Challenge

A Gulf Coast refinery encountered an emergency shutdown on one of its reactors due to spent catalyst, requiring immediate replacement. The replacement had to be completed quickly to avoid delaying the startup of the refinery’s alkylation unit.

The cleaning and neutralization process required three distinct phases and involved a complex atmosphere of:

• Pressures exceeding 200 PSIG

• Temperatures above 320°F

• Vapor composition of up to 90% hydrogen, combined with hot nitrogen sweeps

The project needed to be scoped, engineered, and executed within 7 days, with no margin for delay. Ensuring safety, compliance, and complete vapor destruction during all phases was critical.

Solution

Envent Corporation collaborated closely with the refinery’s turnaround planners and engineering team to develop a robust, custom vapor control system. Envent mobilized the following equipment and services:

• The EMECS 70, the largest mobile thermal oxidizer in the U.S., with a 70 MMBTU/hr capacity

• Heat exchangers, pressure regulators, and ASME-rated pressure vessels to manage high temperatures and pressures

• NFPA-approved flame and detonation arrestors designed specifically for hydrogen-rich vapor streams

• Full-time support from field supervisors, project engineers, and trained operators

This engineered vapor control solution was designed to handle changing vapor characteristics across the three project phases—safely processing both hydrogen and nitrogen purge vapors while maintaining total control over emissions.

Benefit

The project was completed safely, on time, and fully compliant with local and federal emission regulations. Envent’s refinery turnaround support, combined with our ability to rapidly deploy mobile degassing and vapor control equipment, enabled the refinery to maintain its schedule and bring multiple critical units online without delay.

This project demonstrated Envent’s leadership in emergency degassing, hydrogen sulfide vapor control, and thermal oxidation of high-BTU vapor streams. Our flexibility, speed, and technical depth continue to set the standard for refinery vapor control and emission control services across the Gulf Coast and beyond.