PTQ Q3 2022 Issue

Petrochemical complex digitalisation for greater efficiency and emissions reduction Concepts of automation and data exchange in manufacturing have propelled both upstream and downstream sectors into the 4.0 world, gradually extending to petrochemical plants

Philippe Mège and Michel Molinier Axens

N umerous benefits are expected from digitalisation transformation, including real-time business man- agement and associated efficiencies, minimised environmental impact, and improved sustainability and safety. In petrochemical complexes, process licensors and catalyst suppliers play a key role in accompanying this trans- formation as they provide the digital tools complementing their proprietary technologies, implement tailored users fea- tures such as diagnostics and alerts, predictive functions and improvement suggestions, as well as cybersecurity solutions to ensure the confidentiality of their real-time exchanges with operators. Digitalisation options must come at a competitive cost to ensure the benefits largely surpass the additional invest- ment. Process unit remote monitoring by licensors and catalyst suppliers used to be a challenge due to the time lag between data collection, data submission, data interpreta- tion and feedback transmission, and time zone differences. With real-time data display and exchange of operating sta- tus viewgraphs for a unit or an entire complex, Axens is in an ideal position to assist operators in maximising the efficiency of their processes, with benefits for both users and technol- ogy providers.

Against this backdrop, it benefits to show the advantages of digitalisation in an aromatics complex, where processes are inherently and strongly interconnected. Examples of performance visualisation by various units of measure, alert functions, optimisation tools, and performance prediction are presented together with yields improvements and ensu- ing benefits in commercially operating plants. The impact of digitalisation on GHG emission reduction is also detailed and discussed. Finally, the coming digital twin approach for a petrochemical plant is introduced. Digitalisation for the petrochemical industry Real-time business, real-time supply chain management and optimisation, production excellence, enhanced sustainability and compliance, and reduced risk to personnel safety and health were among the many expected benefits as industry 4.0 concepts caught up with the refining industry. 1 These improvements are now extending to petrochemical plants, even if many chemical companies are still figuring out how to apply digitalisation to their business in the most effective way. 2 Process licensors are in a unique position to accom- pany the digital transformation of petrochemical operations as they:

Light naphtha

Ranate

Benzene

Light reformate

Benz/tol fractionation

Extraction

Transalkylation

Full range naphtha

Naphtha hydroteating

Paraxylene

Reformer

Separation

Isomerisation

Heavy naphtha

Liquid phase isomerisation

Heavy reformate

HAR

Heavies

Figure 1 Example of aromatic complex block flow diagram

PTQ Q3 2022