Author: Surjeet Kumar

COVID-19 and Managing Process Side Challenges in Refinery & Petrochemical Plants: From a Process
Chemical Treatment Perspective

COVID-19 has led to partial to complete lockdown in many countries. This has resulted in reduced
consumption of goods and plants had to either turndown their production or stop their plants.

It is important to address challenges that may arise due to changes in operating conditions in plant and
process chemical treatment should be modified to take care of changes in operating conditions.

Broadly there are two main areas to focus in a refinery & petrochemicals industry:

Corrosion Control:

There could be change in requirement of corrosion protection treatment program due to changes during
Covid-19 situation in a refinery and petrochemical plant.

In a refinery change in feed crude composition, changes in water dew point due to changes in operating
conditions can increase potential for corrosion. Contaminants in feed could be chloride, organic acids or
formation of corrosion causing salts due to changed operating conditions could be ammonium chloride
salts.

In an olefin cracker, quench water loop can see increased corrosion potential due to change in feed
composition to cracking furnace or change in operating parameter like H:S ratio, severity of cracking etc.
… which may lead more acidic species in pH of quench water loop.

Above conditions in a refinery and petrochemical plant may require increased dosing of currently used
corrosion inhibitors or may also require a complete change of corrosion inhibitor chemistry.

An online continuous corrosion monitoring is a step-in positive direction for early detection of increased
corrosion potential. Modelling software to simulate changed operating conditions and its impact on
corrosion control can also help in early detection of any increase in corrosion potential.

Fouling Control:

Fouling control in a refinery or petrochemical plant is directly dependent on hydrocarbon stream

composition, operating temperature, velocity, residence time in an equipment. An area which generally
doesn’t see fouling during normal operation may start to see fouling in turndown conditions.

In a refinery change in feed characteristics like asphaltene, heat flux or velocity can lead to increased
fouling. This may increase the demand of antifoulant or may require starting antifoulants in systems
which were historically not treated by antifoulants.

In an olefin cracker change in cracked gas composition due to change in feed or operating conditions can
severely increase fouling potential. Reduced flow to equipment like caustic tower (acid gas removal),
reduced velocity in reboilers of cold section may require increased polymerization inhibitor and/ or
dispersants. Change in recycle streams flow or composition will also affect fouling potential. Iron from
increased corrosion can also catalyze formation peroxide which will increase polymer formation.
Online monitoring, monitoring fouling potential using special equipment, heat duty/ heat transfer
coefficient, delta pressure, antifoulant residuals, monitoring analytical parameters can help in early
detection of fouling.

Apart from corrosion and fouling, Covid-19 may show some challenges with respect to supply chain of
products and it is important to have sufficient safety stock at site for any unexpected delay in delivery
from supplier.

Every plant is different and need individualized plan to do changes required for efficient corrosion and
fouling control. Always include your process chemicals service provider in planning meetings to prepare
for these situations in advance.

Stay Safe !!!