Combining FCC Technology Upgrade with

Asset Optimisation Key Steps to Profitability

Mike Whitling Manager Asset Operations and Consultancy

John Payne Chief Static Equipment Engineer

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Technology Upgrades / Asset Optimisation

Key Steps to Profitability

Refinery margins continue to be extremely tight invest

or close?

European assets are particularly vunerable (age and

configurations)

The way to go . . .

FCC turnaround and revamp is a regular and major

activity for most refineries
From multi-million dollar to multi-billion dollar investments

Integrating FCC upgrade with holistic asset optimisation

(both process and O&M best practices) provides a very
real opportunity to achieve profitability

John and myself will present a combination of theory

and case study based examples

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Foster Wheelers Philosophy for Adding Value

Expanding Horizons Delivering Long Term Value to Client Investments
Foster Wheeler is focused on
maximising value by combining our
technical, O&M and project delivery
expertise with world leading technology
Technical
Expertise

O&M
Best
Practice
Project
Delivery
Expertise

World
Leading
Technology

Foster Wheeler seeks to work

with clients and partners to
deliver long term value to
client investments
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Foster Wheeler Support Jigsaw

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Investment Planning / Concept Studies

Foster Wheeler is a World Leader in Concept Studies
from multi-million to multi-billion dollar investments

Foster Wheelers primary objective is always to make the Clients

decision making as simple as possible

Detailed study is essential to optimise the project and confirm

feasibility on a robust basis ahead of any significant expenditure

A shortlist of technically feasible options should be generated with

economic evaluation of the most promising

Investment planning should focus on all issues affecting project

cost and development not just the configuration and technology

Investment Planning can be optimised across multiple assets and

multiple units, and phased in accordance with financial constraints
. Bringing real, practical EPC experience to conceptual investment planning
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Process Technology Improvement

Wear and tear means maintenance driven shutdowns will happen

FCCs are flexible units that readily lend themselves to revamp to
take advantage of new developments from any source
Maximise benefit of maintenance turnarounds by looking for new
business opportunities
Apply project management to the scope definition and development
Ensure you get the right technology at the right cost
Make the upgrade pay
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The Man Machine Interface

Operational and Reliability Impact
Man machine interface, sounds like a snappy catch phrase!
The machine is only as good as the man who runs and maintains it!
During periods of low margins and limited capital investment, owners seek
low-cost and quick-payback performance enhancement opportunities
Historically, as part of a longer-term asset performance enhancement
process, many owners seek structural organisational savings based
upon de-manning over a longer period of time
The challenge for achieving shorter-term performance enhancement is
to selectively assess operations and reliability practices and restructure
the workforce to place accountability for specific performance areas
directly with selected operators on a 24-hour per day basis

Embarking on a major upgrade is the perfect time to address

operational and reliability performance improvement!
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The man Machine Interface

Operational and Reliability Impact

Fringe benefits of operations buy-in and proactive

commitment to performance improvement:

Improved housekeeping
Competency enhancement
Improved management skills
Above all . . . . pride
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The Man Machine Interface

Strategic Plan for Improving Operations
High-level assessment
Performance Management System strengths and weaknesses
Strategy to deliver business management improvement:
Address robustness and value of refinery performance management
systems, are they fit for todays purposes, not a legacy from the last
time a major upgrade / revamp took place

Functional specialist operations groups

Selectively restructure operator workforce
Accountable for specific performance areas
Create groups within each shift for 24-hour focus

Performance assurance programme

Separate from day-to-day monitoring tasks
Concentrate on improving operational performance
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The Man Machine Interface

Maintenance and Reliability Improvement
Maintenance review
Philosophies and strategies preventive, condition-based, prioritisation
Procedures repair or replace?
Turnaround planning

Maintenance records
Quality of records
Analyse for repeat failures
Persistent failures root cause analysis

Equipment
Criticality rank based on reliability impact?
Include reliability in risk ranking matrices
Reliability impact on efficiency
for example, pump drive efficiencies when
switching pumps on routine basis etc
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Case Study 1: RFCC Reliability Assessment

Foster Wheeler contracted to carry out a Revamp, Turnaround and

Inspection project in the Far East.

The revamp involved major process and technology enhancements

to the RFCC unit

A key aim of the project was to improve reliability of the RFCC and
associated assets
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Case Study 1: RFCC Reliability Assessment

FW conducted a review of Clients RFCC complex operations,
maintenance and inspection records. Foster Wheeler assessed
reliability and operational problems relating to existing unit design
and reviewed any constraints that limit unit run lengths.

The scope of the study evaluated the overall reliability of the RFCC
by addressing each of the aspects of the listed below:

Evaluation of design and actual operations

Comparison with similar plants
Inspection of critical equipment
Conformance to design

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Case Study 1: RFCC Reliability Assessment

Foster Wheeler established a base line of performance that formed

the basis for revamp and operational improvement studies

Identified common failures and recommended improvement

options for Owners consideration.

Approved items were added to the scope and FEED included basic
design data for any changes.

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Case Study 1: RFCC Reliability Assessment

Then, a year later, Foster Wheeler returned to site to assess

progress relating to RFCC reliability enhancement since the initial
visit. We reviewed:
Project Management and Control
Mechanical enhancements within revamp scope
Mechanical mods outside revamp scope (T&I actions, studies etc)
Operational issues & reliability awareness
T/A Planning
FW & SPRC interfacing
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RFCC Reliability Assessment Summary Observations

Owner acknowledged & effectively embraced previous mal-operation

incidents, start-up problems & incorrect practices
Good proactive approaching a reliability driven regime
Reward Best in practice operational availability levels of 98%
Staff are aware of current best practices, they measure & improve
performance (using corporate principles and tools)
Active involvement in inter-company liaison groups with similar RFCC
technologies
Providing specialist manpower at other operators RFCC T/As,
strengthens experience levels

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RFCC Reliability Assessment Summary Observations

The need to scrutinise maintenance regimes on equipment where

extended runlengths have been problematical
Maximise operator training with licensors and vendors
Operations should consider embracing operations functional groups
give responsibility to run, own and implement reliability improvement
initiatives
Field operators need to be more diligent at ensuring that field
instrumentation that tracks reliability monitoring are maintained and
accurate
Owner held a 3 day Reliability workshop commendable activity

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John Payne
Chief Static Equipment Engineer

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16

Key Factors for all Operators

Planning Execution E, P & C Logistics

Safety
Operational reliability
Minimum turnaround time and risk to schedule
Lowest possible cost
Take advantages of process improvements

SO MUST

Maximise pre-turnaround and post-turnaround activities

Maximise work done offsite
Fit first time
Quality of Installation
Latest proven technology

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FCC Turnarounds
What are the Key Drivers?

Coke build up in reactor

High temperature material degrading
Erosion
Thermal shock
Shell refractory failure, gas tracking, hot spots, spooling
Operational upset
Cyclone and internals life:
15 to 25 years
Expansion bellows life:
10 to 15 years
Shell refractory life:
5 to 25 years

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FCC Turnarounds
Significant Revenue and Margin Implications
Lost revenue is $1 million to $2 million per day when not operating
Typical turnaround time is 35 days or fewer
Run times have grown from 3 to 5/6 years continuous so need to
plan earlier and predict operational reliability a lot further ahead

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19

The Project Decision Process for Refinery Upgrades

Project Delivery Excellence: Key Steps in the Study Phase

Client Needs

Process /
Technology
Improvements

Maintenance
Requirement

Feasible Options

Licensor
Selection

Cost Estimate

Engineering &
Construction

Planning TAR
Duration

Risk / What-if
Analysis

Conclusion &
Execution Strategy
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Study and EPC Timeline

Project Delivery Excellence: Timeline to Turnaround

3 Years

6 Months

Study

3-6 Months

Licensor

3 Months

Equipment
Procurement

18 Months

Equipment
Delivery

Min
3 Months

Pre-TAR

TAR

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Case Studies Delivering Highly Complex

FCC Upgrades

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Case study 1: Stanlow Regen Head & Cyclones

2009 study started

Cyclones end of life will have been in
service for 25 years
Options for replacing
regen cyclones
2010 turnaround
allowed cold survey of
head cut line

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Case Study 1: Stanlow Head & Cyclones

12 pairs of cyclones
Cyclones interlinked and
share secondary hangers
Full trial assembly of
cyclones
at fabricators works
Precision survey of hangers
Data used to position
hanger nozzles in head
Alignment blocks on
cross-overs

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Case Study 1: Stanlow Head & Cyclones

Use of electronic 3D
solid edge model
Demonstrates
clearances, access and
future maintenance
Input into FEA analysis
Input into Engineering
Method Statements

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Case Study 1: Stanlow Head & Cyclones

Cyclone assembly in
transport CAN leaving
fabricators work
Module weight 265te
+15m diameter
Height restriction on
canal of 12m

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Case Study 1: Stanlow Head & Cyclones

Head c/w refractory

being loaded into
special barge
Head weight 185te

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Case Study 1: Stanlow Head & Cyclones

Floating crane at Antwerp lifts

head onto cyclone assembly
Cyclone hangers then are
installed
Special lifting arrangement to
equalise loads into the head
All shell deflections have been
analysed to avoid any damage
to refractory

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Case Study 1: Stanlow Head & Cyclones

Head module on
route from dock to
Refinery
Motorway closure
Probably the
largest head &
cyclone assembly
to be transported
to site as one
piece
Movement date of
24 March 2013
set 2 years in
advance

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Case Study 1: Stanlow Head & Cyclones

Tree pruning
carried out one
year in advance

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Case Study 1: Stanlow Head & Cyclones

Head assembly
being transport
through refinery
New site entrance
created
Head assembly
now jacked up to
clear piping either
side of road

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Case Study 1: Stanlow Head & Cyclones

Final site
assembly
Head assembly
being lifted onto
Dip Leg frame

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Case Study 1: Stanlow Head & Cyclones

Skid Bridge 35m Long over pipe band allows complete head
frame assembly to be moved from off plot location to crane

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Case Study 1: Stanlow Head & Cyclones

Final lift of new head at 440Te

Weight Control
Critical throughtout
project
Crane within 5% of
capacity
All components
weighed as
manufactured

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Case Study 1: Stanlow Head & Cyclones

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Case Study 2: Regen Head & Cyclones

Methods Studied and Crane Problems

Regenerator Cyclones End of Life, Replace Cyclones complete with Head is normal
Extremely Tight Plot Space and Route Restrictions
Come up with split head frames
Main Crane Remained the problem space and undergrounds

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Case Study 2: Regen Head & Cyclones

Selected Option

Sequence
Install Beams to support cyclones
Secure cyclones at top
Cut and remove head
Remove cyclones as pairs
Replace in reverse order

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Case Study 3: Reactor Internal Riser & Cyclones ?

Option at start of study

Problem Internal Riser Buckled

Normal Head Replacement as
shown would also suggest replace
cyclones as towards end of life.

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Case Study 3: Reactor Internal Riser & Cyclones ?

Option Suggested to Client

Option suggested to Client

Cut Hole in top Head and replace Riser
Only
Delay replacing cyclones till next TA, this
gives time to upgrade technology for
improved Product Slate

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Conclusions & Execution Strategy

Best Practice in Delivering Complex Upgrade Projects
Early start
Its OK to think big
Overall process and mechanical solution
Consider whole refinery
At the end of the study, the client has an
independent report that identifies the way forward
Most overall cost-effective solution
No surprises
Fit First Time

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Foster Wheeler Concept to Completion

Consistent high quality delivered anywhere in the World

Whatever the challenge, we can help

Further
information:
www.fwc.com
refining@fwc.com

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www.fwc.com

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