Catalytic Cracking of Arab Super Light Crude Oil to Light Olefins: An Experimental and Kinetic Study

Catalytic cracking of Arab Super Light (ASL) crude oil (containing 46.1 wt % naphtha-range fraction) was studied over zeolite Y- (Y-Cat) and MFI-based (Z-Cat) catalysts at 500–575 °C. Experiments were conducted in a riser simulator by varying the residence times from 1 to 10 s. ASL crude oil and the cracked products were divided into heavy fraction, naphtha, and C1–C4 gases. Experimental results showed that additional naphtha is formed due to the cracking of the heavy fraction, and the formation of C1–C4 gaseous products occur mostly via cracking of naphtha. An increase in reaction time or temperature showed a more pronounced effect on the propylene yield compared to that of ethylene. Z-Cat produced more ethylene and propylene, which was attributed to its higher acidity, shape selectivity, and the higher hydrogen transfer reaction over Y-Cat. A three-lump model was appropriate for kinetic modeling of the catalytic cracking of ASL over Y-Cat. Comparison of the activation energies and rate constants showed ...