Recovering light olefins from FCC off-gas

Requirement overview

The catalytic-cracking unit at Shazand Petrochemical produces a significant daily volume of light gas, most of which is routed to the internal fuel network. This call seeks a solution that separates light olefins — propylene and ethylene in particular — from that stream before it is burned, and returns them as feedstock to downstream units.

Background and rationale

Internal studies show that more than 12% of recoverable olefins remain in the off-gas stream. Conventional cryogenic distillation is not economically justified at this capacity because of its capital cost and energy demand, so the client is looking for alternative routes such as adsorption, membranes or hybrid systems.

Project objectives

• Recover at least 80% of the olefins present in the off-gas stream
• Keep recovered propylene at polymer-grade purity
• Consume less than half the energy of cryogenic distillation
• Tie in to the unit with no more than 72 hours of downtime

Scope of work

• Technical and economic feasibility study based on real unit data
• Build and commission a pilot unit on the plant site
• Basic and detailed design of the industrial unit
• Train the operations team and write the operating procedures

Expected deliverables

• Feasibility report with mass and energy balance
• Operational pilot unit rated at 50 Nm³/h or more
• Basic engineering package (BEP) for the industrial unit
• Three-month post-commissioning performance report

Applicant requirements

• Knowledge-based company or research centre experienced in separation processes
• At least one delivered project in petrochemicals or refining
• Access to a laboratory or prototyping facilities
• Able to provide a performance guarantee

Evaluation criteria

• Technical fit35%
• Track record and industrial references25%
• Price and commercial model25%
• Schedule and delivery capacity15%

Call timeline

1. 1

   Call published

   2025-06-08

   The requirement document and technical annexes were published on the portal.

2. 2

   Technical Q&A session

   2025-06-23

   Site visit to the unit and answers to applicant questions.

3. 3

   Proposal deadline

   2025-07-06

   Final deadline for uploading the technical and financial proposal.

4. 4

   Evaluation result

   2025-07-21

   All applicants are notified and negotiation with the shortlist begins.