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Diesel Dewaxing

Diesel dewaxing (MIDW™)  

ExxonMobil’s MIDW™ catalyst technology and services provides high yields of low cloud point diesel. The process uses a proprietary catalyst that converts waxy paraffins to higher performance molecules, as compared with older technologies that rely on cracking. This results in a much higher diesel yield, particularly for deep reductions in cloud point.

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Key benefits

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    • Better low-temperature properties
    • Increased unit flexibility

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    • Paraffins are isomerized instead of cracked

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    • Higher capacities
    • Flexible process configurations
    • Lower reactor temperatures

Growing commercial deployment  

Currently, over 10 MIDW units are operating around the world, with more than five under design. While many MIDW units are located in colder climates (Russia, North America, Northern Europe), where there is a clear need for winter diesel, there are units in the Middle East, India and Singapore that produce Euro V diesel for export. The ability to retrofit an existing unit with MIDW technology to capture significant value makes this one of the most attractive fuels technologies in the world today.

Flexible, adaptable applications  

  • Various grades of MIDW catalyst exist to suit unique refinery needs: catalysts for sweet or sour drop-in applications, as well as catalysts for standalone dewaxing reactors.
  • MIDW catalyst grades are tailored to meeting refineries’ specific cold-flow specifications.
  • Integration with complementary technologies to make clean, high-quality diesel.
  • Combined with ExxonMobil’s process technology, MIDW catalyst can provide refiners with powerful dewaxing in winter mode while dialing back performance in summer mode, reducing giveaway.

Continuous innovation  

The success of MIDW technology is based on continuous innovation at ExxonMobil.
New materials and processes generated by ExxonMobil catalyst and process technology groups are then further refined and rigorously tested for commercial applicability by process engineering experts, who also provide the technical support for unit commissioning. The most recent improvement featured the introduction of a base metal MIDW catalyst designed specifically for sour environments.

MIDW catalyst technology services include:  

  • Initial non-confidential consultations
  • Development of proposal
  • Basic engineering package, including basic design specification and operating guide
  • Engineering support during front-end engineering design and engineering, procurement and construction stages
  • Technology transfer, training, catalyst loading and startup support
  • Unit monitoring support

Typical yield and cloud point reduction tradeoff  

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Example processing schemes  

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Featured resources

View highlighted news, events, technical papers and case studies below. To see our full collection of resources, browse our Library.
  • ExxonMobil Chemical Library icon

    MIDW™ eliminates endpoint giveaway – Case study

    A refiner producing ultra-low-sulfur diesel eliminated endpoint giveaway by implementing MIDW™ drop-in catalyst technology in an existing hydrotreater, generating estimated annual benefits of $20 million.

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  • ExxonMobil Chemical Library icon

    MIDW™ increases distillate yield – Case study

    A North American refiner increased distillate yield by 42 percent, achieving an estimated annual benefit of $10 million, by switching from a cracking dewaxing catalyst to ExxonMobil’s MIDW™ drop-in catalyst solution.

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  • ExxonMobil Chemical Library icon

    MIDW™ as a drop-in catalyst solution: Benefits of upgrading to a highly isomerization-deselective distillate dewaxing catalyst

    ExxonMobil’s highly isomerization-selective MIDW™ distillate dewaxing catalyst helps refiners, such as Silver Eagle Refining, increase profitability and lower operating costs by reducing LPG yields, improving diesel yields, lowering hydrogen consumption and improving distillate product quality.

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  • ExxonMobil Chemical Library icon

    Increase diesel yields - and profits – for your refinery

    ExxonMobil Catalysts and Licensing offers an effective way to modify the cold-flow properties in diesel: MIDW™ technology for isomerization dewaxing of distillate fuels. It’s a relatively simple drop-in catalyst solution for dewaxing diesel that efficiently uses existing plant equipment.

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