Oil Field Additives and Ethylene Feedstock Contaminants

The shale gas revolution has fueled dramatic growth in the North American petrochemicals marketplace, sparking expansions and new construction on a scale not seen in decades, particularly in the ethylene.  The impacts of the move towards lighter ethylene feedstocks has been well documented in the literature and at Ethylene Producers Conferences, but the issue of oilfield and fracking additives in the shale feeds and their potential as feedstock contaminants for steam crackers is a matter of ongoing interest and study.

This paper discusses some of the common additives used in oil and gas production, particularly shale gas production that is providing an increasing share of ethylene feedstocks.  The impacts of these additives on refinery operation have been well documented, so some of these effects are discussed with an eye towards how they might translate to potential issues in ethylene production.  Some observations from the ethylene industry are presented.

In addition, this paper re-introduces the EPC Feedstock Contaminants Database as a tool for ethylene producers.