The HollyFrontier Companies
Headquartered in Dallas, TX NYSE: HFC
5 complex/integrated refineries OK, NM, KS, WY, UT
457,000 bpd capacity
6 Asphalt Terminals Artesia, Albuquerque,
Pena Blanca, NM
Glendale, AZ
Catoosa, OK
Cheyenne, WY Who are those guys?
Earliest Asphalt Binder Specs Addressed TLA (and similar)
Color
Solubility in carbon disulfide
Penetration Test and Spec (1920s – 1970s)
Penetration Grades: AASHO M20
40 - 50
60 - 70
85 - 100
120 - 150
200 - 300
hard
er
100 g 100 g
Penetration
0.1 mm
0 sec 5 sec
run test at 25 C (77 F)
The Problem with Pen Spec
25 60 135 -15
Consistency
(pen)
hard
soft
pen
A B
C
Temperature, C
This is all
we see in
this system…
they all look
the same!
Fractional Distillation
Crude
Oil
Crude
Furnace
Distillation Column
Gas
Naphtha
Gasoline
Kerosene
Diesel
Lubricating Oil
Heavy Gas Oil
Residue
4
6
8
12
16
36
44
70+
Carbons
700 F
100 F
600 F
200 F
300 F
400 F
500 F
Vapor
Cooled Reflux
Cooled Reflux
Cooled Reflux
Cooled Reflux
Liq
uid
Source: Tom Shetina, HFC
What a Modern Refinery Does
A refinery maximizes the conversion of crude oil into desirable products (transportation fuels)
Residue ~ 37%
Lube Oil ~ 15%
Jet & Diesel ~ 21%
Gasoline ~ 25%
LPG ~ 2%
Residue ~ 8%
Jet & Diesel ~ 37%
Gasoline ~ 49%
LPG ~ 3%
Refined WTI CrudeDistilled WTI Crude
Volume Gain ~ 6%
The Refining Barrel
42 Gallons
~50%
~50% ~90%
Not all crude oils are created equal…
Lots of asphalt! No asphalt!
Crude oil properties control asphalt quality!
Source: Tom Shetina, HFC
FCC
Unit
Diesel
Hydrotreater
Alkylation
Unit
Hydrotreater Isomerization
Unit
FCC Gasoline
Hydrotreater
Atm
os
ph
eri
c D
isti
lla
tio
n
Va
cc
um
D
isti
llati
on
Coker PDA Pitch
Gas Oil
Diesel
Jet Fuel
Kerosene
Hydrotreater Heavy
Naphtha
Catalytic
Reformer Sweet
Naphtha Reformate
Light
Naphtha
Merox
Treater
Isomerate
Vacuum
Resid
Atm
osp
he
ric
Bo
tto
ms
Asphalt or Fuel Oil
FCC
Hydrotreater
Gas Oil
Hydrocracker
Heavy
Gas Oil
Light
Gas Oil
Gasoline
Jet Fuel
FCC Gas Oil
Petroleum Coke
Gas
Processing
Merox
Treater Propane
Butane
Amine
Treater
Refinery Fuel Gas
Claus Sulfur
Plant Sulfur
Diesel
Hydrocracked Gasoline
Distillate
Isobutane
Olefins
Fuel Oil
Other Gasses
Gas Oil
Naphtha (after hydrotreating)
Gas H2 Gas H2
Gas H2
Gas H2
Gas H2
(or NHT then Cat Reformer)
Light Cycle Oil
Gaso
lin
e B
len
din
g
High RVP Season
Alkylate
Treated Gasoline
Gas H2
Gas H2
Gas
Gas
Gas H2
So
ur
H2O
Str
ipp
er
Steam
Sour
Waters
Stripped
Water
H2S and NH#
to Sulfur Plant
Crude
Oil
Complex/Integrated Refinery
Refinery Processes That Make Asphalt
Separation
Atmospheric distillation
Vacuum distillation
Solvent Deasphalting Unit (SDA, PDA)
ROSE and other HCC Units
Conversion
Oxidizer
Coker, FCC, etc. – NOT!!
Feed Pitch
Viscosity Test and Spec (1970s – 1990s)
Grades: AASHTO M226
AC 2.5, AC 5, AC 10,
AC 20, AC 30, AC 40
Do this at 140 F
plus some other
tests.
Kinematic (275 F) Absolute (140 F)
Viscosity Specifications
Advantages
viscosity is a more fundamental test
characterizing asphalt over wider range of temperatures
control of temperature susceptibility
Disadvantages
did not work well with modified asphalts (fact vs perception?)
bad timing?
something missing?
Bad Timing???
Winnie, Texas, 1981
TRB Special Report 202 – America’s Highways: Accelerating the Search For Innovation (1984) “… the procurement process for asphalt began more than 70 years ago…this process does not accommodate improved adhesion, wetting, and oxidation characteristics…the current knowledge of such desireable properties… is not sufficient to be able to incorporate them in a procurement specification.”
Something missing???
NCHRP Report 269, Paving with Asphalt Cements Produced in the 1980s, Epps, Button, and Gallaway, 1984 “The physical properties of asphalt cements are…more variable…than 20 years ago, even though they remain within specification values; but variations in other factors may mask the influence of this variation on pavement performance.”
Where Did PG Come From? (It’s a relatively new thing! 1993 to present)
Strategic Highway Research Program
1987-1993
$50 million research project by state DOTs
primarily at universities
Product was called Superpave
Superior Performing Asphalt Pavements
PG binder spec with new tests
mix design system
Adopted throughout all of US by now
PG binder spec - AASHTO M320
mix design and analysis (no)
What’s this “PG” All About?
PG 64-22 High pavement temp (C)
to protect against rutting
Low pavement temp (C)
to protect against
thermal cracking
Another Way to Look at It
Testing binder to get
good performance for
this layer at expected
pavement temps.
Test asphalt binder at temps
this layer feels
(high, intermediate, low)
PG Physical Property Tests
Dynamic Shear Rheometer (high/med temp properties)
Bending Beam Rheometer (low temp properties)
PG Plus
Tests added to AASHTO M320 to ensure binder is polymer modified
elastic recovery
cold ductility
toughness and tenacity
force ductility
compatibility
others…
Other Stuff in Asphalt
• Inorganic acids (e.g., PPA)
• Polymers and attendant stuff
• Construction Enhancers (e.g., WMA additives)
• Waste Post Consumer Products (e.g., scrap tires, shingles)
• Fillers and Fibers
• Antistripping agents
• Hydrocarbons
• Antioxidants
• Extenders (e.g., REOB)
• Rejuvenators
Log Temperature
Log Log Stiffness, Viscosity, etc.
Unmodified
polymer modified
Modification via polymer
Types of Polymers
• Elastic Type
- SB diblock
- SBS
- SBR latex
- Waste rubber
• Plastic Type
- EVA
- polyethylene
Polymer Modified Asphalt (Elastic)
Advantages
Significant performance history
Elastic effect
Improved cohesion t = s tan (f) + c
Many specs designed around stretchy polymers (no mysteries)
Favorable co-modifier with others (e.g., PPA)
Disadvangates Can be challenging to
manufacture Compatibility can be a
problem Tougher to handle Sometimes not heat stable Challenge to emulsify Sometimes supply/price
not stable Relatively expensive
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
Mil
lio
ns o
f T
on
s S
old
Source: Asphalt Institute
Asphalt Usage in U.S. (1963-2015)
2017 (tons) 21.7 MM Total 18.7 MM Paving
The Future?
• Asphalt Manufacture • heavier, sour crude
• more blending to grade
• AASHTO M332 (new PG) • compliance vs stiffness of binder
• eliminate ER test?
• no more “bumping” of grades
• More PG+ • “Delta T cee” (DTc)
• better lab aging (hopefully)
• compatibility tests
The Future?
• Modified Binders
• ability to quantify effect on mix
• “HIMA”
• More incorporation of waste post consumer stuff
• Life Cycle Assessment