PTQ Q3 2023 Issue

Identify pain Responsible: Parkland Support: Grace

Parkland Ops/Technical teams identies operating issue(s) during processing of renewable feedstock. Parkland/Grace teams work together to troubleshoot and address issues via process handles.

Catalytic solution feasibility review Responsible: Grace Support: Parkland

Commercial trial and optimisation Responsible: Grace Support: Parkland

If pain still exists after process adjustments, move to Catalytic Solution Feasibility Review.

Grace R&D, marketing and technical experts work to understand underlying root cause of issue. Parkland may be required to collect and submit various samples for analysis

Once catalyst/additive data developed and sucient pilot scale data is generated to show commercial feasibilty, conduct trials. Optimise catalyst/additive to maximise performance/value. Develop commercial terms.

and characterisation by Grace. If solution deemed feasible, move to Catalytic Solution Development.

Catalytic Solution Development Responsible: Grace

Catalyst or additive technology/IP development. Pilot plant work to be conducted to support development and demonstrate commercial feasibility.

Figure 4 Simple process flow for co-processing renewable feeds at the Parkland FCC

in North America, research on renewable feeds is often kept company-confidential (when a refiner can identify a reliable renewable feed source). As such, finding enough information and gaining a good understanding of FCC co-processing can prove difficult for refiners. This lack of understanding, combined with common refinery goals of high utilisation and risk minimisation, leads to concerns and further limits the ability of refiners to move forward with co-processing renewable feeds. This is where lab testing, technical support, and research have become vital parts of processing renewable feeds at FCCs all over the world and, beginning in 2018, at Parkland. To help conceptualise a co-processing workflow process, Grace and Parkland worked together to create a flow chart that helped address initial operational challenges and inte - grate the Grace Research and Development Team and the Grace Global Customer Technology Group or ‘GCT’. The process flow chart used in the first project can be seen in Figure 4 . Though simple, the process laid the framework for future research and development agreements between Parkland and Grace that is still being used today and gen - erating confidence throughout the two organisations to

conduct renewable feed testing, catalyst development, and commercial trials. While addressing the operational challenges experienced when processing canola and tallow at the Parkland FCC, both Parkland and Grace recognised that collaboration with respect to their expertise, refinery operations and catalysts could be mutually beneficial and provide the refining and petrochemical markets with improved and more compet - itive technology offerings for renewable fuel feedstocks. What became known as the ‘Renewables Collaboration Agreement’ was written and signed by the two companies in July 2021. The Agreement further defines trial processes, catalyst and process development ownership, and use of Grace R&D services. It also helped remove the confidenti - ality barriers that typically limit co-processing discussions by showing the long-term commitment that the companies have to each other and their common goal of advancing the understanding and capabilities of FCC co-processing around the world. Since the Agreement, the two partners have continued to work together to improve the sustainability of refined products and FCC profitability. The partnership has enabled detailed teamwork on specific co-processing issues rang - ing from common concerns like oxygenates, unit coking, and maintaining the FCC heat balance to less understood issues like renewable feed miscibility, yield profiles, bio - genic carbon accounting, and downstream unit impacts. To support research and troubleshooting, ACE and DCR (see Figure 5 ) pilot plant testing was conducted on multiple proprietary feedstocks, commercial trials were performed and troubleshot, and multiple catalyst formulations were utilised to address yield and unit limitations. In response to the Agreement and the industry’s commitment to co-pro - cessing, Grace has made significant improvements and investments to R&D capabilities for testing and research of renewable feedstock co-processing and its implications on the FCC process.

Figure 5 Grace DCR Pilot Plant

PTQ Q3 2023