Operational improvements spanning advanced controls, maintenance excellence and energy efficiency deliver measurable margin gains as industry adapts to volatile market conditions and tightening specifications

Process optimisation across refining operations delivers quantifiable margin improvements between 50 cents and $3 per barrel through systematic approaches addressing operational constraints, maintenance effectiveness and energy performance in integrated programmes.

For a midsize refinery processing 200,000 barrels per day (bpd), comprehensive optimisation can generate between $30 million and $85 million in annual value capture within six months of implementation.

The operational improvement potential spans six distinct areas: Operations and optimised planning, routine maintenance, turnaround management, energy and emissions, personnel effectiveness and ancillary operating costs.

Operations and optimised planning represent the largest single improvement opportunity, potentially delivering 60 per cent of total savings through addressing crude mix selection, scheduling efficiency, process throughput and yield maximisation.

MAXIMISING FLUID CATALYTIC CRACKING PERFORMANCE

Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) units provide exceptional operational flexibility for refiners through adjustment of key process variables to meet changing market demands and product specifications.

The principal operational variables determining FCC performance include reaction temperature measured at the riser top, feed stream temperature and quality metrics including carbon residue content, feed flow rate and catalyst activity characteristics.

Maximum olefins operation mode achieves substantial light olefins production through high-severity conditions including reaction temperatures reaching 600 deg C combined with elevated catalyst-to-oil ratios and enhanced catalyst formulations incorporating ZSM-5 zeolite additives.

Implementation of ZSM-5 catalyst additives can increase unit propylene production by up to 9 per cent compared to baseline catalyst systems, though requiring higher operating costs offset by increased revenue from higher-value petrochemical derivatives.

The zeolite additive enhances secondary cracking reactions that preferentially produce light olefins including propylene and butylene whilst reducing gasoline-range molecule production through over-cracking mechanisms.

Cracked naphtha recycling represents another effective strategy for improving LPG and propylene yields, deliberately over-cracking gasoline-range molecules to shift product distribution toward lighter compounds with higher petrochemical value.

This operational mode typically requires gas separation section capacity upgrades to handle increased light en ds production, with main fractionator top systems and treating sections potentially becoming constraining factors.

Cold area processing capacity including gas compression, absorption and refrigeration systems frequently limits maximum severity operations, requiring detailed hydraulic and thermal analyses to identify specific bottlenecks before implementing operational changes.

Metallurgical limits in reactor and regenerator sections constrain maximum operating temperatures, with regenerator temperatures potentially reaching 760 deg C under total combustion mode requiring refractory upgrades and catalyst cooler installations for temperature management.

Total combustion mode operation eliminates carbon monoxide production in the regenerator, increasing heat release from 27 kilocalories per mole in partial combustion to 94 kilocalories per mole, fundamentally altering unit thermal balance.

Catalyst cooler systems become necessary under total combustion conditions to prevent catalyst deactivation from excessive temperatures whilst providing operational flexibility to adjust regenerator heat removal independent of air flow rates.

Conventional FCC units typically achieve 55 per cent volume yield in cracked naphtha and 30 per cent in LPG, with high-severity petrochemical configurations increasing combined light olefins yields from approximately 14 per cent to 40 per cent through process intensification.

MAINTENANCE & ENERGY OPTIMISATION DRIVE SUSTAINED PERFORMANCE

Routine maintenance performance directly impacts refining costs and unit availability, with many facilities operating at maintenance productivity levels below 30 per cent compared to world-class standards approaching 65 per cent.

Low maintenance productivity stems from permitting delays, inadequate coordination between operations and maintenance functions, poor materials management and insufficient advance planning of work scopes.

Achieving maintenance excellence requires implementing correct strategies for each equipment item based on comprehensive understanding of maintenance history, operational performance, failure consequences, potential failure mechanisms and intervention timing optimisation.

Equipment criticality assessments must consider safety implications, reliability impacts and production consequences to prioritise resource allocation toward assets where failure creates unacceptable risks or economic losses.

Standardised job prioritisation procedures combined with disciplined planning and scheduling enable advance resource and materials allocation, reducing costs whilst improving work quality through elimination of reactive interventions.

Cross-functional teams with end-to-end accountability break down silos between maintenance, operations and technical functions, creating unified visibility into equipment strategies, maintenance requirements and operating history.

Artificial intelligence (AI) applications including generative AI unlock substantial potential in maintenance workflows through automated work order generation, predictive failure analysis and optimised resource scheduling based on historical performance patterns.

Turnaround events represent major capital expenditures with complex logistics spanning planning, execution and post-event analysis phases, where poor management creates costly inefficiencies and extended downtime.

Common turnaround pitfalls include outdated long-term plans disconnected from current asset conditions, inadequate budget planning based on incomplete scope definition and late scope additions disrupting resource planning and material procurement.

Effective turnaround management demands thorough planning beginning 18 to 24 months before execution, with progressive scope definition, detailed cost estimation and resource loading supporting accurate budget development.

Daily work requirement visibility enables proactive resource allocation and problem resolution, with real-time progress tracking against planned sequences supporting rapid intervention when deviations occur.

Refiners can achieve savings between 30 cents and 90 cents per barrel through systematic energy performance improvements, particularly valuable in regions experiencing elevated gas prices or emissions costs.

Furnace optimisation through improved combustion control, air preheat recovery and convection section effectiveness reduces fuel consumption whilst maintaining required process heating duties across crude, vacuum and FCC units.

Steam and condensate system improvements including steam trap maintenance, condensate recovery enhancement and steam leak elimination reduce boiler makeup water requirements and fuel consumption for steam generation.

Flare loss minimisation through improved process control, equipment reliability and recovery system effectiveness captures hydrocarbon value whilst reducing emissions from combustion of valuable products.

Historical energy efficiency projects and pinch analysis studies conducted during periods of lower energy costs may identify substantial additional savings when refreshed using current prices and emissions costs.

Heat integration opportunities revealed through updated pinch analysis can justify capital investments in heat exchanger networks, process modifications or utility system upgrades based on current economic conditions.

Technology infrastructure improvements including online analysers, advanced sensors and distributed control system enhancements enable rapid process adjustments capturing market opportunities through real-time decision support.

Online analysers providing continuous stream quality measurements including distillation curves, octane numbers, sulphur content and other specifications eliminate laboratory analysis delays, enabling immediate blend optimisation and product quality control.

Advanced process control applications stabilise unit operations closer to constraint limits, increasing throughput and improving yields through reduced variability in operating conditions and product qualities.

Real-time optimisation systems integrate process models with economic objectives, automatically adjusting operating conditions to maximise margin based on current feedstock properties, product values and operating constraints.

Linear programming models for refinery planning require accurate representation of unit capabilities, product specifications and blending relationships, with regular model updates incorporating operating experience and configuration changes.

Product blending tools utilising real-time analyser data and statistical quality models enable refiners to blend closer to specification limits, capturing incremental volume in premium products whilst minimising giveaway costs.

Energy trading and risk management systems maximise value capture from physical assets including pipeline capacity and storage whilst managing exposure to price volatility through integrated position tracking.

Digital tool effectiveness depends critically on adequate training programmes ensuring operators and engineers understand system capabilities, interpret recommendations appropriately and maintain trust in automated guidance.

Only 4 per cent of companies across industries have developed cutting-edge AI capabilities generating substantial value consistently, whilst 74 per cent struggle to scale applications and demonstrate tangible returns.

Successful digital transformation allocates 70 per cent of resources to people and process challenges, 20 per cent to technology infrastructure including data platforms and 10 per cent to algorithm development and refinement.

Historic performance analysis through backcasting compares actual operations against optimal performance achievable under identical conditions, systematically revealing value leakage sources and improvement opportunities.

Traditional margin variance analysis explains deviations between planned and actual performance but fails to identify opportunities missed during operations when market conditions or unit performance differed from planning assumptions.

Effective backcasting reconstructs optimal operating strategies using actual crude prices, product values, unit availability and operating constraints, quantifying value left uncaptured through suboptimal decisions.

Regular backcasting creates continuous feedback loops driving cross-functional collaboration to address systematic value leakage sources including inadequate market intelligence, operational limitations and coordination gaps.

Integration across business units including manufacturing, marketing and trading functions prevents suboptimisation where transfer pricing mechanisms disconnect operational decisions from ultimate market value realisation.

Successful optimisation programmes require leadership commitment extending beyond technology selection to encompass change management, capability building and performance accountability throughout organisations.

Quick wins including stream routing modifications, advanced process control limit adjustments and product batch sequence optimisation generate momentum whilst demonstrating value without substantial capital investment.

Operating strategy alignment ensures optimisation approaches match refinery configurations, with focused refineries emphasising operational stability whilst flexible operations pursue market opportunities through responsive adjustments. ievements.