{"id":483,"date":"2026-07-20T09:48:13","date_gmt":"2026-07-20T13:48:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/flumen.clients.cake.fm\/?post_type=cke_article&#038;p=483"},"modified":"2026-07-20T09:48:13","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T13:48:13","slug":"the-case-of-the-missing-hago","status":"publish","type":"cke_article","link":"https:\/\/flumen.clients.cake.fm\/fr\/articles\/the-case-of-the-missing-hago\/","title":{"rendered":"The Case of the Missing HAGO"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Company Type: Refinery with atmospheric and vacuum distillation units\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Project Type: Troubleshooting and performance recovery of a crude unit main column<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The refinery had recently completed a revamp that included installation of a prefractionation column, heat train modifications, and changes to pumps and vacuum systems. Approximately 18 months after startup, a significant degradation in diesel blending performance was observed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Challenge<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The refinery experienced a sudden and unexplained loss of Heavy Atmospheric Gas Oil (HAGO) yield, accompanied by an increase in Light Vacuum Gas Oil (LVGO) production. Maintaining the diesel product specification\u2014specifically the D86 95% point of 360\u00b0C\u2014became impossible under normal operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Operational workarounds negatively impacted both the atmospheric and vacuum columns, leading to instability, reduced Heavy Vacuum Gas Oil (HVGO) production, downstream FCC yield impacts, and significant economic penalties. The root cause of the missing HAGO was unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Solution<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Engineering consultants used a calibrated CHEMCAD process simulation model to replicate current plant performance. By systematically adjusting operating variables and tray efficiencies, they identified abnormally low tray efficiency (as low as 35%) in trays located below the HAGO draw section of the main column.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Simulation results strongly suggested mechanical damage or obstruction of trays rather than purely operational issues. To verify the hypothesis, a gamma scan of the column was performed, which confirmed dislodged and damaged trays in the suspected zone. A temporary operational workaround was implemented until a short turnaround allowed for tray replacement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Results<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Gamma scan data confirmed severe tray malfunction below the HAGO draw tray.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Damaged and dislodged trays were physically observed and replaced during turnaround.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>After repair, the distillation column returned to its design performance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>HAGO yield and diesel blending specifications were fully restored.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Vacuum column stability and downstream unit performance improved.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/flumen.clients.cake.fm\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/CS-CHEMCAD-Missing-HAGO_26_05.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Read the article<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The refinery had recently completed a revamp that included installation of a prefractionation column, heat train modifications, and changes to pumps and vacuum systems. Approximately 18 months after startup, a significant degradation in diesel blending performance was observed. Challenge The refinery experienced a sudden and unexplained loss of Heavy Atmospheric Gas Oil (HAGO) yield, accompanied [&hellip;]","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","cke_solution":[22],"cke_type":[18],"class_list":["post-483","cke_article","type-cke_article","status-publish","hentry","cke_solution-chemcad","cke_type-case-studies"],"acf":{"linked_sector":""},"mb":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Case of the Missing HAGO - Flumen<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"fr_FR\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Case of the Missing HAGO - Flumen\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The refinery had recently completed a revamp that included installation of a prefractionation column, heat train modifications, and changes to pumps and vacuum systems. Approximately 18 months after startup, a significant degradation in diesel blending performance was observed. Challenge The refinery experienced a sudden and unexplained loss of Heavy Atmospheric Gas Oil (HAGO) yield, accompanied [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/flumen.clients.cake.fm\/fr\/articles\/the-case-of-the-missing-hago\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Flumen\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Dur\u00e9e de lecture estim\u00e9e\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flumen.clients.cake.fm\\\/fr\\\/articles\\\/the-case-of-the-missing-hago\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flumen.clients.cake.fm\\\/fr\\\/articles\\\/the-case-of-the-missing-hago\\\/\",\"name\":\"The Case of the Missing HAGO - Flumen\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flumen.clients.cake.fm\\\/fr\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-20T13:48:13+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flumen.clients.cake.fm\\\/fr\\\/articles\\\/the-case-of-the-missing-hago\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"fr-FR\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/flumen.clients.cake.fm\\\/fr\\\/articles\\\/the-case-of-the-missing-hago\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flumen.clients.cake.fm\\\/fr\\\/articles\\\/the-case-of-the-missing-hago\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flumen.clients.cake.fm\\\/fr\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The Case of the Missing HAGO\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flumen.clients.cake.fm\\\/fr\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flumen.clients.cake.fm\\\/fr\\\/\",\"name\":\"Flumen\",\"description\":\"Applied Flow Technology &amp; Pipe Stress Analysis Software\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flumen.clients.cake.fm\\\/fr\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flumen.clients.cake.fm\\\/fr\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"fr-FR\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flumen.clients.cake.fm\\\/fr\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Flumen\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flumen.clients.cake.fm\\\/fr\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"fr-FR\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flumen.clients.cake.fm\\\/fr\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flumen.clients.cake.fm\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/11\\\/logo-flumen-dark.svg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flumen.clients.cake.fm\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/11\\\/logo-flumen-dark.svg\",\"width\":393,\"height\":77,\"caption\":\"Flumen\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/flumen.clients.cake.fm\\\/fr\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The Case of the Missing HAGO - Flumen","robots":{"index":"noindex","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"og_locale":"fr_FR","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Case of the Missing HAGO - Flumen","og_description":"The refinery had recently completed a revamp that included installation of a prefractionation column, heat train modifications, and changes to pumps and vacuum systems. 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