TACKLING SULPHUR AND FEEDSTOCK CHALLENGES WITH XRF AT REFINERIES AND PIPELINE TERMINALS
Refiners face increasing pressure to produce higher-quality fuels while optimising efficiency. Over the past decade, global regulatory bodies have enforced or announced stringent limits on total sulphur content in petroleum products, with levels as low as 10 mg/kg. The LoD of Sindie Online is 0.5 mg/kg, which allows users to quantify from 1.5 mg/kg in conventional fuels.
In parallel, global initiatives drive an increased share of biofuels derived from renewable feedstocks. Therefore, refineries must invest substantially in new equipment, upgrade existing infrastructure, modify operations, or combine these strategies. Regardless of the approach, such changes invariably raise the cost of producing conventional and alternative fuels.
Moreover, adjusting feedstocks to comply with sulphur regulations introduces complexities, as most analysers are calibrated for specific parameters such as pressure, temperature, flow rate, viscosity, and composition. This is particularly problematic for analysers requiring sample conversion or pre-treatment, which increases operational complexity and costs.
In contrast, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysers, like XOS’ Sindie Online, offer significant advantages due to their inherent non-destructive analysis. XRF technology eliminates the need for sample combustion, solvent mixing, or density adjustment, ensuring reliable performance across a broad range of sulphur concentrations—whether at ultra- low levels (e.g., 10 mg/kg) or higher thresholds. A robust calibration and validation program tailored to the measurement range further enhances precision.
Every milligram of sulphur removed from petroleum products comes at a substantial cost. Refineries incur expenses related to hydrogen, catalysts, energy, and capital investments in hydrotreating technology—additionally, operational factors such as catalyst replacement downtime and limited lifespan of catalysts further impact overall costs. Catalyst performance is heavily influenced by operating temperature, space velocity, and hydrogen partial pressure, necessitating meticulous control to optimise sulphur removal and longevity.
Another option is to change feedstock composition to reduce sulphur at the source, but this comes with trade-offs. Low-sulphur crude or alternative feedstocks often command a premium or may introduce other contaminants, requiring additional processing.
More information online:
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REAL-TIME TOTAL CHLORINE MONITORING TO ENSURE OPERATIONAL RELIABILITY AND PRODUCT QUALITY
Corrosion at petroleum refineries is a critical problem worldwide. In the United States alone, corrosion causes $3.7 billion in direct costs annually from maintenance, vessel expenditures, and fouling. This colossal figure is in addition to the estimated loss of as much as $12 billion in profits due to decreased capacity, unit outages, and premature turnarounds.
Chlorine in crude oil can hydrolyse during processing to form hydrochloric acid.
The crude oil desalter is the first line of defence in preventing corrosion, but an effective chloride monitoring solution must be implemented to provide a proper defence. Many refiners rely on semi-periodic testing of inorganic chlorides to get the job done. However, what if a desalter upset occurs in between testing periods? Worse yet, what if an organic
chlorine slug is present in the incoming crude? The desalter will remove only the extractable inorganic chlorides, not organic chlorides, and any chlorides that pass through the desalter have the potential to cause fouling and corrosion issues. Refiners who don’t rely on semi-periodic testing typically only monitor inorganic chlorine. While this is very important for desalter efficiency, it does not capture all threats.
Online chlorine analysis in crude oil presents more challenges due to low-level quantification requirements and sampling complications. To meet these needs, XOS has developed a MWDXRF online chlorine analyser. Clora Online uses MWD XRF technology and delivers real-time, continuous analysis of total chlorine with an LOD of 0.2 ppmw in hydrocarbons and 0.6 ppmw in aqueous process streams. Results are delivered every 15-300 seconds, depending on user preference. Clora Online offers an extended range up to 3000 ppmw, allowing for the detection of a chloride spike, which may indicate an upset in the desalting process or the presence of an organic slug. This enables refiners to act quickly and avoid potential hazards.
More information online:
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ATEX Zone 1 model shown. NEC Class I Div 2 version is also available with different screen and features.
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SCHEDULE A TIME WITH AN XOS EXPERT TO DISCUSS YOUR REQUIREMENTS
A closed loop sample of 1.59 ppmw was run through the analyzer for over 92 hours resulting in a standard deviation of 0.11 ppmw.
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Benefit of real-time XRF Monitoring - Rapid detection of process upsets
www.xos.com
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