Consulting
Axens offers a customized approach, including tailored studies, audits and consulting services, covering technical and operational challenges in the refining and petrochemical industries. We make a positive economic difference through a variety of different services to support you in meeting the world’s changing resources and energy needs.
Axens’ consulting offers are articulated around three main axes, namely: Project Development Support, Margin Improvement and Decarbonization Support.
Decarbonization Support
Given the level of uncertainty we are facing today, to achieve GHG emission reduction objective and cope with market demand changes, Axens offers it’s DeCARBON'us™ service to develop short, medium and long-term solutions for asset decarbonization.
By identifying the most appropriate scenario, and performing technical and economic studies to reveal the full viability and added value of decarbonization solutions, DeCARBON'us™ covers a full universe of mature and innovative solutions for the decarbonization of industry.
Configuration Studies, the best decision tool for investment project with minimum risks
At the onset of a project, operators, petrochemical players and investors are confronted with a multitude of options that need sorting and clarifying. At this crucial stage, decisions that are made on shallow bases and guesswork can lead to many delays and cost overrun during the project execution and operation. Axens’ upfront studies bring a global and coherent approach to the evaluation process.
Master Planning
Pre-feasibility, feasibility and bankable studies
Applying a structured staged project management process with different level of information leads towards the right fit-for-value project. Axens’ preliminary studies bring a global and coherent approach to the evaluation process.
Integrated Process Solution (IPS)
The success of a project frequently relies on its rapid execution (fast track project). Axens Integrated Process Solution (IPS) will provide you with a fast track, single point of responsibility project execution from process configuration up to the onset of detailed engineering. IPS will integrate and coordinate Axens technologies, third party licensors and engineering partners to minimize project cost and duration (up to an extent of 25%).
Key advantages:
- Master plan based on accurate in-house modeling and optimization using Linear Programming
- Comprehensive evaluation of a project viability through robust technical study, market review and financial analysis
- Financial strategy support to demonstrate project bankability
Additional studies
Additional available studies are as follow:
- Market studies service
- Site Location Study
- Crude Management
- Pre-EIA (Environment impact assessment) study
- Infrastructure study
They have the advantage of offering a single point of contact to get a rapid comprehensive evaluation of your project.
Find out more in our dedicated Commercial Bulletins below:
Margin Improvement Programs
Since 2001, Axens Horizon is supporting clients in their margin improvement programs. Our mission is to support plant owner in capturing more margin through innovative project management, process optimization, operational excellence and digitalization. Our in-house multi-discipline team has all the relevant expertise required to help you capture more margin through:
- Crude management
- Energy Efficiency
- Zero Oil losses strategies
- Better planning & scheduling with state-of-the-art linear programming models
- Advanced Process Control and near real-time optimization
- Process unit operation optimization leveraging process licensing technology expertise
- Hydrogen management
- Processing Configuration expertise to maximize margin from better stream routing or integration with petrochemical
Crude Management
Changes in crude price, the surge of tight oil and technological advances in refining processes have reshaped the landscape, creating opportunities for refiners.
Crude selection plays an important role in the operator’s ability to adapt to highly fluctuating conditions such as political or environmental issues affecting crude opportunities. As a result, it is now imperative to regularly review crude sources and management strategies.
Axens’ services enable the operator to review the possibility of treating alternative crudes, to make the best choices for a sustainable and optimized supply chain strategy. Additionally, with Axens’ customized market surveys, the operator can optimize their assets in different crudes in order to meet future product specifications, serve core product markets and respond to new export opportunities.
Key advantages:
- An extensive crude knowledge based on years of pilots testing expertise on crudes from multiple sources
- A solid approach to crude compatibility that minimize risk while maximizing margin
- A long experience in conducting opportunity crudes market & technical studies for existing plants
Energy Efficiency audit & Water management audit
In a typical refinery, energy makes up more than 50% of non-feedstock operating cost, and every ton of fuel burnt represents 4 tons of CO2 emitted. Therefore, incentive for energy efficiency programs is high and is the primary driver for reduction of CO2 emissions. However, operational constraints and lack of visibility of energy index variations often make efforts to reduce energy consumption painful.
Axens’ methodology identifies energy savings without jeopardizing plant operability, using a top-down approach: entire site, process units, utilities generation, flue gas recovery, thermal equipment.
Linear Programming
Linear Programming (LP) is a key tool widely used to support planning decisions in refineries. However, to support risk‑based decisions, LP modeling needs to be accurate, reliable, stable, representative of asset operations, well-constructed and easy to maintain. Axens’ services will update, develop and optimize the operator's model with best practices recommendations for planning activities. Whatever the software used by the operator, the experience of LP experts combined with expertise in process technology ensures that they benefit from quality services
Key advantages:
- Dedicated team of Axens LP experts
- Access to all commercialy available linear programming software & platforms
- Crude database including a large list of assays covering all regions
- Associated training for site to take the maximum benefits from LP
What our clients say
Following the departure of TOTAL in 2014, SARA (Société Anonyme de Raffinage des Antilles) sought a trusted partner to provide general technical support in its refinery in Martinique.
In 2017, SARA chose Axens for this service. Since then, a close collaboration has been established with the Axens Horizon team, allowing SARA to obtain tangible gains in multiple fields.
I can testify to the competence of people from Axens Horizon to identify sources of improvement and offer sound & suitable solutions. Axens Horizon's expertise has allowed us to go further in improving refining margins, optimizing the utilities production & consumption, the maintenance, the turnaround & shutdown management, the management of projects, the planning of crude purchases, and many more.
Finally, Axens Horizon advises us in our strategic investment decisions. I really appreciate having the high quality support from Axens available at all times thanks to this general agreement.
David Moetus, Head of Process, SARA, Martinique
Resources you might be interested in
Oil Refining
Petrochemicals
Case Study - A Feasibility Study Of An Investment Plan, Conducted For SASA Polyester In A Petrochemical Complex, Validate Its Robustness And Promising ROI
Renewable Fuels & Bio-Based Chemicals
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