Hydrocarbon Processing - March 2022 - 49

100th Anniversary
History of the HPI
LEE NICHOLS, Editor-in-Chief/Associate Publisher
The 1940s: Global conflict, FCC, 100 octane, synthetic
rubber-Wartime necessitates advancing technologies
Hydrocarbon Processing continues its
look at the history of the hydrocarbon
processing industry (HPI). The first installment
detailed the origins of the global
refining and petrochemical industries. In
the February issue, major refining and
petrochemical discoveries of the 1930s
were discussed, including the discovery of
catalytic cracking and polyethylene; the
evolution of coking and gasification; the
production of polystyrene, nylon, polyester,
resins, epoxies and polyurethane; and
the inception of the jet engine.
The following will detail how the HPI
continued to evolve during the 1940s.
The onset of fluid catalytic cracking
(FCC). In 1936, Eugene Houdry
started up the first Houdry unit at Sun
Oil's Marcus Hook refinery in Pennsylvania
(U.S.). The novel fixed-bed catalytic
cracking unit was instrumental in evolving
the gasoline production process. For example,
approximately 50% of the 15,000bpd
unit produced high-octane gasoline,
which was double the production of conventional
thermal processes.24
However,
the novel Houdry process-a significant
advancement vs. the thermal cracking
process-was unable to satisfy increasing
global demand for gasoline from vehicles
and the aviation industry.
In the early 1940s, Standard Oil of
New Jersey and Davison Chemical (the
company would later become W. R. Grace
& Co.) collaborated on developing powered
catalyst and an improved catalyst
circulation design vs. the Houdry process.
The companies were joined by the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT)
and M. W. Kellogg.23
Through significant research, MIT
professors Warren Lewis and Edwin Gilliland
improved Houdry's design. One of
the major changes was improving catalyst
FIG. 1. View of Standard Oil of New Jersey's PCLA Model 1 plant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana-
the first use of a commercial catalytic cracking process using powdered catalyst. Photo courtesy
of the American Chemical Society.
Hydrocarbon Processing | MARCH 2022 49
circulation-the new design enabled the
catalyst to pass through both the reactor
and regenerator. Their patent was the basis
for Standard Oil of New Jersey's 100bpd
pilot plant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
(U.S.).23
The newly designed pilot plant
was tested and, after a few modifications,
was shut down and redesigned into a
full commercial unit. On May 25, 1942,
Powdered Catalyst, Louisiana 1 (PCLA)
Model 1 went online (FIG. 1), marking
the first use of a commercial catalytic
cracking process using powdered catalyst.23
The
plant's catalyst was supplied
by Davison's Curtis Bay Works facility in
Maryland, which also began operations in
May 1942-three months later, The Refiner
and Natural Gasoline Manufacturer,
the forerunner to Hydrocarbon Processing,
was retitled Petroleum Refiner; the name
The world engages in conflict. On
September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland.
The invasion caused European allies
to mobilize against Germany, setting off
the largest and bloodiest conflict in human
history. Central to both the Allies and Axis
change reflected the significant advancements
and broader scope of petroleum
processing. The Curtis Bay plant was the
world's first synthetic FCC production
facility, and, in 1947, Davison established
the refining industry's first technical services
facility for fluid cracking catalysts.47
Over the next 2 yr, several new FCC
units were built in the U.S. The new refining
process helped to significantly increase
production of gasoline motor fuel and aviation
gasoline, which was crucial in aiding
the Allied powers in World War 2 (WW2).

Hydrocarbon Processing - March 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Hydrocarbon Processing - March 2022

Contents
Hydrocarbon Processing - March 2022 - Cover1
Hydrocarbon Processing - March 2022 - Cover2
Hydrocarbon Processing - March 2022 - Contents
Hydrocarbon Processing - March 2022 - 4
Hydrocarbon Processing - March 2022 - 5
Hydrocarbon Processing - March 2022 - 6
Hydrocarbon Processing - March 2022 - 7
Hydrocarbon Processing - March 2022 - 8
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Hydrocarbon Processing - March 2022 - Cover3
Hydrocarbon Processing - March 2022 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/gulfenergyinfo/gulfpub/HPI-Market-Data-2023-v3
https://www.nxtbook.com/gulfenergyinfo/gulfpub/hpi-market-data-2024-v2
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https://www.nxtbook.com/gulfenergyinfo/gulfpub/gas-processes-handbook-2022_v2
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gulfpub/petrochemical_processes_handbook_2021_v2
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gulfpub/catalyst_handbook_2020_v2
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gulfpub/refining_processes_handbook_2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gulfpub/refining_processes_handbook_2020_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gulfpub/hp_202007
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gulfpub/hp_202006
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gulfpub/hp_202001
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gulfpub/hp_201912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gulfpub/hp_201911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gulfpub/hpimarket_2020_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gulfpub/hpimarket_2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gulfpub/hp_201910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gulfpub/hp_201909
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gulfpub/hp_201905
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https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gulfpub/hp_201903
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gulfpub/hp_201902
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gulfpub/hp_201901
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gulfpub/petrochemical_2018_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gulfpub/petrochemical_2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gulfpub/hp_201812
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gulfpub/hpimarket_2019_v2
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gulfpub/hpimarket_2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gulfpub/hp_201811
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gulfpub/hp_201810
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gulfpub/hp_201809
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