Published December 2014
This report covers the technology and costs of manufacturing ethylene from naphtha via steam cracking. The three process configurations presented are:
- Front-end demethanizer
- Front-end depropanizer
- Front-end depropanizer with a gas turbine driver for the cracked gas compressor
For each process configuration, we have examined four design cases:
- Wide range naphtha feed for maximum propylene yield
- Wide range naphtha feed for maximum ethylene yield
- Light virgin naphtha feed for maximum propylene yield
- Light virgin naphtha feed for maximum ethylene yield
Each of the process configurations has been sized to allow production under all four design cases. We present capital cost estimates for each of the three process configurations. We also present operating cost estimates for all twelve of the process configuration/design case pairs.
Our goal in this project has been to present a set of designs that represent “typical” current practice. This report is intended to illustrate ethylene production economics as it is commercially practiced now, in late 2014.
