Hydrotreating

Advanced process and catalyst systems to help optimise unit performance and maximise cycle length

Shell Global Solutions

Hydrotreating is an established refinery process for

reducing sulphur, nitrogen and aromatics while
enhancing cetane number, density and smoke point.
The refining industry’s efforts to meet the global trend
for more-stringent clean fuels specifications, the
growing demand for transportation fuels and the shift
toward diesel mean that hydrotreating has become an
increasingly important refinery process in recent years.

Shell Global Solutions’ hydrotreating process combines

AT A GLANCE
Customer driver: Optimised production and efficiency,
reliability and availability, technical and project performance,
changing feedstock slate (heavy, sour, high TAN, syn crudes),
changing fuel specifications
Solution: Advanced hydrotreating processes developed
through ongoing R&D effort and operational feedback,
coupled with catalysts from Shell’s catalyst business,
Criterion Catalysts & Technologies
Value delivered: Technology to help refiners reduce
sulphur, nitrogen and aromatics while enhancing cetane
number, density and smoke point
Proof point: More than 180 hydrotreater units designed
and serviced
Hydrotreating technology is based
on extensive R&D in catalysts and
processes over many decades,
combined with lessons learned
from operational experience.
advanced process technology, high-performance
catalyst systems and efficient reactor internal designs.
This technology has helped many refiners to rise to the
clean fuels challenges facing their businesses;
operators around the world have licensed new units for
their grass-roots facilities. In addition, we apply new
catalyst and reactor internals technology to revamp
existing units, including upgrading for more complex
duties such as dewaxing.
About the technology
Drawing on the Shell Group’s (“Shell”) corporate
heritage as the owner and operator of refining
facilities, Shell Global Solutions’ technology is
designed to operate reliably and efficiently, and to
help maximise the return on investment throughout the
life cycle of a unit. Our hydrotreating units incorporate
Shell’s wide experience base as one of the largest
operators of hydrotreating capacity in the world –
Shell’s hydrotreating capacity represents 8% of the
world’s capacity.
We have experience of a wide range of feedstocks and
boiling ranges, including straight-run and cracked
feedstocks, such as from fluidised catalytic cracking
(FCC), thermal conversion and coking, and boiling ranges
from naphtha to FCC feedstocks.
We also have experience of helping refiners whose winter
diesel has suboptimal cold-flow properties. In the past,
this was addressed by kerosene blending or end-point
reduction, which reduced the value or size of the
refinery’s middle distillate pool. Shell’s distillate dewaxing
catalyst can help to improve the diesel’s cloud point in a
variety of process configurations.

Performance improvement
compared with industry average
Mechanical availability 1–5%
On-stream factor 1–3%
Utilisation 5%
Turnaround duration 5–15 days
Source: 2006 benchmarking data.
Table 1: The performance of Shell Global Solutions’ licensed and serviced
units reflects Shell’s focus on the key factors that deliver long-term
operational excellence and production optimisation.
Process description
In Shell Global Solutions’ hydrotreating process, oil
fractions are reacted with hydrogen in the presence of a
catalyst to produce high-value clean products. The
operating conditions will depend on the final application.
For instance, temperatures could range between 350 and
390°C, and pressures between 60 and 90 barg for the
production of ultra-low-sulphur diesel (<10 ppm). Several
process configurations are available.
The heart of our hydrotreating process is the reactor
section, which features a high-pressure reactor vessel
and proprietary catalyst and reactor internals
technology. The process configuration is optimised for
each application to suit operating requirements and
customer-specific project economics.
Performance data
From industry studies covering unit performance from 1998
to 2006, a comparison of Shell hydrodesulphurisation
(HDS) units with the average industry performance shows
clear and sustained advantages (Table 1).
Business value
Conventional trickle phase units for distillate HDS are based
on the two- or four-separator design concept. Shell’s designs
have improved heat integration, which can help to reduce
energy costs. Industry benchmarking has confirmed that the
charge heaters in Shell’s ultra-low-sulphur-diesel units have
up to 25°C lower temperature differentials across them,
which is a direct measurement of energy efficiency.
Moreover, Shell’s designs have helped to reduce the total
equipment count and the capital and operating costs.
For further information, please visit our website at www.shell.com/globalsolutions
pRoof poINTs
Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC)
KNPC has selected deep HDS technology from
Shell Global Solutions for a new refinery complex
in Kuwait. This will produce ultra-low-sulphur diesel
(<10 ppm) that meets the cold-flow properties
required by stringent European Union environmental
legislation. The 180,000-bbl/d HDS unit will include
our dewaxing catalyst technology.
Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL)
IOCL has selected Shell Global Solutions’ deep HDS
technology for a new refinery and petrochemical
complex in Paradip, India. Our technology will enable
the refinery to use low-quality feedstock components
(light cycle oil) to produce diesel fuels that meet
stringent diesel specifications. The capacity of the
new deep HDS complex will be 120,000 bbl/d.
HAvE yOu CONsidErEd HOw yOu CAN
n promote the reliability of your unit?
n cost-effectively meet distillate fuel specifications?
n upgrade heavier and more difficult feedstocks?
Shell Global Solutions is a network of independent technology companies in the Shell Group. In this
material, the expressions “the Shell Group,” “Shell” and “Shell Global Solutions” are sometimes used
for convenience where reference is made to these companies in general, or where no useful purpose is
served by identifying a particular company.
The information contained in this material is intended to be general in nature and must not be relied on
as specific advice in connection with any decisions you may make. Shell Global Solutions is not liable
for any action you may take as a result of you relying on such material or for any loss or damage
suffered by you as a result of you taking this action. Furthermore, these materials do not in any way
constitute an offer to provide specific services. Some services may not be available in certain countries
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Copyright © 2010 Shell Global Solutions International BV. All rights reserved. No part of this
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