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MINI REFINERIES

Above: 2000 barrel per day Arctic Refinery, Inset: 4 x 150 barrel per day Tropical Refineries

The range of crude oil


Mini-Refineries

Years of experience as both an operator and a


manufacturer of mini-refineries, has enabled us to
combine modern technology with operational
experience to produce the practical and field
proven crude oil mini-refinery. They are available
in a range of standard processing capacities from
150 barrels per day up to 4000 barrels per day.
Other design capacities can be manufactured on
request.
The mini refinery will separate the basic
components of the crude oil into light (heavy
gasoline boiling range), medium (kerosene and
automotive distillate boiling ranges) and heavy
(fuel oil boiling range) product steams. They are
typically used to make automotive diesel (and jet
kerosene if required) by extracting these products
from the crude oil and returning the other byproducts to the pipeline stream if local markets for
these by products do not exist. Optional vacuum
distillation of the fuel oil stream will extract vacuum
gas oil. This can be used as a heavy distillate plant
fuel or can be blended with the diesel to improve
overall plant yields. Further optional processing
of the light oil stream to reform its molecules
into an automotive grade of gasoline can also
be achieved although this option will
significantly increase the cost and complexity
of the mini refinery.
Design Principles
A mini-refinery often finds application in remote or
inaccessible areas where local fuel supplies are
relatively expensive or unreliable because of
transportation logistics. Where construction criteria
calls for a refinery that can be quickly erected at
the site with a minimal requirement in terms of site
civil works, specialist equipment and skilled labour
which are all expensive to provide in such regions.
The concept is therefore a highly transportable
refinery that uses skid mounted or containerized
modules which have been pre-fabricated, factory
equipped and operationally tested so as to
minimise the installation and commissioning costs
on site.
Operational reliability is enhanced by attention to
good process engineering design as well as
through the selection of superior materials and
components.

The operator interface and safety features of the


refinery have been specifically designed to allow
the plant to be operated and maintained by
personnel with a sound technical competency but
who do not need to be skilled refinery engineers.
The standardized container design can also be
readily adapted to suit a marine platform or arctic
environment or can be specially customized for
particular applications. Winterized design for artic
conditions has been field proven in a number of
installations in Russian Siberia.

Above: Product Pump Module-2000 bpd refinery


Below: Product Pump Module- 150 bpd refinery

Design Benefits
The refinery is highly automated with an emphasis
on operational safety. The plant operator monitors
and controls all facets of plant operation via a
Windows based PC screen located remote from the
plant in the Customer's control room. This plant
operator interface is displayed and controlled
through the language of the host country to simplify
operations. A unique software control feature is fully
Automatic Logic System (ALS) which provides the
ability to adjust the relevant refinery process
settings without direct operator intervention to
automatically correct for plant variations or ambient
conditions. Although the PC provides the operator
interface, the actual plant operation is separately
controlled by programmable logic controller (PLC).
The PLC safely oversees an uninterrupted plant
operation, even if the PC is off-line. Additionally
there are hard wired shutdowns to the control room
to allow the operator to manually shut down the
furnace flame or plant in an emergency.
High operational reliability has been achieved with
experience through the use of field proven
instrumentation and equipment. Pneumatic controls
and actuators while cheaper in cost, are
problematic and unreliable in remote situations
where there is often limited technical support.
Instead the refinery uses electrical stepper motor
equivalents. The use of steam also causes
operational problems in terms of government
regulation and the need for certified boiler
operators. A water disposal or treatment facility is
also needed to handle the oily or phenolic wastewater from the condensed steam. Water cooling
also gives rise to operational problems associated
with water pre-treatment, corrosion inhibition and
anti-scaling which is often not able to be easily
handled in a small plant setting. For all these
reasons the refinery operation does not require any
cooling water, steam or instrument air for its
operation. The only utilities consumed by the
refinery are electric power plus some bottled
nitrogen or carbon dioxide (for purge gas during
plant start-up).
The refinery is broken down into transportable
modules, sized on standard shipping containers.
This makes for easy transportation logistics

whether by road, sea or even air. The refinery unit


can be lifted and supported on piles if required.
It is recommended that a concrete slab be laid
underneath the refinery installation to contain spills
and to facilitate site maintenance.
The refinery can be offered in a fully stainless steel
version if corrosion is expected to be a problem.
Although the initially proposed feedstock may not
suggest any potential corrosion problems, the
customer should consider the possibility that
feedstock quality may diminish in future years. This
could occur for example when new oil fields are
connected upstream of a pipeline supplying the
refinery feedstock. Although stainless steel has a
higher fabrication and supply cost compared to mild
steel, it does provide operating cost savings by
eliminating the need for anti corrosion chemical
injection systems and filtration systems to remove
corrosion products. The use of stainless steel
allows the plant to tolerate higher levels of salt and
water in the feedstock. In many cases this means
that the additional capital and operating costs
associated with feedstock pretreatment can be
eliminated.
Other than foundations to support the distillation
tower, prepared foundations for the plant are not
required. The refinery can also be made available
in a version having a self-supported tower in which
case no tower foundation preparations will be
required.
Construction standards
The refinery is constructed to the relevant and
recognized engineering standards and codes. All
vendor-supplied components are rigorously
selected for code compliance. Standard vessel
construction is AS1210 which is at least equivalent
or superior to ASME V111 Div 1. All pipe welds are
to the ASME B31.3 standard or to the AS4140
code and NDT tested as required. All electrical
instrumentation and equipment is explosion
proofed as required by code standards.
Any additional construction requirements needed
for national code compliance or certification can be
accommodated on request.
The international System of Units is used in all
drawings, calculations and documents.
We have a management program for Quality,
Safety and Environmental implementation in

accordance with the requirements of AS/NZA ISO


9000/9001.
Operational requirements
No special skills other than basic technical
competency are required for the day to day
operation of the unit. However it is recommended
that the plant shift operators have access to
technical supervisory support. If the refinery is
located within the boundaries of a larger plant
facility, that supervision could be provided by a
facility supervisor on an as required basis. No
dedicated maintenance personnel are necessary.
Minimum recommended manning levels to
operate a mini-refinery are therefore:
Supervisor
1 x on call
Refinery Operator 2 x 12 hour shifts
Supporting services Installation and
commissioning The Customer is required to supply
all piping and electrical connections up to the
battery limits of the unit. A small installation team
can then be dispatched to fully install and
commission the unit refinery at the customer's site
when required.
We can provide recommended site plans and
layouts to assist the customer with the required
site works.
Training
All training of the customer's personnel can be
undertaken by us during plant testing and during
installation and commissioning at the customer's
site.
Documentation
We provide full documentation in terms of data
sheets, engineering drawings and operating and
maintenance manuals for each of our refineries.
Spare parts
We provide a spare parts list setting out the
recommended spares required for commissioning,
2 years of Operational Spares and Capital Spares
which the customer can adapt to suit his

application. Standardization of components within


the unit result in a reduced requirement for spare
parts.
A spare parts inventory will minimize the potential
for the unit downtime. Although large capital
equipment items which are provided under the
Capital Spares list should not fail under normal
service conditions, such replacements generally
have a long lead time of up to a number of months
between ordering and delivery. The cost of
carrying Capital Spares has to be weighed up
against the cost of bringing in alternative fuel
supply during an extended plant shutdown or the
possibility of effecting permanent or temporary
repairs locally.
A range of laboratory equipment to control and
verify product quality and specification can also be
supplied.
Technical Support
We are available for any further assistance and
backup support on request. Maintenance
contracts or site visits for troubleshooting or
training can be arranged.
Optional processes
We can offer optional processes for desalting,
dewatering, vacuum distillation, mercaptan
removal, thermal reformers, catalytic reforming
and hydro treating.

MEGION, TYUMEN REGION, RUSSIA

One M2000 (2000BPD)Arctic Version Refinery unit operating at the


Vatinsk Central Park, Megion, Siberia, Russia
Location details (approximate only) 61 North
76 East
Altitude above sea level
Temperature range

1000 feet
-50C to +40

MICROSTILL UNIT INSTALLATIONS

MEGION, TYUMEN REGION, RUSSIA

This unit is ideally suited for the year round refining of crude oil in a region where
temperature can vary from +40C in summer to -50C in winter. The unit has been
designed to readily commence production from a cold start even in mid winter.
The refinery feed stock is supplied from a nearby pipeline to provide refined fuels for the
local region. Up to 2400 barrel per day of crude is being processed through this refinery.
The unit was installed in August 1998 and achieves the following summer product slate:

PRODUCT YIELD
Naptha
Diesel
Residue

16%
36% GOST 305 - 82
48% COST 10585 - 75

STREZHEVOY, SIBERIA, RUSSIA

Two M 150 (150BPD)Arctic Version Refinery units in operation at this location


Location details (approximate only) 62 North
78 East
Altitude above sea level
Temperature range

1000 feet
-50C to +40C

MICROSTILL UNIT INSTALLATIONS


STREZHEVOY, SIBERIA, RUSSIA
These units use a high sulphur Siberian crude oil from the Tomsk region. Products
produced are 76MON gasoline, 93RON gasoline, arctic, winter and summer grades of
diesel, and fuel oil production for use in heating/power stations throughout the local
community. These units were installed in February 1994. Due to the extremely high
natural octane of the gasoline, 93RON production is possible from this crude oil feed.
Options installed at this site are TEL injection and Thermal reforming.
All products produced are consumed within the town of 30,000 people and previously all
fuels were imported from Omsk over 1,000 km away. Formerly, oil was being produced
then transported to the refineries then the finished product transported back to the end
users.
These transport costs added to the final landed price of the fuel. The unreliability of the
transport system ensures that if possible, processing of the fuel, on-site where it is
required is an economic option.
The unit was chosen for its unique standard construction in stainless steel and the highly
modularised and containerised aspects of the unit. Steam and air were not required and
this eliminated much of the costly onsite ancillary equipment required by the client.
This particular unit has been subject to the harsh Siberian winter of -50c and the usual
summer conditions of +40c combined with a multitude of mosquitoes and other insect
environment.
The units operate to capacity throughout the entire year.
PRODUCT YIELD
Naptha
Diesel
Residue

15%
30%
55%

HIDES GASFIELD, PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Four M 150 Refinery units in operation at this location


Location details (approximate only) 7 South
142 East
Altitude above sea level
Temperature range

4500 feet
+1 C to +36C

MICROSTILL UNIT INSTALLATIONS

HIDES GASFIELD, PAPUA NEW GUINEA

These units produce diesel for the local highland communities. Supplies were previously
obtained from Lae on the northern coast of Papua New Guinea. The diesel supplies
were transported on small trucks along 800km of extremely rugged road. Supplies were
unreliable.
The feed for the units is gas condensate from two gas fields located 10,000 feet above
sea level. This feed is piped down to the gas processing facility at 4,500 feet where the
liquids are extracted and sent for processing through the units. The gas is used for
turbine fuel for power generation supplying electrical power to mining operations in the
region.
Originally the two M150 units were installed during August 1991. As the field grew and
the power demand increased, a further two units were installed in January 1992 to
handle the condensate load. Naphtha can be used to fuel a turbine whereas the
unprocessed condensate, due to the presence of heavy metals would cause excessive
wear of the turbine blades.
Diesel is sold to the local communities for use in diesel engines and the residue is used
as a fuel for drying coffee beans throughout the highlands.
PRODUCT YIELD
Naptha
Diesel
Residue

65%
30%
5%

GOBE PRODUCTION FACILITY, PAPUA NEW GUINEA

One M 150 Refinery unit in operation at this location


Location details (approximate only) 7 South
142 East
Altitude above sea level
Temperature range

560 metres
+15C to +33C

MICROSTILL UNIT INSTALLATIONS

GOBE PRODUCTION FACILITY, PAPUA NEW GUINEA

The unit was installed to supply the diesel fuel requirements during the production phase
of the project. On-site refining was more cost effective than the alternative of diesel fuel
transportation from Port Moresby via barge and road transport.
The crude oil processed at Gobe is a light sweet crude oil which yields an excellent
diesel product. Crude oil is piped from the wellhead to the production facility for primary
treatment (degassing and dewatering). The crude oil is stored in large export tanks
before being pumped via pipeline to the Kumic Oil Terminal located in the Gulf of Papua.
A small stream of crude oil is withdrawn from the tank inlet and processed in the
MICROSTILL unit. The produced diesel is sent to onsite storage with the naphtha and
residue products returned to the crude oil export tank.

PRODUCT YIELD
Diesel
Diesel Fuel

Nominal 50 BOPD of ASTM D-975


No. 2-D

ALICE SPRINGS, NORTHERN TERRITORY, AUSTRALIA

One M 150 MICROSTILL unit in operation at this location


Location details (approximate only) 23 South
130 East
Altitude above sea level
Temperature range

200 feet
+5C to +55C

MICROSTILL UNIT INSTALLATIONS

ALICE SPRINGS, NORTHERN TERRITORY, AUSTRALIA

This unit is ideally suited to the desert conditions that prevail in this part of Australia.
Daytime temperatures of +55C are common during summer. The MICROSTILL unit
operates reliably with a consistent product output through even the hottest days.
Whilst Alice Springs is physically well connected to major ports it is isolated by great
distances from major cities such as Darwin 8000km to the North and Adelaide 1000km
to the South. The MICROSTILL therefore provides local fuels at very competitive prices.
This unit has been in operation since installation in December 1993 and achieves the
following product slate:

PRODUCT YIELD
Naptha
Diesel
Residue

30%
45%
25%

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