Research in Petroleum Refining & Petrochemicals at KFUPM

Refining & Petrochemical Research at KFUPM

Center for Refining and Petrochemicals (CRP) Established in 1978 Emphasis on Client-Funded Industrial Research Current Research Areas: Desulfurization, Alkylation, Cat Cracking, Polymers

Center of Research Excellence in Refining & Petrochemicals (CoRE-PRP) Established in 2007 by Ministry of Higher Education Emphasis on catalysis research in olefins, aromatics, polyolefins Promotion of graduate and post-graduate research
KAUST Center-in-Development in Petrochemicals & Polymers (KAUST-CID)
Established in 2008; Awarded by King Abdullah University for Science & Technology

Current research areas: aromatics and polyolefins Promotion of graduate and post-graduate research
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CRP - Mission & Vision

Mission Conduct client-driven research in petroleum refining and petrochemicals areas, which are of strategic importance to Saudi Arabia Vision To be a leading research center in refining and petrochemicals through innovative basic and applied research

CRP - Objectives

Align research activities with national needs; and extend Kingdoms knowledge base

Develop strategic alliances with national, regional and international institutions

Customer focused R&D activities with interdisciplinary approach and world class facilities

CRP Major Research Areas

Refining Research (ongoing projects) Heavy oil upgrading (FCC and hydroprocessing) Clean fuels ( reforming catalysts for hydrogen production) Development of novel FCC catalysts with enhanced propylene production Performance evaluation of commercial catalysts Technical services to refining industries Evaluation of adsorbents for drying of natural gas Development of FCC additives for enhancing propylene (NSTIP)

Major Research Areas

Petrochemicals Research

Para-xylene via transalkylation of heavy aromatics

Naphtha catalytic cracking to light olefins

Toluene methylation to: paraxylene or styrene

Metathesis of butenes to propylene

Dehydrogenation of EB to styrene
Catalysts for LAB Synthesis Technical services and catalyst screening to petrochemicals industries

Major Research Areas

Polymer Research Development of heterogeneous polyolefin catalysts Polyolefin characterization and applications Development of novel polyalphaolefin drag reducing agents Develop UV stabilizer-based formulations suitable for harsh climatic conditions of the Arabian Gulf region

CRP Manpower
Sr. Research Engineer Research Engineers Research Scientist s Engineers Scientists Lab Technicians Admin Staff 1 5 10 3 4 6 2

Full time Researchers = 16 Support Staff = 15 Several faculty members & students from Chemistry, Chemical and Mechanical Engineering Departments are team members in our ongoing projects.

Laboratories and Facilities

Laboratories and Facilities

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FCC Catalysts Testing Units

Circulating Riser Unit ASTM-Micro Activity Test (MAT) unit Advanced Catalytic Evaluation (ACE) Unit Circulating Downer Pilot Plant (Grace-Davison) Fixed-bed Flow Reactor for Naphtha cracking Catalyst deactivation units Analytical Support
Refinery gas analyzers ( FID & TCD GCs) Detailed hydrocarbon analyzer (PIONA) Carbon/sulfur analyzer XRD Analyzer

Major FCC Catalyst Testing Units

Fixed-bed flow reactor system: Naphtha catalytic steam cracking to light olefins

Advanced Cracking Evaluation (ACE): Laboratory scale system for studying FCC catalysts

HS-FCC Process: Basic Development

30 BD Demonstration Plant Overview

Joint Partnership between KFUPM, with Saudi Aramco, JX Nippon

Comparative Yields: VGO Feed

HS-FCC Process and Yields

Flue Gas

Hopper
Feed
Combustion air as lift medium

60 50
Gasoline (wt%)
More gasoline at same light olefins

Downer

40 30 20 10 0
More light olefins at same gasoline

Downer
Product

Riser

Lift Line

Stripper
Steam

Regenerator
Air

10

20

30

40

Light Olefins (wt%)

A 3,000 bbl/day is in the test phase at JX Nippon Mizushima refinery (Process licensors: Axens and Stone & Webster)

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For further information: Director, Center for Refining & Petrochemicals Research Institute, KFUPM, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia Telephone: +966-3-860-2029 Fax: +966-3-860-4509 Email: crp@kfupm.edu.sa; Web : http://ri.kfupm.edu.sa/crp/