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Started By
Message
Question for Refining Baws
Posted on 1/8/26 at 9:58 pm
Posted on 1/8/26 at 9:58 pm
I’ve been told that running straight shale oil through US refineries causes problems.
Is this true?
Physically and chemically, what does it do?
Is this true?
Physically and chemically, what does it do?
5
Posted on 1/8/26 at 10:02 pm to RanchoLaPuerto
Very few exist, none currently in the US. It is possible though. Just doesn't make financial sense.unless you are going to drop it down in the middle of some shale deposits.
This post was edited on 1/8/26 at 10:03 pm
Posted on 1/8/26 at 10:03 pm to RanchoLaPuerto
All crudes aren’t the same. Last big money spent in refineries in US was 2003 to 2007 period and those dollars were spent to process heavier crudes than US shale. The light shale crude has to much hexane to naphtha range material and it overwhelms crude units.
Posted on 1/8/26 at 10:16 pm to RanchoLaPuerto
Most US refineries are coking refineries. They need heavy vacuum resid and long-chain hydrocarbons. Straight shale produces little to no resid and leaves cokers underloaded or idle. That's a problem when billions were spent to install those units.
Atmospheric distillation columns are tuned to expected cut volumes. Straight shale causes excess naphtha (lights), reduced gas oil, poor fractionation efficiency, and bottlenecks in stabilizers and reformers. You can run it, but yields go to shite.
Shale oil also impacts storage tank flashing (higher vapor pressure), pipeline spec violations, etc. unless you stabilize or blend.
Atmospheric distillation columns are tuned to expected cut volumes. Straight shale causes excess naphtha (lights), reduced gas oil, poor fractionation efficiency, and bottlenecks in stabilizers and reformers. You can run it, but yields go to shite.
Shale oil also impacts storage tank flashing (higher vapor pressure), pipeline spec violations, etc. unless you stabilize or blend.
Posted on 1/8/26 at 10:34 pm to RoyalWe
God damn science class in here.
Posted on 1/8/26 at 10:40 pm to Monday
quote:Retired engineer who also has the internet. ;-)
God damn science class in here.
Posted on 1/9/26 at 6:05 am to Monday
quote:
God damn science class in here.
That’s how I feel at work sometimes. Gotta stop the engineers every now and then and say, “Just tell me where you need the pipeline to start and where you want it to end, and any stations or sites you need along the way”.
Posted on 1/9/26 at 6:24 am to ragincajun03
quote:
That’s how I feel at work sometimes. Gotta stop the engineers every now and then and say, “Just tell me where you need the pipeline to start and where you want it to end, and any stations or sites you need along the way”.
I’m a retired engineer who spent his career doing industrial design and projects. I love a sign I saw decades ago that said, “There comes a time in every project when you need to shoot the engineers.” There is some wisdom in that.
Posted on 1/9/26 at 6:55 am to Penrod
quote:
“There comes a time in every project when you need to shoot the engineers.” There is some wisdom in that.
I shouldn’t laugh at that…being I have a kid who’s graduating in engineering this Spring.
Posted on 1/9/26 at 10:55 am to Penrod
quote:
I’m a retired engineer who spent his career doing industrial design and projects. I love a sign I saw decades ago that said, “There comes a time in every project when you need to shoot the engineers.” There is some wisdom in that.
Engineer right here, but I'm more of a close enough engineer. We can engineer the dooms day, but it will cost you.
Posted on 1/9/26 at 10:59 am to Penrod
quote:
“There comes a time in every project when you need to shoot the engineers.”
As a former process controls engineer, this is true. We tend to get a bit carried away.
Posted on 1/9/26 at 11:01 am to csorre1
Have a ME in the family. Someone will ask him a potentially technical question and he will start a 75 minute dissertation if you don't stop him.
As we say: "Ask him the time and he will explain how a watch works."
As we say: "Ask him the time and he will explain how a watch works."
Posted on 1/9/26 at 11:28 am to RanchoLaPuerto
So who is refining all this shale crude?
Posted on 1/9/26 at 12:15 pm to Cash
quote:
Engineer right here, but I'm more of a close enough engineer.
I have a master degree in Afro engineering
Posted on 1/9/26 at 12:47 pm to Zappas Stache
From what I know:
Refiners that cannot handle it straight (about 70%) blend it with very heavy crude. The rest is exported.
Refiners that cannot handle it straight (about 70%) blend it with very heavy crude. The rest is exported.
Posted on 1/9/26 at 1:23 pm to Zappas Stache
quote:
So who is refining all this shale crude?
Almost all refineries are. Virtually every refinery can run shale, just at reduced amounts (less than 100%).
Depending on the source of the shale nothing has to be done and it is shipped just like any other crude. Some shale needs the light ends stripped before going in a pipeline or railcar. Then the stripped material is through more of a gas plant type refinery.
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