For existing non-integrated refining enterprises with a capacity of less than 5.0 Mt/a, which produce a large amount of fuel gas, have low hydrogen demand and face high transportation costs for dry gas, it is recommended to build hydrogen production units using self-produced dry gas.
Existing urban refineries are subject to stringent environmental requirements and face many constraints on coal transportation. It is suggested that the hybrid hydrogen production route using dry gas and natural gas should be prioritized in combination with fuel balance. Given increasingly stringent national environmental protection requirements — especially the clearly stipulated restriction in the *Law on the Prevention and Control of Air Pollution* that petroleum coke with high sulfur content (initially defined as sulfur mass fraction above 3%) shall not leave the factory — enterprises processing high-sulfur crude oil will encounter difficulties in the disposal of petroleum coke.
In 2015, petroleum coke with a sulfur mass fraction above 3% was priced at 680 yuan per ton, while petroleum coke with 7% sulfur content in Qingdao and Tianjin was sold at only 460 yuan per ton, roughly on par with coal prices. With growing environmental and transportation pressures in the future, its price will gradually decline.
At present, the residual oil hydrogenation route is economically unfavorable for heavy crude oil with high metal content. It is recommended that such vacuum residue be subjected to mild solvent deasphalting, followed by integration with hydrogenation, catalytic cracking and other processes, so as to maximize the conversion of residual oil into light oil products. The deoiled hard asphalt can be used as feedstock for hydrogen production or as boiler fuel.
The supply capacity and price of coal and natural gas are critical to the selection of fuels for power boilers driven by hydrogen production process demand. Based on preliminary calculations using prices in the Shanghai region, the cost difference between the two fuels for a 10 Mt/a refining system is approximately 500 million yuan; in North China, the difference stands at 350 million yuan.
Existing urban refineries are subject to stringent environmental requirements and face many constraints on coal transportation. It is suggested that the hybrid hydrogen production route using dry gas and natural gas should be prioritized in combination with fuel balance. Given increasingly stringent national environmental protection requirements — especially the clearly stipulated restriction in the *Law on the Prevention and Control of Air Pollution* that petroleum coke with high sulfur content (initially defined as sulfur mass fraction above 3%) shall not leave the factory — enterprises processing high-sulfur crude oil will encounter difficulties in the disposal of petroleum coke.
In 2015, petroleum coke with a sulfur mass fraction above 3% was priced at 680 yuan per ton, while petroleum coke with 7% sulfur content in Qingdao and Tianjin was sold at only 460 yuan per ton, roughly on par with coal prices. With growing environmental and transportation pressures in the future, its price will gradually decline.
At present, the residual oil hydrogenation route is economically unfavorable for heavy crude oil with high metal content. It is recommended that such vacuum residue be subjected to mild solvent deasphalting, followed by integration with hydrogenation, catalytic cracking and other processes, so as to maximize the conversion of residual oil into light oil products. The deoiled hard asphalt can be used as feedstock for hydrogen production or as boiler fuel.
The supply capacity and price of coal and natural gas are critical to the selection of fuels for power boilers driven by hydrogen production process demand. Based on preliminary calculations using prices in the Shanghai region, the cost difference between the two fuels for a 10 Mt/a refining system is approximately 500 million yuan; in North China, the difference stands at 350 million yuan.
