Optimization of Process Economics in Mini Oil Refinery for Remote Areas

Abstract

The effects of the energy crisis and the rising energy demand have sparked development to improve efficiency in using fuel oil. According to Indonesia's oil resources, increasing refinery capacity and building mini refineries is essential to secure local refinery production. It is more effective and cost-effective to construct a small refinery with a configuration starting with a flash unit or pre-fractionator, to an atmospheric distillation unit, and a vacuum distillation unit as the last process in each oil-producing region than construct a large-scale refinery.  The optimization concerned a variety of preflash furnace temperatures simulated by Aspen Plus software. The increasing temperature will change the production rate and the utility needed, which could change sales and operating costs. The result describes that the optimum profit for the mini-refinery plant is performed preflash furnace at 533 K with 108.20 US$/m³ crude oil profit.