Market projections point to a global trend of increased demand for petrochemical intermediates. Under this scenario, the implementation of strategies for enhancing the integration level between the refining operations and the petrochemical assets can be an attractive alternative for improving the refiners’ profitability.
The FCC units can be optimized for maximizing light olefins production, for example, by using ZSM-5 zeolite-based additives. The flexibility of the FCC units for adjusting the products yields mitigates the risks of huge oscillations in the local market demand and in propylene price.
The DuraZOOM HA additive is the latest in a long line of additives for light olefins and cracked naphtha octane maximization and results from the continuous innovation process of Fábrica Carioca de Catalisadores S.A. and Albemarle. Throughout the years we have succeeded in significantly raising the active material content of this line of additives as well as their intrinsic activity, providing superior yields in propylene for a comparable additive amount while reducing eventual FCCU inventory dilution effects. Besides, its excellent physical properties, typical of the DuraZOOM family favor the increase in the fluidization index without harm to the attrition index.