The number of refineries that process feedstock with high amounts of metal contaminants is increasing. This requires a Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) catalyst technology which effectively passivates these metal contaminants to reduce their effect on unit operation.

BASF launched Valor™ as a next-generation FCC catalyst technology to enhance the performance of FCC catalysts processing heavy residuum (resid) oil feedstock. Valor™ passivates Vanadium and increases tolerance against Sulfur. Thereby it lowers the destructive effects of V and leads to higher and prolonged catalyst efficacy. This results in superior catalyst activity maintenance and enables refinery profit maximization and increased sustainability of operations. Refineries that used Valor™ technology in their FCC units achieved improved catalyst activity retention with lower hydrogen and coke yields.

• BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany