ATOFINA/UOP Olefin Cracking Process

for Ethylene and Propylene Production

INTRODUCTION STEAM CRACKER INTEGRATION

The ATOFINA/UOP Olefin Cracking Process converts
C4 to C8 olefins to propylene and ethylene at high
propylene to ethylene ratio. Following initial work by
ATOFINA in the mid 1990’s, UOP and ATOFINA
formed an alliance for joint development in 2000. The
development activities included the large scale success-
ful demonstration of the technology, process design, and
catalyst manufacturing development. The demonstration
unit was started-up in 1998 at an industrial facility
located at Antwerp, Belgium and processes feedstocks
from a commercial operating plant. The demo-plant
includes feed pretreatment, reactor section, catalyst
regeneration facilities, and internal recycle capabilities.
When integrated with a naphtha steam cracker the yield
of propylene is dramatically increased for the same total
naphtha flow rate. Low value C4 through C6 byproduct
streams produced in the cracker furnaces can be charged
to an Olefin Cracking Unit where additional light
olefins are produced with high P/E ratios. Internal recy-
cle is used to optimize conversion of olefins. The OCP
light olefin product streams are sent to the naphtha
cracker recovery section, while the C4-C6 streams, now
depleted in olefins and paraffin rich, are recycled to the
naphtha cracker furnaces.
Case studies of olefin cracking integration with naphtha
crackers have shown 30% higher propylene production
compared to conventional cracker processing. The inte-
gration with olefin cracking provides up to 0.8 overall
propylene to ethylene product ratio without sacrificing
ethylene production.

Naphtha

Product C2=
Furnace Recovery & C3=
Section Purification F. Gas
Section
PyGas

C4/C5 Light
Olefins
OCP
APPLICATIONS Unit
The Olefin Cracking Process was developed to utilize
low value by-product streams containing C4 to C8
olefins from steam crackers, refineries and methanol-to-
olefins plants.
REFINERY INTEGRATION a proprietary zeolitic catalyst and provides high yields
of propylene. The catalyst minimizes the reactor size
When integrated with an FCC refinery the OCP converts
and operating costs by operating at high space velocities
C4-C8 olefin rich streams from the FCC and coker units
and high conversions and selectivities without requiring
to high value light olefins, mostly propylene. The gaso-
an inert diluent stream. A swing reactor system is used
line stream is lower in olefins but retains virtually the
for catalyst regeneration. Separation facilities depend on
same octane number due to the small amount of aromat-
how the unit is integrated into the processing system.
ics formed.

Light
FCC Gasoline Olefin
Gas Oils Product
Unit Cycle Oils Olefinic
C4-C8
C2= OCP
Reactor Section
C3=
C4-C8
Olefin C4
Recovery Depropanizer
By-product
C5+ Debutanizer
LPG
OCP C5+
Unit Light By-products
Olefins

MTO INTEGRATION FEEDSTOCK

Methanol to olefins (MTO) offers a new source of light
olefins based on natural gas via methanol. Although the
MTO reactions are quite selective, C4+ by-product
streams are produced. Achieving good valuation of these
by-products can sometimes be difficult because MTO
projects can be installed in remote locations. By inte-
grating Olefin Cracking into an MTO complex the
overall yield on feed to the complex can be greatly
increased. The yield of methanol feed that goes to light
olefins (carbon basis) for an MTO complex augmented
with Olefin Cracking can approach 90%.
MTO C2=
MeOH
Unit C3=
The Olefin Cracking process is designed to process
olefinic feedstocks from steam crackers, refinery FCC
and coker units, and MTO units, with typical C4 to C8
olefin and paraffin compositions. The catalyst exhibits
little sensitivity to common impurities such as dienes,
oxygenates, sulfur compounds, and nitrogen com-
pounds.
CATALYST
The Olefin Cracking process uses a proprietary zeolitic
catalyst supplied by UOP. The catalyst provides high
selectivity and yields with good stability and a uniquely
low coking tendency.

C4-C5 Light FOR MORE INFORMATION

Olefins Olefins
For more information, contact your local UOP
OCP representative or contact our Des Plaines sales office:
Unit C4+
e-mail: info@uop.com
fax: +1-847-391-2253
DESCRIPTION phone: +1-847-391-2000
The Olefin Cracking Process features fixed-bed reactors
operating at temperatures between 500 and 600 °C and
pressures between 1 to 5 bars gauge. The process utilizes
UOP LLC
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The information in this document should not be construed as a representation for
which UOP assumes legal responsibility, or an authorization or recommendation to Des Plaines, IL 60017-5017, U.S.A.
practice a patented invention without a license. www.uop.com
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