(255c) Opportunities for Biorenewables in Petroleum Refineries

Although bio-fuel production has been expanding worldwide, there has so far been little integration of bio-fuels production with petroleum refineries. The segregation of bio-fuels increases the cost of using bio-fuels, since existing infrastructure for distribution and production of fuels is not utilized. Bio-fuels could play a stronger role in reduction of U.S. dependence on foreign oil if economical opportunities for blending or coprocessing options in traditional oil refineries could be developed. This study identified some economically attractive opportunities for biofuel coprocessing, blending, and integration into typical oil refineries and defined areas where additional research is needed. A variety of biofuel feed types were evaluated as refinery feedstocks such as vegetable oils/greases and pyrolysis bio-oils. Key parts of the project included modeling, scoping experiments, cost estimates and economics. Economics were based on $40/bbl crude in a typical 150,000 bbl/d refinery, and sensitivities to higher crude prices of $50/bbl and $60/bbl were included. Life Cycle analyses of key processes were compared as well as opportunities for use of biorenewables to reduce refinery CO₂ production. Key areas which held near term promise are use of oils and grease in an FCC to produce green gasoline and olefins, and the hydrotreatment of oils and grease to produce green diesel.