Scientific insights for refinery optimization and catalyst performance

Refineries are navigating a rapidly changing landscape shaped by evolving feedstocks, sustainability targets, and increasing demands for operational efficiency. This publication collection brings together seven scientific papers covering key challenges in modern refining, including hydroprocessing catalyst benchmarking, hydrocracking, renewable feedstocks, FCC co-processing, and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) development.

The featured studies demonstrate how independent catalyst testing and high throughput experimentation support the evaluation of commercial catalysts, improve the understanding of catalyst performance and reproducibility, and help accelerate the qualification of new feedstocks and process technologies. Together, they provide practical insights for making informed decisions in an increasingly complex refining environment.

What you will learn

• How objective head-to-head hydrocracking catalyst benchmarking helps identify the most suitable catalyst system for challenging feedstocks and refinery-specific operating conditions.
• Why understanding intrinsic experimental variability is essential when benchmarking hydrocracking catalysts, and how statistical evaluation improves confidence in catalyst rankings.
• How high throughput experimentation can accelerate Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) development, supporting catalyst screening, kinetic studies, and process optimization for future SAF production pathways.
• How co-processing renewable feedstocks, including biogenic oils, fats, and waste-derived pyrolysis condensates in Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) units impacts target product quality.
• Best practices for testing renewable and recycled feedstocks such as vegetable oils, animal fats, used cooking oil, and pyrolysis oil for future fuels and chemicals production.
• How rejuvenated hydrotreating catalysts perform in high-severity ULSD applications and how catalyst lifecycle strategies can reduce operating costs while supporting sustainability objectives.
• How catalyst benchmarking supports catalyst selection for naphtha reforming units, balancing aromatics production, hydrogen yield, catalyst stability, and evolving fuel quality requirements.