(27a) Vacuum Distillation - Process Configurations

Vacuum distillation remains a critical step in upgrading crude oil to finished products. Vacuum distillation prepares feedstocks for downstream units including Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC), Hydrocracking (HC), lubricants production, diesel hydrotreating, and residue upgrading. Each downstream service has specific feedstock requirements.

This paper provides an overview of the different vacuum distillation configurations and evaluates them based on;

• Operating flexibility
• Heat recovery
• Product types
• Product qualities