Ethylene from atmospheric Gas Oil

A hydropyrolysis process being jointly developed by CECA, Heurtey, and Naphtachimie, of France, gives higher ethylene and propylene yields than does conventional steam cracking. Our evaluation based on U.S. Gulf Coast economics shows that the hydropyrolysis process offers a saving of about 4% in total fixed capital investment over steam cracking. However, its ethylene value (cost plus 25%/yr ROI) is higher than that of steam cracking, largely because the C₄-C₅ by-product stream is recycled to extinction in the hydropyrolysis process. In localities where C₄ by-products from steam cracking have lower values than those shown for the U.S. Gulf Coast, hydropyrolysis may become competitive with conventional steam cracking.