Decarbonizing Heavy Oil Upgrading: A Synergistic Kinetic Modeling and Process Chemistry Approach for Energy Minimization

The operational efficiency of heavy oil upgrading is critical for modern refineries facing crude oil shortages, deteriorating feedstock quality, and stringent decarbonization mandates. This study presents a rigorous simulation framework for an integrated “Coker” complex (vacuum distillation and delayed coking units), exploring nonlinear interactions between the industrial units that traditional models miss. Unlike isolated unit models, this work introduces a holistic approach utilizing a detailed coking kinetic network integrated with rigorous Aspen HYSYS-based simulations for vacuum towers, validated against 4 months of continuous industrial plant data. By applying a novel molecular-level process chemistry analysis, we identified and resolved thermodynamic bottlenecks that conventional linear models overlook. This approach developed a scenario-based process improvement strategy to address the current feedstock shortage issue in an oil refinery while improving energy efficiency. Applying the optimization scheme showed a significant 42% reduction in total energy consumption and a notable 1.9 ton/h reduction in carbon emissions, while simultaneously enhancing liquid yields. This framework provides a scalable, capital-efficient pathway for retrofitting aging refinery assets to meet modern energy efficiency and sustainability targets.