Refining India December 2025 Issue

Conclusion Octamax is an innovative solution for producing BS-VI-compliant regular and premium gasoline. By converting low-value cracked C₄ streams, traditionally routed to the LPG pool, into an oxygen-free, high-octane, olefin-rich product, it enables direct blending into the gasoline pool, subject to olefin content constraints. With a high BRON, it provides a significant octane buffer, allowing refiners to upgrade low-RON naphtha, which not only enhances gasoline volume but also offers a tangible opportunity to improve GRMs. Octamax boosts production capacity and facilitates the creation of niche premium fuels, such as XP100 (100 RON gasoline), enabling Indian refiners to cater to high-performance segments while maximising refinery flexibility. In the current E20 ethanol blending scenario (EBMS), Octamax enhances octane levels in gasoline without increasing oxygen content. This ensures compliance with renewable ethanol blending targets and sustainability goals while maintaining fuel quality standards. The technology expands the base gasoline pool and allows for maximum ethanol blending, making it a strategic enabler for refiners in producing compliant and economically viable gasoline blends. Following its success at Mathura Refinery, two grassroots units of capacity 110 kTA and 102 kTA are in the advanced stage of implementation in India, with scheduled commissioning by 2026. This article is based on a presentation at The Distillation Symposium of the AIChE Meeting, Houston, TX, Spring 2023. References 1 Kister H Z, P M Mathias, D E Steinmeyer, W R Penney, V S Monical, J R Fair, Equipment for distillation, gas absorption, phase dispersion and phase separation, in D W Green and R H Perry Perry’s Chemical Engineers’ Handbook 9th Ed., Sec 14, McGraw Hill, New York, 2018. 2 Kister H Z, Use Quantitative gamma scans to troubleshoot maldistri- bution on trays, Chem. Eng. Progr. , February 2013. 3 Harrison M E, Gamma scan evaluation for distillation column debottle- necking, Chem. Eng. Prog. 86 (3), pp.37-44, March 1990. 4 Kister H Z, Is the Hydraulic Gradient on Sieve and Valve trays Negligible? Paper presented at the Topical Conference on Distillation, AIChE Meeting, Houston, Texas, 2012. 5 Kister H Z, M Olsson, An investigation of premature flooding in a dis - tillation column, Chem. Eng. , p.29, January 2019. 6 Wang W, A P Watkinson, Iron Sulphide and Coke Fouling from Sour Oils: Review and Initial Parameters , Proceedings of International Conference on Heat Exchanger Fouling and Cleaning 2011 Crete Island, Greece, June 5-10, 2011. Daniel Hussman is a Senior Process Engineer at the Parkland Burnaby Refinery in Burnaby, BC Canada, responsible for process improvement and yield optimisation of a crude distillation unit, as well as the entire naphtha and diesel blocks. He has more than 15 years of experience in process troubleshooting, debottlenecking, solution implementation, risk management, and reliability improvement. He has authored four technical publications and is a member of the Canadian Crude Quality Technical Association. He holds a BSc in chemical engineering and an MSc in transport phenomena and separation processes from Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran. Gordon Bruce is the Manager of Blending and Shipping Operations at the Parkland Burnaby Refinery. With 20 years of experience, he has held roles in process engineering, production supply, and turnaround operations. He holds a Bachelor of chemical engineering from Dalhousie University in Halifax NS. Abdullah Abufara is a process engineer at the Parkland Burnaby Refinery, with significant knowledge and experience in producing renewable fuels and co-processing biofeedstocks in diesel hydrotreating and FCC units. He holds a BSc from the American University of Sharjah, UAE, and an MSc from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada. Komi Chandi is a senior process engineer at the Parkland Burnaby Refinery, and has worked on several refinery technologies. He has held various roles in process engineering, including process troubleshooting and debottlenecking. Josh Donohue is a process engineer at the Parkland Burnaby Refinery, supporting the Splitter (crude), naphtha and distillate hydrotreating, and catalytic reforming units. He has three years of experience in the oil and gas industry and obtained a BSc in chemical engineering with distinc- tion from the University of Western Ontario, Canada. Henry Z Kister is a Fluor Corp. Senior Fellow and Director of Fractionation Technology. He has more than 35 years of experience in design, trou- bleshooting, revamping, field consulting, control, and start-up of frac - tionation processes and equipment. He has authored three books, the Distillation Equipment chapter in Perry’s Handbook , and about 150 articles. He has taught the IChemE-sponsored Practical Distillation Technology course more than 550 times in 26 countries, and a recent Troubleshooting Distillation Controls course, also sponsored by IChemE. A recipient of several awards, he obtained BE and ME degrees from the University of NSW in Australia. He has been serving on the FRI Technical Advisory and Design Practices Committees for more than 25 years. Prosenjit Maji majip@indianoil.in Pushkar Varshney varshneyp@indianoil.in Talari Raju talarir@indianoil.in Satyen Kumar Das dassk5@indianoil.in R K Kaushik Singha kaushik_singha@indianoil.in Alok Sharma sharmaa@indianoil.in

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Resiliency of fossil-based feedstocks … Catalysis Q&A ... Incorporating new technology and tools for catalyst development … FCC co-processing of biogenic and recyclable feedstocks: Part I … Passivating vanadium in FCC operations … Hybrid catalyst loading reduces fill cost and carbon footprint … Catalyst rejuvenation offers circular solution for hydroprocessing catalysts … Catalyst technology for maximum light olefins and ultra-low emissions … Experimental study on diesel fuel haziness … Troubleshooting low or high regenerator temperatures … Zeopore is making its mark in green applications through zeolite modification. Q1 2024 Issue of PTQ

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