Suez Oil Processing Company (SOPC)

SUEZ OIL PROCESSING COMPANY (SOPC)

DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT

1974-1980

Headed a Central Technology and Engineering Department which served three refineries (Suez, Mostorod, and Tanta).

Engineering of Refinery Plants:

  1. Performed the first complete Crude Distillation designs in Egypt in 1966 for the conversion of the Suez-Cairo fuel oil- gas oil blend Topping Unit located at the Mostorod Terminal and the Suez Thermal Reformer into Crude Distillation Plants. In 1966, we introduced chemical and process engineering activities to build local engineering know-how and develop design methods.
  2. Directed the reengineering of Cairo Refinery Crude Distillation Units and realized 20% and 14% capacity increases.

Techno-economic Evaluations:

Conducted techno-economic evaluations of 4 Naphtha Hydrotreatment and Catalytic Reforming process technologies. Studies included detailed estimates of investments, operating costs, and revenues. Work included licensor selection and the negotiation of license agreement.

SUEZ REFINERY

1. Coker:

1.1.    Established a new scheme for coker operations without Unit 11 (Straight Run  Hydrotreater).

1.2.    Established a new scheme for eventual coker operation without Unit 11 and including the new Reformer and Petrochemical Section.

1.3.    Technoeconomic Evaluation of the above scheme.

1.4.    Expansion to double Topping Capacity at Suez Refinery:

This expansion was undertaken by the utilization of Unit 12 heaters and fractionators and heat exchangers from Units 10 and 11. The increase in capacity was one million tons per annum.

2. Lube Oils Complex:

2.1.    Examined the capability and limitations of the Suez Lube Oil Complex when processing Marine Balayim Crude. The Complex was designed to process Arabian Light Crude.

2.2.    Studied the possibility of converting Unit 14 block operation into a continuous operation for three streams.

2.3.    Vacuum Distillation.

CAIRO REFINERY

Reengineering of Reformer Feed Separation Section and HDS Feed Preparation Section:

These modifications resulted in increasing reformer feed recovery from 780 T/SD to 1270 T/SD by combining preflash and main column overheads and engineering the splitter for the higher feed.

TANTA REFINERY

  1. 1. Expansion of Crude Distillation Capacity:

The Crude Distillation Unit was redesigned to raise its capacity from 2500 to 4000 T/SD of Shukair blend. The Expansion was implemented.

  1. 2. LPG Production Unit:

Engineered a new LPG production unit. The Unit was designed to produce 55 Tons/SD of commercial butane (LPG) and met its rated designed capacity.

3. Tanta Desalter:

Designed a settler desalter that was adequate for desalting Shukair blend which operated successfully.

Manager of Technical Division

January 1966 – July 1968

Examples of major activities :

– Three revamps, two involving complete topping calculations. All       three were executed and performed according to design.

– Process and engineering studies leading to the processing of new       Morgan crude in the lube oil complex designed for Arabian Ras     Tanura crude.

– Mostorod Refinery flare design.

– Process units performance analysis and evaluation of Delayed                     Coker Units and Aromatics Extraction.