Yield and Energy Optimization Initiatives at Saudi Aramco Khurais Central Processing Facility

Abstract

Abstract This paper highlights the assessments that were made to identify optimization opportunities at Saudi Aramco’s Khurais Central Processing Facilities (KhCPF). Its objective is to maximize yield and minimize energy consumption from the major facility at KhCPF. The work underscores the use of a systematic approach towards process optimization, especially in using process simulation tools. It also involves a multidisciplinary team member task force that collectively identifies opportunities, validates scenarios and formulates the recommendation plan. The present work focuses on the gas-oil separation plant (GOSP) system and its utility system, as they are linked to each other as far as energy consumption is concerned. In the GOSP system, the task force identified key operating variables that affect both yield and energy performance of the facilities. By exploiting these variables; namely, the operating pressure and temperature of the separation system within the GOSP, both yield gain and energy consumption are optimized without compromising the product specifications and plant’s stringent operability and safety aspects. The optimization assessment demonstrates that additional crude production capacity can still be generated at the expense of lower gas and condensate yields from the facility. In addition, due to a lower amount of gas generated from the separation train, which results in a lower compression requirement, significant annual energy savings could be realized, depending on the recommended initiatives. What is more important to emphasize is that this additional yield and energy savings can be achieved at no cost, or possibly very low cost, to KhCPF. These recommendations also took into account the existing hardware capability to adapt with new operating conditions. Following this assessment, several plant performance tests are scheduled to take place to verify the proposed optimum operating conditions before gearing up for a full implementation of the initiative. It is also anticipated that when the initiative is implemented as new operating conditions, the performance is to be monitored continuously and this requires a performance monitoring tool to be in place.