22-10-2020

Sinopec Qilu successfully starts up DuPont™ STRATCO® alkylation technology

DuPont Clean Technologies (DuPont) is pleased to announce that the STRATCO® alkylation unit at the Sinopec Qilu refinery in Zibo, Shandong Province, China, successfully completed its performance test, certifying that the unit is meeting required performance guarantees. The STRATCO® alkylation unit at Sinopec Qilu Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec Qilu) is designed to produce 400 kmta (10,300 BPSD) of alkylate product from a MTBE raffinate feedstock and enables production of low-sulfur, high-octane, low-Rvp alkylate with zero olefins that meets the criteria of the China V standard.

“It is our great pleasure to see this successful collaboration between DuPont and Sinopec come to fruition. In order to meet extreme plot space limitations within the refinery complex, DuPont worked to design and fabricate the Model 74 Contactor™ reactor, reducing equipment count and providing high reliability to Sinopec. We are very pleased with the implementation of this larger reactor, affording Sinopec Qilu the high on-stream time they have come to expect from our technology. As Sinopec continues to drive towards lower emission specifications, DuPont was excited to assist with a custom-designed solution,” said Kevin Bockwinkel, global business manager, STRATCO® alkylation technology.

The Sinopec Qilu refinery marks the first commercialization of the innovative Model 74 Contactor™ reactors. Fundamentally the same as commercially operating reactors in service throughout the world, the Model 74 Contactor™ reactors reduce the total number of reactors and plot space required for STRATCO® alkylation units and result in an overall lower capital cost. These reactors continue to offer the high reliability and productivity refiners have grown accustomed to with the STRATCO® alkylation technology. The Model 74 Contactor™ reactor includes the latest reactor improvements and each has a volume of 68.1 m3 (18,000 gallons), increasing volume from the standard size Contactor™ (Model 63) at 43.5 m3 (11,500 gallons) per reactor. Both reactor models are commercially available from DuPont.

The STRATCO® alkylation technology is a sulfuric acid-catalyzed process that converts low-value, straight-chain olefins (propylene, butylene and amylene) into high-value, branched components called alkylate. Alkylate is known for its superior blending properties and is a key component for clean gasoline.  The STRATCO® alkylation technology helps refiners safely produce cleaner-burning gasoline with high octane, low Reid vapor pressure, low sulfur, zero aromatics and zero olefins. Licensed and marketed by DuPont as part of its Clean Technologies portfolio, the STRATCO® alkylation technology is the world-leading alkylation technology with more than 100 licensed units worldwide and more than 915,000 bpsd (35,800 kmta) of installed capacity. DuPont is committed to alkylation research and has extensive experience in assisting refiners with alkylation research, design, start-ups, test runs, troubleshooting, optimization, revamps, expansions, analytical testing, operator training, turnarounds and HAZOP studies.