Ludwigshafenbased basf wrote on its website that it would build an additional steam cracker with sinopec and expand a 50. Basf restarts steam crackers at ludwigshafen following explosion. In a statement basf said it is investigating the cause of the explosion and is shutting down its two steam crackers. In a relative sense, european steam crackers use more liquids in the feed slate eg, naphtha or gas oil than middle eastern producers, which use costadvantaged ngls. Therefore, two pfos derived from naphtha npfo and vacuum gas oil vpfo were characterized using elemental. By switching from natural gas to renewable electricity to heat the cracker furnaces to 1,000 degrees c compared with a usual temperature of 850 degrees c, co2 savings could be as high as 90%. Steam cracking represents more than 95% of ethylene production. Several thousand sensors track process data, like pressure and temperature, around the clock in order to monitor and optimally direct the plant. Nov 29, 2016 have a look around and get an insight into working at the worlds largest chemical company with a virtual tour of our steam cracker in antwerp. Sales and earnings for the segments basf online report 2018. But prices are moving back up, he notesand this is a growth business for the longer haul. Pdf steam cracking of heavy oil fractions revisited. The training course examines the intricacies of a petrochemical steam cracker plant and breaks them down into core building blocks whose concepts will be explained in a clear easy to.
Butadiene presentation cracking chemistry ethylene. Crude oil distillation steam cracker or fcc cracker oligomerization. Steamcracker im basfwerk ludwigshafen steam cracker at basfs. This giant plant has been operating since 1981 and uses steam to crack naphtha at about 850c 1,562f. Sabic is another company that has looked into direct crudetoolefins. Gas oil and residues, also from the primary distillation of oil. Recenso operates an industrialscale pilot facility that uses its catalytic tribochemical conversion ctc process to convert municipal waste into a liquid oil. Basf moves forward with guangdong crackerethylene project. A push for green crackers chemical engineering page 1. Oct 25, 2014 basf, an industrial pillar in germany, leans abroad. Very recently a cracking plant has come on stream in singapore in which crude oil itself is the feedstock, the first time that this has been done. It is an object of the present invention to provide a process which can be used industrially on a large scale and with which plastic waste is converted into highvalue feed materials for a steam cracker which may be available, so that these feed materials can be converted, without the addition of, for example, naphtha, lpg and gas oil, in the. Since early april, the btp steam cracker has the capability to produce up to 40% of its ethylene from ethane and another 40% from butane and propane.
Because the raw material supply is still interrupted, the steam crackers remain shut down. Brussels, belgium have given final approval to a plan to build the worlds largest singletrain steam cracker. Investigators in the western german town of ludwigshafen are still trying to determine the cause of the. And oil or natural gas are the basic feedstocks from which these chemicals are produced. This will be basfs largest investment and will take the form of a highlyintegrated verbund site. Naphtha, ethane, propane, gas oil, and other similar feedstock can be cracked to produce ethylene. Accidents cause of deadly explosion at basf chemical plant in ludwigshafen remains unclear. Mar 24, 1998 it is an object of the present invention to provide a process which can be used industrially on a large scale and with which plastic waste is converted into highvalue feed materials for a steam cracker which may be available, so that these feed materials can be converted, without the addition of, for example, naphtha, lpg and gas oil, in the. Basf fina celebrates launch of naphtha steam cracker.
Basf to gradually resume chemical production after accident. Its not just the explosion that reveals the weaknesses of the verbund. The process of restarting a steam cracker takes at least a week, according to another naphtha market participant. Dallas, tx have announced that the boards of both basf aktiengesellschaft ludwigshafen, germany and petrofina s. Production of light olefins through catalytic cracking of gas oil is a viable technology which offers some advantages over steam cracking. Us4420343a process for the thermal decoking of cracked. Quench oil valves quench oil valves are used to control the flow of. London the shutdown of basfs two steam crackers at ludwigshafen in germany following a deadly explosion monday could reduce naphtha demand in northwest europe if the crackers remain offline for more than just a few days, naphtha market participants said. An ethylene steam cracker can accept a variety of feedstock. Basf total petrochemicals llc btp has completed a revamp of its steam cracker in port arthur, tex. Basf restarts steam crackers at ludwigshafen following.
Gas oil is converted in fluid catalytic cracking and hydrocracking units or hydrocracker into gasoline and diesel. Basf, total revamp port arthur steam cracker to process. Ethylene is the major product of a steam cracking unit and it is almost exclusively produced by this process. Steam cracking steam cracking ethylene production plants use a variety of feedstocks like. There is an increasing tendency to use heavy oil fractions such as gas oils, vacuum gas oils and waxes as steam cracking feeds because of their lower price compared to naphtha. Steamcracker im basfwerk ludwigshafen steam cracker at. Numerous value chains are started in the crackers, where straight run. Cracking and related refinery processes petroleum refinery. The steam crackers alone occupy 64 000 m 2, which is about the size of football fields. Both steamcrackers are among the largest of basfs production facilities in ludwigshafen and form the heart of the facility.
The steam cracker the heart of production in ludwigshafen already uses predictive maintenance through the application of stateoftheart information and automation technology. Youre the one that i want steam cracker feedstock selection in changing times tuesday, 12272016 published by. In steam cracking, a gaseous or liquid hydrocarbon feed like naphtha, lpg, or ethane is diluted with steam and briefly. In january 2014, exxonmobil officially opened in singapore a novel steam cracker that produces olefins directly from crude oil. Example of cracker producing ethylene, located at basfs ludwigshafen site. This is a starting point for subsequent value chains. But the supply of raw materials is still down more than 10 weeks later. Steam cracking of crude oil fractions gives rise to substantial amounts of a heavy liquid product referred to as pyrolysis fuel oil pfo. Steam cracking for the production of light olefins, such as ethylene and propylene. Steam cracking is a petrochemical process in which saturated hydrocarbons are broken down. Ludwigshafen based basf wrote on its website that it would build an additional steam cracker with sinopec and expand a 50. Steam cracker units are facilities in which a feedstock such as naphtha, liquefied petroleum gas.
The steam cracker, which came onstream in december, is a stateoftheart petrochemical plant which uses high temperatures to crack naphtha, a derivative of crude oil, into propylene, ethylene and other chemical products, which are essential in the manufacture of a broad range of products ranging from the plastics used in automobiles to man. Basf profit up 25% despite chill from oil prices marketwatch. By contrast, we expect lower volumes of steam cracker products due to scheduled shutdowns of the steam crackers in port arthur, texas. Basf ludwigshafen explosion and fire kills one, six still missing. A whole range of important basic chemical components for production are generated here on site. This giant plant has been operating since 1981 and uses steam to crack naphtha at about 850c. The steam cracker is also the heart of basfs verbund production strategy. This prevents the cleavage products from breaking down further. This petrochemical training course is designed to give you an insight into the chemical processes, plant operations and economics of a steam cracker plant. In a pilot project at ludwigshafen, the company manufactured its first trial products using pyrolysis oil made from chemically recycled plastic waste. Major ongoing projects include construction of the worlds largest ethylenebased steam cracker at port arthur, tx. Production of light olefins through gas oil cracking. Ethylene manufacture via the steam cracking process is in widespread practice throughout the world.
Other capital projects planned for 1999 include the startup of a specialty styrenics plant in altamira, mexico, an expansion of caprolactam capacity at freeport, tx, and the creation of a new. Basf shuts ludwigshafen cracker due to another fire icis. Basf, an industrial pillar in germany, leans abroad the new. In ludwigsahfen, that could save roughly three quarters of a million tonnes of co2 emissions across the companys steam crackers. Catalytic cracking in which a catalyst is employed and which produces high yields of branched and cyclic alkanes. Jun 14, 20 the oil dependent european petrochemicals industry could be in for a body blow as u. The steam cracker uses steam to crack crude petroleum, products like naphtha or lpg, at a temperature of about 850c. The hot gas is very rapidly cooled immediately afterwards. The initial phase would include petrochemical plants, notably a steam cracker with a planned capacity of one million metric tons of ethylene per year. Natural gas condensate is also used as raw material. Basfypc was developing an integrated petrochemical site comprised of nine production plants, with a naphtha cracker at the core and supporting utilities, and auxiliary facilities inside the production area, with storage and transportation facilities and utilities facilities. The whole site is the largest continuous chemical site in the world. Mso jobs 120 of 1033 receive mso jobs by email from oil and gas job search.
This article focuses on product stream drying duties in ethylene production based on steam cracking of paraffinic hydrocarbons. Nglfed plants or gas crackers are less complicated because they require only a water quench system and fewer process units for the byproducts. If a cracker goes cold, you need to preheat it before restarting it, he said. Basf total petrochemicals announces startup of 10th furnace at port arthur steam cracker. The choice of feedstock depends on the cracker furnace construction, the availability of the particular feed, its current market price and the desired end products. The facilities are therefore in operation twentyfour hours a day. The term cracker products comes from the steam cracker, one of the most important basf plants. Steam cracker units are facilities in which a feedstock such as naphtha, liquefied petroleum gas lpg, ethane, propane or butane is thermally cracked through the use of steam in a bank of pyrolysis furnaces to produce lighter hydrocarbons. Feb 27, 2015 basf profit up 25% despite chill from oil prices. New catalysts enable co2neutral olefins production via. Although steam cracking is a mature technology, mitigation of coke formation. Ngl markets by vastly increasing production and by lowering ngl prices relative to the prices of crude oil and natural gas. Numerous companies on site rely on a constant supply from the crackers.
However, shale oil could question the strategic rationale of such plants, according to. Light olefins from the fluid catalytic cracker are processed in either hf acid hydrofluoric acid or sulfuric acid alkylation units. The saudi arabian oil company aramco has discussed plans to build a crudetoolefins complex. In steam cracking, a gaseous or liquid hydrocarbon feedlike naphtha, lpg low pressure gas or ethane is diluted with steam and then briefly heated in a furnace, obviously without the presence of oxygen. Stateoftheart of coke formation during steam cracking improof. Basf increases chemicals capacity in europe basf to build butadiene extraction plant in antwerp the butadiene is a monomer and used as an important chemical intermediate to produce elastomers and thermoplastics, such as synthetic rubbers, latex, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer and polyamide. Other investments included the construction of oil and gas. In addition, additions included renovations to the steam cracker and the construction of a new propane tank in antwerp, belgium. Steam cracker ii, the largest individual plant at basfs ludwigshafen site, covers a surface area of about 64,000 square meters, which is about the size of soccer fields.
Our contribution to a sustainable future basf online report. Steam cracking is a petrochemical process in which saturated hydrocarbons are broken down into smaller, often unsaturated, hydrocarbons. The pyrolysis oil goes to a steam cracker figure 2. Ludwigshafen the heart of the verbund numerous value chains are started in the crackers, where straight run gasoline naphtha consisting of long hydrocarbon chains is cracked using steam. Naphtha is the feedstock and the main products are ethene and propene, used to make polymers. To evaluate the potential use of pfo for production of valueadded chemicals, a better understanding of the composition is needed. Following the signing of the memorandum of understanding in july 2018, basf has selected the city of zhanjiang as the location for its second site in china. It is the principal industrial method for producing the lighter alkenes or commonly olefins, including ethene or ethylene and propene or propylene.
Basf said the two ludwigshafen steam crackers, which turn oil distillates into basic petrochemical building blocks for anything from plastics and coatings to solvents, would gradually resume output over the next few days because alternative supply lines will circumvent the disaster area. An improved process for steam cracking a crude oil feed to produce products useful as chemical raw materials or fuels characterized by the steps wherein the crude oil feed is first passed through the convection section of a steam cracking furnace to vaporize the materials in the feed boiling below about 450 f. The first products form as a result of these process steps, for example pyrolysis oil and pyrolysis gasoline. The company closed the steam cracker in ludwigshafen following a fire, a spokeswoman said, after it idled a similar plant in antwerp, belgium, on. Basfs ludwigshafen crackers, petrochemical units shut. Cause of deadly explosion at basf chemical plant in. Two steam crackers at the worlds largest chemical complex in ludwigshafen, germany, have been restarted following a fatal explosion and blaze at the plant that claimed the lives of four employees last month. May 29, 20 the port arthur steam cracker can now be supplied with ethane produced at the mont belvieu, texas site, through which most u. Valves for controlling dilution steam are also present. Mar 12, 2019 also in december, basf, ludwigshafen, germany, announced progress in plastic waste recycling via its chemcycling program. Basf gets this feedstock for the pilot products from the partner recenso gmbh remscheid, germany. Stateoftheart of coke formation during steam cracking.
The project will include a whollyowned steam cracker with a planned capacity of 1 million tonnesyear of ethylene and several plants for consumeroriented products and solutions. One dead after blast at basf chemical plant news for the. Naphtha, a mixture of c5 to c10 hydrocarbons, from the distillation of crude oil 3. They process approximately two million tonnes of naphtha annually, which is transported to ludwigshafen by ship and pipeline. Figure 1 a view of the steam crackers at ludwigshafen in germany.
The two steam crackers, which have a combined capacity of 620,00 mt of ethylene, use naphtha and liquefied petroleum gas as feedstock. German basf to intensify oil and gas cooperation with sinopec. Steam cracking plants figures 1 and 2 use a variety of feedstocks, for example. The steam cracking process petrochemicals oil and gas. This process leads primarily to ethylene and propylene, both indispensable feedstocks for manufacturing numerous products in ludwigshafen. Being the largest volume building block, it is mainly used in the manufacture of polyethylene, ethylene oxide, vinyl acetate, ethylbenzene and ethylene dichloride 2. Chemical processing how oil refining works howstuffworks.
Lengthy ludwigshafen cracker shutdown would reduce nwe. Discover the steam cracking process used to make the major building blocks for a variety of petrochemicals oil and gas 4. In steam cracking, a gaseous or liquid hydrocarbon feedlike naphtha, lpg low pressure gas or ethane is diluted with steam and then briefly heated in a. This year, it converted a steam cracker, which can produce as much as. Basf, fina approve construction of steam cracker facility basf corporation mount olive, nj and fina, inc. Yet, the planned shell ethane cracker and additional petrochemical. Basf, fina approve construction of steam cracker facility. The oil dependent european petrochemicals industry could be in for a body blow as u. Basf total petrochemicals announces startup of 10th furnace. Basfs ludwigshafen crackers, petrochemical units shut after. How industry tackles plastics plague chemical processing. The abundance of cheap ethane and the large availability of crude oil, on the. Regardless of whether a liquid or gas feed is used in the cracker, there is a water quenching section with cooling on flow control.
Basf to gradually resume chemical production after. Ludwigshafen residents are asked to remain indoors and to close all doors and windows, the chemical company said in a statement said on twitter. Housley carr the shale revolution has had a profound impact on u. Compositional characterization of pyrolysis fuel oil from. Material investments included the acetylene plant currently under construction as well as plants for the production of catalysts in ludwigshafen, germany. Both quench oil cycles are formed by condensing the heavy ends of the cracked gas process steam generation by hot quench oil water scrubbing water quench column cracked gas is cooled by water circulation to ambient 30 c temperature to condense heavy gasoline and process dilution steam. Steam cracking cracking furnaces fuel gas oil to other furnaces feedstock dilution steam decoking effluent cracked gas from other furnaces hp steam more pass inlets furnace convection section burnersradiant section more pass outlets demineralized water this diagram is intended to be a representation and should not be viewed as an actual. The first batch of this oil was fed into the steam cracker at basfs site in ludwigshafen in october 2018.