Crude Oil Topping Units

Crude oil topping units fill a need for crude oil producers that don’t have total refining capacity but have domestic requirements for diesel, fuel oil, kerosene, AGO, LPG and asphalt. Basically they are atmospheric distillation units that produce hydrocarbon boiling point cuts from resid to LPG. Desalting, desulfurization and vacuum distillation may be necessary but the crude oil topping unit is the primary process.  Asphalt can be produced with vacuum distillation and air blowing from the resid. Crude oil distillation is an energy intensive process that requires crude oil heaters with cross heat exchangers. Hydrocracking, hydrotreating and fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) are downstream processes that enhance yields of gasoline which is not required in many countries.
            Sep-Pro can manufacture all the major components of a topping unit and consequently our price and delivery are good. Sep-Pro Systems will lease the systems if appropriate. Crude oil topping units add considerable value to crude oil and the lease becomes easily justified.
Diesel units are simplified topping units that concentrate in diesel range components and not the full range of products from an atmospheric crude oil desalting column. Desulfurization and desalting are necessary to achieve product specs but also to protect the topping unit from fouling and corrosion.