Incorporating biobased feedstock

Whether targeting co-processing of vegetable oils and fats (lipids) in an existing HDT unit or processing 100% lipids, Axens helps you find the right feedstocks allocation and configuration with an optimized use of existing assets to develop the most profitable solution.  

For co-processing, revamping solutions are designed to take into account all impacts related to lipids hydrotreating notably corrosion, heat of reaction and hydrogen management. 

For 100% lipids, your unit can also be retrofitted using Vegan® technology to produce sustainable diesel and jet fuel through  hydrotreatment from a wide range of feedstocks. The Vegan® technology is built on a near 30-years history of successfully producing biodiesel combined with an extensive R&D program.

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Increasing Flexibility and Maximizing Your Operations

Loosing competitiveness with your ageing assets compared to most recent designs? Interested in on-stream factor maximization, capacity or severity increase? Or, stuck with unit bottlenecks,  such as operations limitations, corrosion, emissions, flare emission limits or safety ? 

You can rely on our experts to help troubleshoot your unit and solve recurrent operating issues while keeping safety as a top priority and investment cost at a minimum. They will also partner with you to revamp your unit to reach industry top tier performances. Using rigorous process and catalytic modeling of the unit as well as deep knowledge in equipment, Axens will help you define the optimum operational targets and reveal any unit untapped potential to develop a viable case and reach your objectives. 

Meeting your Carbon Footprint Goals

To reduce Scope 1 emissions at your processing facilities and to limit the environmental footprint in your operations, various scenarios and solutions have to be considered. Some will require major transformations but improving energy efficiency at site level and for each unit is a prerequisite.  Revamping units to meet this target is often the best approach as these projects are associated with a low CAPEX. In case of equipment running at end-of-life, this also provides an attractive ROI. 

Axens expertise in process, catalysts and equipment including air pre-heaters and fired heaters, enables a detailed and wholesome evaluation to determine the most optimized solutions.  

A unique dedicated energy efficiency offering, named CEED™ (Custom and Efficient Early Design) has been developed to minimize the unit OPEX. This approach, combined with other superior technologies such as FAST® (Fuel Advanced Savings Technology) or high-efficiency heat exchangers ensures a deep and complete assessment and will provide solutions with significant emissions reduction. In addition, Axens Connect’In® services provide a wide range of digital solutions across the whole Axens portfolio to further boost energy savings and maintain the revamps benefits. 

For a European refiner, a 20%+ energy savings per ton of feedstock was achieved after the revamp of a VGO HDT and FCC resulting in US$ 1.5 Million savings per year. The FAST approach can improve heater efficiency with stack temperature as low as 90°C/195°F and reduce CO2 emissions.

Rebalancing Products Slates

In a competitive environment, your operations need to be highly flexible to adapt to market fluctuations, in particular to boost Petrochemical production. In addition, the tight margins require careful and efficient molecule management throughout your entire process schemes. 

There are multiple solutions to rebalance products slates, including among various units, and ensure efficient molecule management that can be easily implemented through revamps or retrofits: 

• Catalysts solutions with appropriate adjustment to critical operating parameters. 
• High efficiency reactor internals like the EquiFlow® suite providing unparallel performance for distributor trays, filtering trays and quench systems.
• Process technology revamps solutions such as Cat Feed Hydrotreater into Mild Hydrocracker, adjusting operations and severity in Hydrocracking. Solutions around the FCC block, such as PolyFuel®, FlexEne™, HS-FCC™, can be attractive for shifting product slate and boosting propylene and aromatics production. Existing Reforming and Aromatic units can also be upgraded to increase Petrochemicals production.

Up to 20% gain in petrochemical feedstocks production thanks to a combination of Axens solutions.