Why are some of the world’s best refineries more efficient than some of the world’s newest refineries?

The world’s best refineries often outperform the newest ones due to their focus on efficiency and continuous improvement. According to Solomon surveys, these refineries are identified as being 20% more energy efficient, having lower costs, being more reliable, and being 60% more profitable.

Efficiency is not solely a product of new technology or infrastructure, but also of operational practices. These refineries have balanced their key financial metrics with key operating metrics, avoiding an excessive focus on operating costs. They have also adapted to their regional economic environments, which prevents a refinery from being penalized for its location.

Catalysts play a pivotal role in the petroleum refining process, enabling efficient conversion of crude oil into valuable fuels and products. High-performance catalysts lead to higher productivity and lower energy consumption, resulting in optimal operational efficiency.

On the other hand, decarbonization through energy efficiency is a critical aspect of refinery operations. Crude oil refining accounts for 6-8% of all global industrial energy consumption. Therefore, improving energy efficiency is critical for all refineries and in all processes, with a focus on the main energy consumers. Energy efficiency opportunities available for petroleum refineries include energy management systems, energy recovery, steam generation and distribution, heat exchangers (using high-efficiency heaters), process integration, process heaters (very high efficiency or electrical heaters), and hydrogen management and recovery. These measures not only reduce energy consumption but also contribute to environmental sustainability.

Axens, as a holistic solution provider, is continuously working as a trusted partner with the refineries to contribute towards this excellence. Axens services such as technical assistance supported by digital, training and retraining, Advanced Process Control strategy, technical consultancy support as modeling services, feasibility studies (LP, kinetic models, etc.), revamp opportunities screening, co-processing of bio oil or waste plastic oil, are globally used by our customers.

In conclusion, the world’s best refineries can be more efficient than some of the newest ones because they continuously improve their operations, adapt to their environments, and balance their financial and operating metrics. This focus on efficiency and adaptability allows them to achieve superior performance. Therefore, it is crucial for new and existing refineries to adopt these best practices and continuously strive for improvement. This will not only enhance their efficiency but also contribute to a sustainable and profitable future.