Montreal Refinery Horizon Project:
Delayed Coking Unit
Presentation for Occupational Hygiene Association March 26, 2008
Colleen Stevenson MHSc, CIH, ROH
AGENDA
1. Purpose of Presentation
2. What is the Horizon Project?
• What is a Delayed Coking Unit?
3. EH&S Deliverables on the Project
4. Examples of Interesting Issues
Purpose of this Presentation
To share my EH&S experiences on a large scale project.
Why?
– To share learnings and network with others who
may be doing something similar
– To demonstrate how EH&S professionals can be
involved in the design of a facility to mitigate EH&S
risks prior to operation
– To validate that the IH education/experience
provides a background that positions us well for any
disciplines within EH&S field
The Horizon Project- an upgrade to Montreal
Refinery
• Involves the construction of a delayed coking unit
(DCU) or a “coker”
• Involves the revamp of process units and offsites &
utilities
When its all said and done:
– 271 Pieces of Equipment
– 96 Km of Pipe
– 9000 Tonnes sof Steel
– 29,400 Cubic Metres of Concrete
– 800 Km of Cable and Wire
– ~$1,000,000,000 Dollars
– 6,400,000 Man-hours
– People
• Petro-Canada, Bantrel (Engineering Procurement, Construction
Management firm), contractors, subcontractors
Montreal Refinery-Coker Simulation Picture
The Challenges
1. Language
2. Safety Culture in Quebec
3. Cost Constraints
4. Tight construction schedule
5. Largest Downstream project
6. Working with an EPCM on such a project
What the Heck is a Coker?
• The benefit of a delayed coking
unit is that it allows the refinery
to use a lower cost crude;
• It makes more valuable
products like gasoline and
distillates vs lower margin
products like asphalt and heavy
fuel oil;
• reduces our imports of
gasoline/distillates
Simple Coker Block Flow Diagram
Extraneous Feeds
Off gas
Light naphtha
Fractionator
Heavy naphtha
Coke Coke
Kero
Drum Drum
Vacuum Tower Distillate
Bottoms/Asphalt Gas Oil
Charge
Heater
Coke
My Involvement/EH&S Deliverables
Refinery Site
1. Involvement with Certificate of authorization process and stakeholder engagement
2. Involvement with design for the whole project
– Ensure design meets regulatory compliance and internal practices
– Meet deliverables for project management system
3. Involvement with on site safety/prevention program and construction
– Creating the H/S Program including details around CSST Principle Contractor
issues
– HSE resources on site to support the project
– Setting expectations with Sr. Management of Contractors to understand their
H/S programs
– Creation of Metrics
– Stewardship
TME (Port)
– Storage area for coke at the Port of Montreal
– Involvement with self assessment
– Monitoring Canterm and C of A process
Marsulex (Sulphur Plant)
– plant next door that takes our H2S laden streams and converts it to sulphur (its
the sulphur plant for Shell and PC)
– Review t of expansion options and impact on emissions
– Walk through and preliminary review of safety program
Assessments To Support Permits or Stakeholder
Engagement
• Dispersion modeling for combustion emissions using by-
law 90 equation for permit
• Additional dispersion modeling and deposition modeling
using Aermod for PM 10 and 2.5um
• Baseline noise survey and then modeling estimate of new
coker impact (occupational and community risk)
• Community Risk/Impact Assessment
• Soil Assessment for classification and occupational hazard
risk
• Economic Impact Assessment
Environmental Emission Impact
Refinery Post Coker
Summary of air emissions (M T/ Y)
Differences
2000 2005 2010
2010 vs 2005
Carbon monoxide (CO) 656 538 616 14.5%
Sulphur dioxide (SO2) 5,079 3,469 3316 -4.4%
Nitrogen oxide (NOx) 1,705 1,260 1322 4.9%
Volatile organic compound (VOC) 1,021 865 541 -37.5%
Particulates 402 315 312 -1.1%
Benzene 26 18 5 -72 %
CO2 Equivalent (KMT / Y)
CO2 Equivalent 1,281 1,231 1124 -8.7%
Vapour recovery project for ship loading will reduce benzene
emissions
Interesting Issues
1. PM 10 and PM 2.5 emission modelling
2. Noise- City by-law 50 dBA; Quebec MDDEP, 40 dBA or
ambient (43 dBA)
• Ongoing modelling to determine predictive
compliance
3. Tank Dykes
– Current gas oil and Sour Water W tank dyke capacity
constraints
– New SW tank will be added as part of project
4. Coker foundation work next to live butane spheres
Coke Handling and Particulate Emissions
Drop to Loading
r Bin
Wate
ys r
spra Wate
s
spray
Coke Drum
Drop to Receiving
Drop to Storage Hopper r
Wate
s
Pile spray
r
yo
30 ft.
ve
on
Wet Coke
C
Pile
Coke
Storage Piles (2)
Truck Loading
Process Flow Sketch
For Coke handling
Petrocanada Delayed Coker
December 22, 2006
By: J. Hill
There are emission factors related to all coke handling sources.
Credit for controlling emissions is taken.
Final emission releases are calculated and then placed in a
dispersion model to determine impact to the community
PM 2.5 particulate emissions in community
Draft Air Quality Regulation stipulates 24 hr average of 30 ug/M3
Results from new coker unit and existing plant indicate 1.8 ug/M3
However background of City at closest air monitoring stations is 32 ug/M3
Sour Water and Gas Oil Tanks
Concerns included:
1) Dyke capacity
2) H2S concentrations in the event of catastrophic release
Coker Foundation Work Close to Butane Spheres
• Significant schedule delays if
coker foundation work is not
started this year
• Live butane spheres
• Current berm around spheres
needs to be removed and
recontoured
• Then rock removal 3-4’
• Then build barrier wall
• Then start foundation work
• It would appear that this is a
significant risk but how much?
• We engaged Ertugral Alp-risk
consultant
Summary
• The education and experience in IH has left me
well positioned to understand and manage
effectively, the complexities of this large scale
project
Back up Slides
Project Management Deliverables
E2 HS&E PLAN
E2.1 HSE & S Process and Objectives
E2.2 HSE Management system
E2.3 Obligations: Owners, Employers, Workers, etc.
E2.4 Prime Contractor / Multiple Obligations
C1.2 Site Information
C1.2.1 Site Characteristics - Available vs Required E2.5 Leadership Roles and RACI
C1.2.2A Dismantling & Demolition E2.6 Training and Education
C1.2.3 Lead / Disciplines Selection & Scope Comprehension
E2.7 Awareness & Recognition Program
C1.2.4 Site Location
E2.8 Inspection & Audits
C1.2.5 Geotechnical Surveys E2.9 Occupational Health Program
C1.2.6 Environmental Impact Assessment
E2.10 Environmental Management Program
C1.2.7 Permits and Licenses (PDM 3.29)
E2.11 Emergency Plan
C1.2.8 Utility sources w/supply conditions
C1.2.9 Fire protection & safety considerations E2.12 Accident / Incident Investigation & Reporting
E2.13 Security
E2.14 Safety Communications
E2.15 Policies, Procedures, Standards, Practices
