Making the best out of shale oil

Shale oils present unique challenges. While shale oils vary greatly depending on their source of origin, they do have many physical properties in common, such as high density and contaminants. Yet those characteristics that differentiate them from one another can create a range of processing issues.

Overcoming challenges
Sophisticated skills, processes, and technology are needed to meet cetane, density, and other product specifications. Contending with catalysts and equipment fouling are top concerns. TOPSOE™ has the expertise and experience to help you plan and adapt to shale oil feed variability, so you can profitably convert it into high-quality transportation fuels.

We work hard and take into consideration factors, such as feed properties and your product objectives, to determine the processing steps and equipment required to upgrade these crudes. Our process also includes a step for filtering solids and other contaminants, enabling production of EURO V quality diesel.

We install a guard section to protect the catalyst and equipment from fouling due to olefin polymerization. A hydrotreating step will be deployed to 1) saturate olefins, 2) remove arsenic, 3) convert oxygenates and organic chloride, and 4) for hydrodesulfurization (HDS) at low pressure.

A TOPSOE™ installation typically includes a hydrotreating and hydrocracking step to remove organic nitrogen, saturate aromatics, and, for hydrocracking, the shale oil to produce diesel, meeting density and cetane index specifications.

Finally, TOPSOE™’s proprietary shale oil processing technology is deployed to separate the products into LPG, naphtha, and diesel fractions.
 

A streamlined solution
Perhaps you have concerns about shale oil processing, technology, and how best to integrate new processes, catalysts, and hardware into your facility. Whatever your challenge, TOPSOE™ is ready to help you with the solutions you need to design and operate a streamlined project that adds value to your bottom line.