SURVEY SHOWS OVER 1,000 REFINING CATALYSTS

Anne K. Rhodes
Refining/petrochemical editor

The Journal's latest survey of worldwide refining catalysts reveals that there are more than 1,040 unique catalyst designations in commercial use in 19 processing categories-an increase of some 140 since the compilation of refining catalysts was last published (OGJ, Oct. 2, 1989 p. 49).

As a matter of interest, some 700 catalysts were determined during the first survey (OGJ, Oct. 8, 1984, p. 55).

The processing categories surveyed are: Catalytic naphtha reforming, Dimerization, Isomerization (C4), Isomerization (C5 and C6), Isomerization (xylenes), Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC), Hydrocracking, Mild hydrocracking, Hydrotreating/hydrogenation/saturation, Hydrorefining, Polymerization, Sulfur (elemental) recovery, Steam hydrocarbon reforming, Sweetening, Claus unit tail gas treatment, Oxygenates, Combustion promoters (FCC), Sulfur oxides reduction (FCC), and Other refining processes.

Although the total number of listed catalysts increased this year, the number of catalysts In the major categories (such as FCC, hydrotreating / hydrogenation / saturation, hydrorefining, and catalytic naphtha reforming) has stabilized Table 1).

Factors contributing to the increase in catalysts are new catalysts, some industry acquisitions, and the addition of six suppliers to the list, who contributed 73 new catalysts.

The total number of catalyst designations is not simply a count of those listed in the survey. One reason is that, in some cases, more than One supplier offers the same catalyst and these designations are therefore repeated.

Another is that some manufacturers have listed the same catalyst for different applications; most importantly in hydroprocessing. Some manufacturers do not differentiate between hydrotreating and hydrorefining, although the survey does make that distinction.

Both these preceding reasons were considered and, where known, catalysts were not counted multiple times in figuring the total. However, in figuring the subtotals by category, catalysts with dual applications were counted in each category.

SCOPE, PURPOSE

OGJ's "International refining catalyst compilation" lists catalysts from essentially all of the world's manufacturers and suppliers, for practically all refinery catalytic processes.

The first objective of the compilation is to list all catalysts by their specific designations (supplier's identifications) in their specific area of process application; for instance fluid catalytic cracking.

The second objective is to differentiate, in some way, each catalyst from another in the same category in order to explain why two catalysts used for the same process have different designations.

In the ideal case, for example, two similar hydrotreating catalysts will have different designations to indicate their differing abilities to produce identical product quality from feedstocks that differ in sulfur or metals content.

However, in many cases there can be a number of different designations denoting differences in physical characteristics such as particle size or pore volume,

Many catalysts, particularly in FCC and hydroprocessing, appear in "families." Survey respondents were asked to point out the difference of the lead family member in terms of their other families, if they have more than one.

Within a family, respondents were asked to point out the differences in a catalyst in terms of the other members of that single family. Examples of such differences include particle size and activity.

The information supplied is the suppliers' best efforts to meet the objectives of the compilation. Blanks throughout the compilation reflect, in most cases, the lack of supplier response.

The symbol "P" appears occasionally to signify some proprietary aspect of a catalyst that the supplier chooses not to divulge.

The manufacturers were asked to list all commercial catalysts that are available by sale or license to refiners. Those available for unrestricted sale are denoted by an "x" in the far right column of the table. Those that are available only through process licensing arrangements are denoted by an "L" in the same column.

Liberal use of abbreviations is made in the compilation in order to fit as much information as possible into limited space. Most of the commonly used abbreviations are listed in the accompanying table.

The compilation is designed to provide a ready reference for both refiners and manufacturers and to sort out the sometimes-confusing nomenclature used to designate or label catalysts.

INDUSTRY ACTIVITY

Several factors have produced -changes in the list of companies included in this year's compilation.

Acquisitions:
- Crosfield Catalysts' acquisition of ICI Katalco's hydrotreating business.
- United Catalysts Inc.'s acquisition of Air Products & Chemicals Inc.'s Houdry hydrotreating catalyst, HR 836
- Procatalyse has taken over Rhone-Poulenc's specialized and alumina molecular sieve activities.
Name changes:
- Keli-Chemie is now Solvay Catalysts.
- Arco Lyondell Licensing Inc. is now Lyondell Licensing Inc.
Producers/suppliers new to this year's survey:
- Leuna-Werke AG, Leuna Germany
- Orient Catalysts, Tokyo
- Moil Chemical International Ltd Princeton, N.J.
- Shell International Chemical Co. Ltd., London.
- Discovery Chemicals Inc., Port Allen, La.
- Institute of Catalysis, Novosibirsk, U.S.S.R.

SURVEY RESULTS

The total number of FCC catalyst listings has decreased slightly (Table 1). The consolidation of 1989's Akzo Chemicals Inc. and Filtrol Corp. entries was largely responsible for the overall reduction in FCC catalyst designations. Akzo has added three new series of FCC catalysts to its line. Crosfield Catalysts and Davison Chemical Division have both added to their FCC catalyst lines.

Engelhard Corp. has streamlined its listing of FCC catalysts, adding two series, reducing the size of most series, and reducing some series to single listings.

Katalistiks International Inc. has added two series and expanded most of its remaining ones.

UOP and Unocal Corp. have consolidated their hydrocracking catalysts, under the name UOP/Unocal, and shortened their listing slightly.

Zeolyst Enterprises has added four catalysts to its hydrocracking group, and Chevron Research & Technology Co. has added three.

These and other changes, including the addition of two Mobil Chemical International Ltd. catalysts, have combined to lengthen the list of hydrocracking catalysts by one entry. (This calculation counts the two Shell International Chemical Co. Ltd. catalysts-S-703 and S-753-as being identical to Zeolyst Enterprises' Z-703 and Z-753.)

Several additions and deletions in the mild hydrocracking category resulted in a net change of one less catalyst in this year's compilation.

Changes in the hydrotreating/hydrogenation saturation category reduced the total by 4. in one large change, Criterion cut its listings in this category by 13 when it reduced the Trilobe HDS and HDN series.

This year's largest change is Akzo's addition of 47 catalysts to its Hydrorefining list. (Most of these catalysts are not new products-they had previously been listed in the Hydrotreating/hydrogenation/saturation category, as they are again this year.)

This, accompanied by the addition and deletion of other hydrorefining catalysts, produced a net increase of 54 catalysts in this category.

One manufacturer has suggested combining hydrorefining and hydrotreating into a single category for the next compilation and adding "residue hydroprocessing" as a separate category. Akzo, for example, says some of its catalysts are used for a wide range of operations, from naphtha pretreating up to mild hydrocracking or resid hydroconversion.

The categories showing the largest increase over the last survey's totals are: Steam reforming (+17), Xylene isomerization (+9), Sulfur (elemental) recovery (+8), and Naphtha reforming (+5).

Instituto Mexicano del Petroleo and BP America Inc. did not respond to the survey. Their listings from the previous compilation were included in this year's Table.