Refiners are leveraging hydrocracking to respond to momentum in global dieselization, with crude prices forcing refiners to process distressed crudes and difficult feedstock.
Hydrocracking is not a new process. The first hydrocracker was constructed at the Leuna, Germany, industrial complex to convert lignite coal into liquid fuels. Hydrocracking evolved as a method to convert the “bottom of the barrel” into lighter, higher-value products than that achieved through delayed coking operations. These operations often focus on the deeper conversion of vacuum gasoil and heavy-coker gasoil. As refinery feedstocks become higher in sulfur content and lower in API, refiners are seeking process changes to facilitate production of middle distillates.
Hydrocracking has always been considered an expensive processing option due to operating costs for hydrogen cons
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