (either through cryogenic or absorption systems) of which some are licensed and others are available in the public domain. However with all these conventional technologies available, there are major challenges in maximizing the recovery (over 95wt %) of an LPG range material while at the same time being highly energy efficient.

Find out how this new process solution provides several advantages and benefits over conventional cryogenic or non-cryogenic LPG recovery processes.

Fill out the form below

GTC Technology will provide its licensed Isomalk℠ technologies to Shandong Sincier Chemical Group (SSCG) for a new refinery and petrochemicals complex in Dongying, Shandong province, People’s Republic of China. Isomalk-2℠, a light naphtha isomerization technology, will be used to produce an isomerate gasoline blend stock component for the production of clean fuels with higher added value at the refinery. Isomalk-3℠, an n-butane isomerization technology, will be used to produce isobutane that will be sent downstream to a newly designed CB&I CATOFIN^® unit for the production of isobutylene.

“This will be the first light naphtha isomerization unit in China based on a high-performance non-chlorinated SI-2 mixed metal oxide catalyst, and the first non-chlorinated n-butane isomerization process unit in the world based on the SI-3 catalyst” said Ilya Aranovich, GTC Licensing Manager—Isomerization Technology.

Zhepeng Liu, Senior Vice President—GTC (Beijing) Technology Inc., added, “This marks the wide acceptance of the Isomalk℠ technologies and we are confident that SSCG will enjoy the robust, reliable performance of the processes.”

Isomalk-2℠ and Isomalk-3℠ are part of the Isomalk℠ family of technologies, which also includes Isomalk-4℠, a unique process for C7 paraffin isomerization.

GTC’s scope of work for these projects includes licensing, basic engineering design, proprietary catalyst supply and technical service for the hydrotreating sections, C4 and C5/C6 isomerization units and the design of the naphtha and reformate splitters.

Ilya Aranovich (left)
GTC Licensing Manager – Isomerization Technology

Zhepeng Liu (right)
Senior Vice President – GTC (Beijing) Technology Inc.

GTC Technology will provide its GT-BTX PluS technology to S-OIL Corporation, one of the leading petrochemical and refining companies in the Asia Pacific region. The contract calls for license of a GT-BTX PluS unit as part of S-OIL’s worldscale Residue Upgrading Complex Project (RUCP). GT-BTX PluS, used for sulfur removal and aromatics recovery from FCC gasoline, is the most innovative and economical solution when compared to other desulfurization processes. By removing sulfur to very low levels without hydrotreating the full stream, the olefinic content of the feed is preserved. Other advantages of GT-BTX PluS include:

• Raffinate product with low sulfur and aromatic content, which can be directed to premium gasoline blending or other process units for product upgrade
• No octane loss in the olefin rich fraction
• Reduction in H2 consumption (no olefin saturation)
• Alternative for benzene management in fuels and gain additional benzene volume
• Aromatics recovery, which has better margins as petrochemical value

“S-OIL is setting the standard for process integration efficiency, which positions the company to achieve sustainable long-term growth in Korea, and in the highly competitive global market”, according to Joseph C. Gentry, GTC’s Director of Global Licensing. “GT-BTX PluS is the unique technology that can upgrade these types of fuel components into valuable petrochemicals— and directs the molecules to their highest value.” The plant will be operational by 2017.

Joseph C. Gentry
GTC’s Director of Global Licensing

Dr. T.S.R. Prasada Rao, longtime GTC consultant and collaborator in India, was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at PETROTECH 2014 in January. The award recognizes Dr. Rao’s numerous pioneering contributions in the field of Research & Development to the Indian petroleum and petrochemical industries. PETROTECH is attended each year by high level oil & gas and petrochemical industry delegates and governmental officials; over 4,000 delegates attended this year’s conference.

GTC placed an advertisement in the March issue of Hydrocarbon Processing to add its congratulations.

Dr. T.S.R. Prasada Rao
Longtime GTC Consultant and Collaborator in India

GTC Technology Romania SRL started operations in March 2014 in Bucharest as a subsidiary of GTC Technology International.  Mircea Geana has been appointed General Manager.

The group’s main focus will be to implement engineering activities in European and Russian markets, including basic engineering, front end engineering design, detail engineering and cost estimation.

Dear Industry Colleague,

Come join GTC Technology for profitable ideas and an exciting time as we reveal new innovations in Refining and Petrochemical technology.

The GTC TECH Conference for our clients, partners and special guests will take place in San Diego, California, October 29–31, 2014, at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel.  The program will provide updates on GTC processes; new corporate offices; and a wide variety of relevant topics. We will have GTC technical specialists and outside experts among the speaker panel.  The agenda will include:

• Industry Overview
• BTX and Aromatics Technologies
• Pygas C5s and Derivatives
• Styrene
• Advanced Distillation Systems and Dividing Wall Columns
• Isomerization and Naphtha Management
• Sulfur Recovery
• PX-Polyester Value Chain
• Energy Services
• Process Equipment Technology

GTC will host a reception on Tuesday evening, October 28, and have other special events to experience San Diego.  Our company will cover all ground transportation, meeting materials, and entertainment expenses through Friday, October 31. Delegates will be responsible for hotel and air travel expenses.

Please click here for a registration form. Please return it at your earliest conveinence, to Ms. Amanda Wise at awise@gtctech.com (Phone +1 281-597-4814) as seating capacity is limited. More details and a full agenda will be forthcoming shortly. In the meantime, feel free to contact us with any questions.

I look forward to receiving your positive response and hosting you in San Diego.

Sincerely,

Joseph C. Gentry
Director, Global Licensing
GTC Technology

October 22, 2014 09:54 AM Eastern Daylight Time

HOUSTON-GTC Technology has signed an agreement with Shandong Sincier Chemical Group (SSCG) to provide its GT-BTX^® licensed technology for a 450,000 TPY aromatics extraction unit at a new refinery in Dongying, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of China.

The new unit is the eighth GT-BTX license in China and will play an integral role in the 5MM TPY refinery being constructed by SSCG. Start-up is planned for 2016.

GTC will also supply the basic engineering package, technical services, proprietary solvent and equipment.

“We are excited about this opportunity to provide SSCG with our GT-BTX^® technology,” said Sam Kumar, President – GTC (Beijing) Technology Inc. “Our goal is to serve our clients with value-added performance from our technologies and by extension serve the Asian fuels and chemicals market.”

The BTX unit is GTC’s second project for SSCG, following an award for a light naphtha isomerization unit (the first in China) using GTC’s Isomalk-2^℠ and Isomalk-3^℠ technologies.

GTC Technology, based in Houston, Texas, is a global licensor of aromatics and polyester intermediates processes, offering many novel and cutting-edge processes. These include GT-BTX PluS^®, GT-TolAlk^℠ , Isomalk-2^℠, Isomalk-3^℠, Isomalk-4^℠, and others.

Contacts
GTC Technology
Chuck Fink, 281-597-4800
​cfink@gtctech.com​​

December 2, 2014 05:21 PM Eastern Daylight Time

HOUSTON — GTC Technology has signed an agreement with Shandong Sincier Chemical Group (SSCG) to provide its GT-TolAlk℠ licensed technology for a 280,000 TPY toluene alkylation unit at a new refinery in Dongying, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of China.

The TolAlk unit will be the first of its kind in the world, and will play an integral role in the 5MM TPY refinery being constructed by SSCG.  GTC will also supply the basic engineering package, technical services, proprietary catalyst and equipment.  Start-up is planned for 2016.

“We are pleased to work with such a respected firm as SSCG,” said Zhepeng Liu, Senior Vice President – GTC (Beijing) Technology Inc. “We are excited about the opportunity to extend our exceptional track record in commercializing innovative technologies for the energy industry and to further serve the Asian fuels and chemicals market.”

The TolAlk unit is GTC’s third project for SSCG, following awards for a 450,000 TPY aromatics extraction unit using GTC’s GT-BTX^® technology, and for a light naphtha isomerization unit (the first in China) using GTC’s Isomalk-2℠ and Isomalk-3℠ technologies.

GTC Technology, based in Houston, Texas, is a global licensor of aromatics and polyester intermediates processes, offering many novel and cutting-edge processes.  These include Isomalk-2℠, Isomalk-3, Isomalk-4, GT-BTX PluS^®, GT-TolAlk℠ and others.

Contacts

GTC Technology
Chuck Fink, 281-597-4800
Manager, Corporate Communications
CFink@GTCTech.com

HOUSTON, Texas, March 10, 2015 — GTC Technology has signed an agreement with Westport Trading Europe, Ltd. (WTEL) to provide its GT-BenZap^® licensed technology for a 25,000 TPY benzene saturation unit at the Seydi Refinery of the Turkmenbashi Complex of Refineries in Turkmenistan.

The GT-BenZap℠ unit will take a narrow C6 cut and remove over 99.9% of the benzene, thus allowing the refinery to produce high value-added oil free of aromatics for use in the food processing industry. GTC will supply the basic engineering package, technical services, proprietary catalyst and equipment.  Start-up is planned for 2016.

“We are pleased to work with WTEL and the Seydi Refinery to provide effective solutions for managing aromatic molecules,” said Ilya Aranovich, GTC Technology Licensing Manager. “We are excited about the opportunity to expand the geography of our projects in the CIS countries and continue our track record of providing leading-edge solutions for the clients in this fast growing region of the world.”

Contacts

GTC Technology
Chuck Fink, 281-597-4800
Manager, Corporate Communications
CFink@GTCTech.com

September 2015 – For a crude unit handling light tight oil feedstock, a semi-preflash column can deliver significant advantages in energy saving, capacity gain and revamp economics.

Article Summary

The basic function of a crude distillation unit is to provide the initial separation of crude oil feed into the desired fractions to feed downstream units. Now, newly introduced light tight oil feed processing may limit existing crude distillation unit capacity. The addition of a feed preflashing option may improve capacity and/or energy efficiency for light tight oil processing.

Two preflash options which are commonly implemented for crude distillation units are a preflash drum and a preflash column. Each has strengths and weaknesses.

This article discusses an improved semi-preflash column design that optimises the traditional preflash drum and preflash column options. A case study includes revamp economics for the arrangement.

Complete the form below to download the article.

December 2015 – Due to global tightening on sulfur emission regulations, chemical plants worldwide are facing the task of either upgrading existing sulfur processing units or installing new units to meet regulations. Sulfur recovery requirements, depending on the local permit requirements, are generally 99% and upwards.

Article Summary

Traditional Sulfur Recovery Units (SRU) have a thermal reactor (Claus furnace) followed by catalytic reactors (Claus beds). This enables 94-97% sulfur recovery after 2^nd or 3^rd Claus bed. Since >99%+ recovery has more or less become a norm for mid-to-large scale SRUs, a Tail Gas Treating Unit (TGTU) is employed which is amine or direct oxidation based.

In the article, a novel approach to sulfur recovery is discussed which is catalytic based. The thermal reactor has been replaced with a catalytic reactor followed by 0-1 Claus beds. For the TGTU section, a proprietary direct oxidation technology is used.  Results are decreased CAPEX (> 25%) and ,most importantly, a minimization of the operational issues encountered with the traditional approach. Two different variants are offered: only acid gas AND acid gas along with sour water stripper gas processing. > 99%+ sulfur recovery and 99.9%+ sulfur removal can be guaranteed. Further, due to reduced refractory requirements, startup and shutdown time has been significantly reduced.

Complete the form below to download the article.

April 2016 – Properly designed vapor and liquid distribution devices enable more effective distillation column efficiency

Number of trays and packed bed height are both primary parameters in determining the degree of separation of a distillation column. However, this factor alone cannot guarantee targeted distillation column efficiency. Vapor and liquid distribution devices play a vital role and overlooking these critical items often brings inferior results. The importance of vapor and liquid distribution design is more emphasized for a packed column where column efficiency is more sensitive to liquid and vapor distribution.

This article will discuss commonly overlooked items in vapor and liquid distribution devices. Actual retrofits for packed fractionators, which examine how column efficiency enhancements are achieved through careful analysis and design procedures, are demonstrated through two case studies: a crude atmospheric column in a petroleum refinery and a demethanizer in a natural gas processing plant. Useful methodologies for evaluating vapor and liquid devices and for remedies are also illustrated.

Complete the form below to download the article.

HOUSTON, Texas, May 24, 2016 — GTC Technology has supplied its Advanced Distillation technology for a new mixed xylenes recovery unit for TonenGeneral Sekiyu K. K. (TonenGeneral). The grassroots unit is located at TonenGeneral’s refinery in Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, and successfully started up in April 2016.

The xylene unit has capacity for 230,000 tons/yr. Unique to this design is high-purity toluene as well as high-purity C9 aromatics being produced out of the same column with the xylenes.

The unit uses GTC’s Dividing Wall Column (GT-DWC℠) technology for high energy efficiency. This installation also uses a first-of-its-kind design for DWCs with the overhead vapors providing the heating duty to two upstream units.

GTC provided a single source responsibility for process license, Basic Engineering Design, equipment supply and process guarantees.

TonenGeneral’s xylene recovery unit in Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan.

About GTC Technology US, LLC
GTC Technology, headquartered in Houston, Texas, is an independent, management-owned technology licensor. Operating worldwide, GTC provides proprietary licensed technology, engineering, separation equipment and technology to chemical, petrochemical, refining and gas processing markets.

For further information, please contact Chuck Fink at cfink@gtctech.com. Visit GTC’s web site at www.gtctech.com.

GTC Technology US, LLC

900 Threadneedle St., Suite 800

Houston, Texas 77079 USA

HOUSTON, Texas, June 2, 2016 — GTC Technology is supplying its proprietary GT-DWC℠ technology for a second Dividing Wall Column for Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) at DTA Refinery in India. GTC also provided GT-DWC for a unit at RIL’s SEZ Refinery in April 2015.

The column will be revamped using the GT-DWC process to perform the function of two columns. Manish Bhargava, GTC’s Licensing Manager for Advanced Distillation Systems, said, “Having realized the benefits of GT-DWC, our clients are approaching us to have multiple units in their facilities.”

About GTC Technology US, LLC
GTC Technology, headquartered in Houston, Texas, is an independent, management-owned technology licensor. Operating worldwide, GTC provides proprietary licensed technology, engineering, separation equipment and technology to chemical, petrochemical, refining and gas processing markets.

For further information, please contact Chuck Fink at cfink@gtctech.com.

GTC Technology US, LLC
900 Threadneedle St., Suite 800
Houston, Texas 77079 USA

HOUSTON, Texas, November 2, 2016 — GTC Technology has signed an agreement with PJSC «Nizhnekamskneftekhim» (NKNK) to provide its GT-BTX^® licensed technology for the modernization of a benzene production facility at NKNK’s EP-600 cracker plant in Nizhnekamsk, Republic of Tatarstan, Russia.

The new GT-BTX^® unit will process a full range C6-C8 cut after the 1^st stage pygas hydrotreating unit and will allow NKNK to lower the cash cost of producing high-purity benzene and also recover non-aromatics to be used as cracker feed. GTC will revamp the existing 2^nd stage pygas hydrotreating unit to process 30% more feed, and design a new GT-BTX^® unit with post-fractionation. Scope of supply includes the basic engineering package, technical services, proprietary catalyst, solvent and equipment. Start-up is planned for 2017.

“We are pleased to work with such a prestigious company as NKNK to provide effective solutions for recovering aromatics from pyrolysis gasoline and modernizing olefins production complexes,” said Joseph C. Gentry, GTC Global Vice President – Engineering & Technology. Ilya L. Aranovich, GTC Licensing Manager, added, “We are excited to extend our track record of providing leading-edge solutions to improve the economics of naphtha-based crackers for clients in the CIS region and around the world.”

GTC Technology offers a variety of approaches for managing aromatics and other high value added molecules in petrochemical complexes. These technologies include the GT-BTX^® Extractive Distillation process for recovery of aromatics; GT-Styrene^® Extractive Distillation process for recovery of styrene monomer, GT-C5^SM Extractive Distillation process for recovery of isoprene, piperylene and DCPD, GT-TolAlk^SM/GT-TransAlk^SM– alkylation/transalkyation of Toluene to produce mixed xylenes; and others.

PJSC Nizhnekamskneftekhim (NKNK), one of the largest petrochemical companies in Europe, is the leader in the production of synthetic rubbers and plastics in the Russian Federation. NKNK is part of the TAIF Group. The main production facilities are located in the city of Nizhnekamsk, Republic of Tatarstan. The company was founded in 1967.

HOUSTON, Texas, November 9, 2016 — GTC Technology has signed an agreement with JG Summit Petrochemical Corp to provide its GT-BTX^® and GT-DWC℠ licensed technologies for an aromatics extraction unit at JG Summit’s petrochemical complex in Batangas, the Philippines.

JG Summit currently has approximately 210,000 tonnes/year pyrolysis gasoline (pygas). After the cracker expansion, capacity will increase to approximately 300,000 tonnes/year. The combination of GT-BTX® and GT-DWC℠ will be designed to process JG Summit’s expanded pygas capacity to produce around 170,000 tonnes/year of BTX (benzene-toluene-xylenes). The new BTX unit also will have the flexibility to switch between benzene-toluene extraction only or the full range of benzene-toluene-xylenes extraction.

“We are very pleased to work with JG Summit Petrochemicals on their cracker expansion and believe that our GT-BTX and GT-DWC processes will provide great value to them,” said Charlie Chou, GTC Global Licensing Manager. “The top-notch GT-BTX® full-range aromatic extraction combining with GT-DWC℠ dividing wall column process is an innovative and reliable method to serve all kinds of aromatics plants, and further enhance GTC’s position in bringing the best value to the aromatics industry.”