Industry — Petrochemical & Refining Engineering · India
Petrochemical & Refining
Petrochemical & Refining
Engineering India
Simulation-driven engineering for crude oil refineries, petrochemical complexes, gas processing plants, and fertiliser facilities — process simulation using Aspen HYSYS and Aspen Plus; piping stress analysis using Caesar II (ASME B31.3 / B31.4); static equipment design using HTRI, PVElite, and API 650; hydraulic analysis using AFT Fathom; and HAZOP support — delivered from New Delhi and Navi Mumbai across India and internationally.
Core Capabilities
- Process simulation — Aspen HYSYS & Aspen Plus
- Piping stress — Caesar II, ASME B31.3 / B31.4
- Heat exchanger design — HTRI Xchanger Suite
- Pressure vessel design — PVElite / ASME Sec. VIII
- Storage tank design — API 650 / API 620
- Hydraulic analysis — AFT Fathom / AFT Arrow
- 3D plant modelling — SP3D, PDMS, AutoCAD Plant3D
- HAZOP / HAZID facilitation & PSV sizing
- Fired heater thermal design & rating
- Debottlenecking & revamp engineering
Aspen HYSYS
Aspen Plus
Caesar II
HTRI
PVElite
AFT Fathom
Why KVRM
Multi-Discipline Refinery &
Multi-Discipline Refinery &
Petrochemical Engineering
Refinery and petrochemical projects demand simultaneous delivery across process, piping, equipment, and hydraulic disciplines — with results from each feeding the next. KVRM provides all four from a single team, eliminating the coordination gaps that cause delays, rework, and budget overruns when disciplines are split across multiple consultants.
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Aspen HYSYS & Aspen Plus — BothHYSYS for upstream and midstream (separator trains, compression, gas processing, NGL recovery). Aspen Plus for refinery and chemicals (distillation, reactors, heat integration). The right simulator for each application.
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Process to Piping — ConnectedSimulation results flow directly into equipment datasheets, piping stress design basis, and hydraulic model inputs — no manual transcription errors between disciplines, no version mismatches at HAZOP.
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HTRI & PVElite — Specialist ToolsHeat exchanger design and rating in HTRI Xchanger Suite — not simplified LMTD calculations. Pressure vessel design in PVElite — not manual ASME Section VIII hand calculations. Real software, real results.
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Brownfield & Revamp ExpertiseOperating refinery modifications — tie-ins, capacity expansions, catalyst replacements, debottlenecking — require engineering that understands what is already in the ground. KVRM has delivered multiple brownfield refinery projects.
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HAZOP-Ready DeliverablesEvery simulation model and P&ID is prepared to support HAZOP review — stream data tables, relief load summaries, ESD valve lists, and cause-and-effect matrices prepared as standard outputs on process simulation engagements.
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IBR & Statutory ComplianceIndian Boiler Regulation (IBR) documentation for process steam and utility steam systems. PESO and PNGRB compliance awareness for Indian refinery and pipeline projects. Statutory submissions prepared as standard.
What We Deliver
Petrochemical & Refining
Petrochemical & Refining
Engineering Services
From process simulation and heat & mass balance through piping stress, static equipment, and hydraulic analysis — KVRM covers the full multi-discipline engineering scope for refineries and petrochemical plants.
Process Simulation — Aspen HYSYS & Aspen Plus
Aspen HYSYS · Aspen Plus · API 520 / 521 · Heat & Mass Balance
Steady-state and dynamic process simulation for crude oil refineries, gas processing plants, petrochemical complexes, and fertiliser facilities. Aspen HYSYS is used for upstream and midstream applications — separator trains, gas compression, dehydration, sweetening, NGL recovery, and LNG processes. Aspen Plus is used for refinery distillation, chemical processes, reactor modelling, and heat integration studies. Every simulation is fully documented with a design basis and heat and mass balance table — ready for HAZOP, equipment procurement, and statutory submission.
Aspen HYSYS Aspen Plus API 520 API 521 HYSYS Dynamics
Aspen HYSYS Aspen Plus API 520 API 521 HYSYS Dynamics
Upstream & Midstream — Aspen HYSYS
- Separator train sizing — three-phase, two-phase, flash drums (crude, gas condensate)
- Gas compression systems — multistage, intercooling, antisurge recycle loops
- Gas dehydration — TEG (triethylene glycol) absorption and regeneration
- Gas sweetening — amine (MEA, DEA, MDEA) absorption simulation
- NGL recovery — cryogenic expander, JT valve, lean oil absorption processes
- LNG liquefaction — PRICO, C3-MR, DMR cycle simulation
- Dynamic simulation — ESD validation, surge control, compressor protection studies
- Flare header load study — relief valve fire case, blocked outlet, power failure
Refinery & Petrochemical — Aspen Plus
- Atmospheric and vacuum distillation unit (ADU/VDU) simulation
- Fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) main fractionator simulation
- Hydrocracker and hydrotreater fractionation section modelling
- Amine gas treating unit (AGU) simulation — refinery H₂S removal
- Sour water stripper (SWS) and sulphur recovery unit (SRU) modelling
- Ammonia and urea plant simulation — reformer, shift, synthesis loop
- Ethylene / propylene splitter simulation for petrochemical plants
- Heat integration — pinch analysis, utility targeting, HEN optimisation
📦 Deliverables
Aspen HYSYS / Aspen Plus simulation model files, heat and mass balance (HMB) tables, stream summaries, equipment sizing summary, process design basis document, equipment data sheets, relief load summary (API 520/521 basis), HAZOP preparation support package, utility consumption summary.
Piping Stress Analysis — Caesar II, ASME B31.3 / B31.4
Caesar II · ASME B31.3 · ASME B31.4 · API 610 · API 617 · WRC 107/297
Formal piping stress and flexibility analysis for refinery and petrochemical process piping using Caesar II — covering all operating lines from crude preheat through product rundown. High-temperature reactor inlet/outlet piping, high-pressure feed lines, hot oil circuits, steam and condensate systems, and cryogenic utility lines all require formal stress analysis. Equipment nozzle loads are evaluated against API 610 pump, API 617 compressor, and API 661 air cooler allowables. Slug flow and two-phase dynamic loads are assessed for flare headers and two-phase process lines.
Caesar II ASME B31.3 ASME B31.4 API 610 API 617 WRC 107/297
Caesar II ASME B31.3 ASME B31.4 API 610 API 617 WRC 107/297
Critical Line Categories
- Reactor inlet/outlet — high-temperature, high-pressure, creep-range materials
- Fired heater transfer lines — thermal shock, slug flow, trip loads
- Vacuum column overhead — large bore, low pressure, thermal sensitivity
- Compressor suction/discharge — ASME B31.3, API 617 nozzle verification
- Pump suction/discharge — NPSH critical, API 610 nozzle compliance
- Crude oil and product pipelines — ASME B31.4, buried and above-ground
- Cryogenic lines — LPG, C2, C3 cold service, cold spring design
- Flare headers — two-phase, slug, relief valve thrust dynamic analysis
Scope & Deliverables
- Full load case matrix — sustained, thermal, operating, seismic, occasional, hydrotest
- Nozzle load evaluation — tabulated against vendor API allowables
- WRC 107 / WRC 297 local stress check for vessel nozzles
- Spring hanger sizing — variable and constant effort, complete datasheet schedule
- Pipe support design — guide, anchor, resting, trunnion drawings
- Pipe rack load report for structural engineers
- Dynamic analysis for slug, seismic, and water hammer where required
- ASME B31.3 / B31.4 code compliance report
📦 Deliverables
Caesar II model files, stress isometric drawings with support mark-up, ASME code compliance report, nozzle load summary (per equipment), spring hanger datasheet schedule, pipe support specification drawings, pipe rack load report, dynamic analysis report (where applicable), design basis document.
Static Equipment Design — HTRI, PVElite & API 650
HTRI Xchanger Suite · PVElite · COMPRESS · API 650 · API 620 · ASME Section VIII · TEMA
Specialist design and analysis of static process equipment for refineries and petrochemical plants — heat exchanger thermal design and rating in HTRI Xchanger Suite, pressure vessel mechanical design in PVElite and COMPRESS, and storage tank design to API 650 and API 620. All designs include IBR documentation for statutory Indian boiler registration where applicable. Equipment datasheets are prepared in standard format for vendor enquiry and technical bid evaluation (TBE) support.
HTRI Xchanger Suite PVElite COMPRESS API 650 API 620 ASME Sec. VIII TEMA
HTRI Xchanger Suite PVElite COMPRESS API 650 API 620 ASME Sec. VIII TEMA
Heat Exchanger Design — HTRI
- Shell-and-tube heat exchanger thermal design and rating (HTRI Xchanger Suite)
- Air-cooled heat exchanger (fin-fan) design and rating — HTRI Xace
- TEMA type selection — AES, BEM, AEW, kettle reboilers, thermosiphons
- Fouling allowance and cleanliness factor optimisation
- Revamp and re-rating for capacity expansion or service change
- Vibration analysis for tube bundles — HTRI flow-induced vibration check
- Condenser and reboiler design for distillation columns
- Vendor TBE (Technical Bid Evaluation) using HTRI re-simulation
Pressure Vessels & Storage Tanks
- Pressure vessel mechanical design — ASME Section VIII Div 1 & Div 2 (PVElite / COMPRESS)
- Nozzle reinforcement pad design and WRC 107/297 local stress check
- Saddle, lug, and leg support design — horizontal and vertical vessels
- Tall column design — wind and seismic lateral loading, skirt design
- IBR statutory documentation — design verification for Indian boiler registration
- API 650 above-ground storage tanks — fixed roof and floating roof
- API 620 low-pressure storage tanks — wind, seismic, annular plate design
- Tank settlement assessment and out-of-roundness evaluation
📦 Deliverables
HTRI thermal calculation reports, PVElite / COMPRESS mechanical calculation files, equipment datasheets (vendor enquiry format), fabrication drawing review, nozzle schedule, material selection summary, IBR documentation package, API 650/620 tank design package, vendor TBE summary sheet.
Hydraulic & Surge Analysis — AFT Fathom & AFT Arrow
AFT Fathom · AFT Arrow · AFT Impulse · PIPENET · API 14E
Steady-state and transient hydraulic analysis for refinery and petrochemical liquid pipeline systems, pump networks, compressor station interconnects, and utility distribution headers — using AFT Fathom for liquid systems, AFT Arrow for compressible gas flow, and AFT Impulse for surge and water hammer analysis. Pipe sizing to API 14E erosional velocity limits for two-phase and high-velocity hydrocarbon lines.
AFT Fathom AFT Arrow AFT Impulse PIPENET API 14E
AFT Fathom AFT Arrow AFT Impulse PIPENET API 14E
Steady-State Analysis
- Pump suction and discharge network sizing — flow split, pressure profiles
- Crude oil and product pipeline hydraulic analysis — API 14E velocity limits
- Gas pipeline compressible flow — AFT Arrow pressure drop, compressor station sizing
- Fire water ring main sizing and demand analysis — NFPA 15 / API fire protection
- Cooling water system analysis — tower, condenser, and pump sizing
- Process gas distribution networks — fuel gas, hydrogen, nitrogen, instrument air
Surge & Transient Analysis
- Pump trip surge — crude oil transfer, product pipeline, cooling water systems
- ESD valve closure transient — fast-acting valve surge pressure calculation
- Check valve slam analysis — pump discharge non-return valve sizing
- Surge vessel sizing — volume and pre-charge pressure for pump stations
- Valve closure timing optimisation — non-linear valve profile for surge control
- Water hammer — steam condensate return lines, boiler feed systems
📦 Deliverables
AFT Fathom / Arrow / Impulse model files, hydraulic network sizing report, pump duty point summary and system curves, surge analysis report with pressure envelopes, surge protection design (surge vessel, valve timing), pipe sizing schedule, API 14E erosional velocity check, design basis document.
3D Plant Modelling, HAZOP Support & PSV Sizing
SP3D · PDMS · AutoCAD Plant3D · API 520 / 521 · IEC 61511
Detailed 3D engineering models for refinery and petrochemical facilities using SP3D, PDMS, and AutoCAD Plant3D — enabling full multi-discipline coordination, clash detection, and isometric extraction for construction. HAZOP support including P&ID review, cause-and-effect matrix preparation, action tracking, and relief load summary. Pressure safety valve (PSV) and pressure relief valve (PRV) sizing to API 520 / 521 for all relief scenarios.
SP3D PDMS AutoCAD Plant3D API 520 API 521 IEC 61511
SP3D PDMS AutoCAD Plant3D API 520 API 521 IEC 61511
3D Plant Modelling
- Greenfield plant modelling — full 3D from PFD/P&ID through detailed design
- Brownfield tie-in modelling — laser scan integration, existing plant as-built
- Clash detection and resolution — multi-discipline coordination (piping, structural, civil, electrical)
- Isometric extraction and MTO generation for procurement and construction
- Piping routing optimisation — constructability review, maintenance access
- Plot plan and pipe rack layout — equipment arrangement and spacing
HAZOP Support & PSV Sizing
- HAZOP / HAZID support — P&ID review, node development, guideword analysis facilitation
- HAZOP action tracking and close-out verification
- Cause-and-effect matrix (C&E) preparation for ESD and fire & gas systems
- PSV sizing — API 520 Part I & II, all relief scenarios (fire, blocked outlet, power failure)
- Tail pipe and flare header backpressure analysis (Aspen HYSYS)
- SIL (Safety Integrity Level) determination support — IEC 61511
📦 Deliverables
3D plant model files (SP3D / PDMS / AutoCAD Plant3D), clash detection report, piping isometrics, MTO (material take-off), HAZOP minutes and action register, cause-and-effect matrix, PSV sizing calculation package (API 520/521), relief device summary datasheet, SIL assessment report (if scope includes IEC 61511 review).
Codes & Standards
Standards We Design To
KVRM identifies and applies the correct combination of ASME, API, and Indian codes from project kickoff — not at authority submission stage.
| Standard | Scope | KVRM Application |
|---|---|---|
| ASME B31.3 | Process Piping | All process piping in refineries and petrochemical plants — stress analysis, flexibility, and material qualification |
| ASME B31.4 | Liquid Pipelines | Crude oil and product transfer pipelines — above-ground and buried, including pigging systems |
| ASME Sec. VIII | Pressure Vessels | Design and fabrication of process vessels, columns, reactors, and separators — Division 1 & 2 |
| API 650 / 620 | Storage Tanks | Above-ground fixed and floating roof crude and product storage tanks; low-pressure tanks for LPG and chemicals |
| TEMA | Heat Exchangers | Shell-and-tube heat exchanger type designation, bundle construction, and mechanical design standards |
| API 520 / 521 | Pressure Relief Devices | PSV and PRV sizing for all relief scenarios — fire, blocked outlet, power failure, chemical reaction |
| API 610 / 617 | Centrifugal Pumps / Compressors | Equipment nozzle load allowables for piping stress analysis and pump / compressor specification |
| API 14E | Offshore / Onshore Piping | Erosional velocity limits for two-phase and high-velocity hydrocarbon pipelines |
| IBR 1950 | Indian Boiler Regulations | Statutory documentation for steam-generating plant and steam piping requiring TPIA approval in India |
Facilities We Engineer
Refinery & Petrochemical
Refinery & Petrochemical
Facility Types
From upstream gathering to downstream petrochemical — one engineering standard applied across the full hydrocarbon value chain.
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Crude Oil Refineries
CDU/VDU · FCC · Hydrocracker · Hydrotreater · Reformer
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Gas Processing Plants
Separation · Compression · Dehydration · Sweetening · NGL
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Petrochemical Complexes
Ethylene · Propylene · Aromatics · Polymer Plants
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Fertiliser Plants
Ammonia · Urea · DAP · Nitric Acid · Methanol
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LNG & LPG Facilities
Liquefaction · Regasification · Storage · Loading
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Pipeline & Terminal
Crude / Product Pipelines · Tank Farms · Marine Loading
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Sulphur & Acid Recovery
SRU · SWS · Claus Unit · Tail Gas Treatment
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Refinery Power & Utilities
Captive Power · Steam & Condensate · Cooling Water · Flare
Our Process
How a Refinery Engineering
How a Refinery Engineering
Engagement Works
From design basis through simulation, equipment design, piping stress, and HAZOP-ready documentation — a disciplined multi-discipline approach.
01
Design Basis
Feed composition, flow rates, operating conditions, applicable codes, plot constraints, utility availability, and statutory requirements — agreed and documented before any simulation or design work begins.
02
Simulate
Aspen HYSYS or Aspen Plus model built and validated. Heat and mass balance table generated. Equipment sized from simulation results — no rule-of-thumb equipment sizing.
03
Equipment & Piping
HTRI heat exchanger design, PVElite vessel design, AFT Fathom hydraulic analysis, and Caesar II piping stress — all run in parallel, with process simulation results feeding each discipline directly.
04
HAZOP Ready
P&IDs marked up for HAZOP, relief load summary prepared to API 521, PSV sizing completed, cause-and-effect matrix drafted. Complete HAZOP support package issued before review meeting.
05
Deliver
Simulation model files, equipment datasheets, stress isometrics, support drawings, HTRI reports, PVElite calculations, hydraulic reports, and statutory packages — complete, construction-ready documentation.
Engineering Philosophy
Refinery Engineering Requires
Refinery Engineering Requires
Integration, Not Coordination
The common failure mode in refinery engineering projects is discipline fragmentation. Process simulation is done by one firm, piping stress by another, equipment design by a third. Each produces its deliverables independently — and the interfaces between them are the source of most design errors. Pump NPSH is calculated using simulation stream data that has since been revised. Heat exchanger tube counts are set before piping stress confirms the nozzle loads. Vessel nozzle sizes are frozen before hydraulic analysis establishes flow velocities.
KVRM runs process simulation, piping stress, equipment design, and hydraulic analysis as a single integrated scope. The Aspen HYSYS model is the single source of truth — stream conditions flow into HTRI, which generates nozzle loads that go into Caesar II, which sets pipe support loads that go into the civil drawings. Revisions propagate through the model, not through email chains.
This is not just more efficient — it produces a more coherent design, a cleaner HAZOP, and a construction package that is internally consistent from process basis to fabrication drawing.
“Refinery engineering done in silos produces refinery problems that are discovered at commissioning.”
- Process simulation is the source of truth — not the first document to be frozen
- Equipment datasheets are generated from simulation — not from catalogue assumptions
- Piping stress design basis uses actual stream temperatures — not design margins
- HAZOP preparation begins from the simulation model — not from memory
- Every revision propagates to every affected discipline — not manually tracked
Common Questions
Petrochemical & Refining — FAQ
When should Aspen HYSYS be used versus Aspen Plus for refinery simulation?
Aspen HYSYS is the preferred simulator for upstream and midstream applications where the Peng-Robinson or SRK equation of state accurately describes the fluid behaviour — crude oil separation, gas processing, compression, NGL recovery, and LNG processes. HYSYS is strong in its dynamics capability (dynamic simulation for ESD and surge control) and in its gas processing unit operations. Aspen Plus is preferred for refinery downstream processes where activity coefficient models are needed — distillation columns with polar solvents, reactive distillation, chemical reactors, electrolyte systems (amine treating, sour water), and solid processing. For a typical crude oil refinery, KVRM would use HYSYS for the crude preheat train, CDU/VDU overhead systems, and utilities balance — and Aspen Plus for the treating units, SRU, and any downstream chemical processing. Many projects require both tools, and KVRM is proficient in transferring stream data between them.
What does a HAZOP support engagement from KVRM include?
KVRM provides HAZOP support — not HAZOP facilitation (which requires a certified HAZOP leader from the project team or owner). KVRM’s HAZOP support scope typically includes: (1) P&ID review and node development prior to the study — identifying nodes, process parameters, and guidewords; (2) Relief load summary preparation — establishing the credible relief scenarios (fire case, blocked outlet, power failure, control valve failure) and calculating relief rates to API 521 for each vessel; (3) PSV sizing to API 520 for all relief devices identified in the study; (4) Cause-and-effect (C&E) matrix preparation for the ESD and F&G systems; (5) HAZOP action register tracking and close-out verification — confirming each action is resolved in the design before IFC issue. Where required, KVRM can also support SIL (Safety Integrity Level) determination studies to IEC 61511.
Can KVRM carry out revamp and debottlenecking studies for existing refineries?
Yes. Brownfield revamp and debottlenecking studies are a significant part of KVRM’s petrochemical and refining work. A typical engagement involves: (1) Building a calibrated Aspen HYSYS or Aspen Plus model of the existing unit, matched to operating data from the plant historian; (2) Identifying the primary bottleneck — whether in the heat exchanger train, column internals, compressor capacity, or relief system; (3) Evaluating de-bottlenecking options — heat exchanger re-rating in HTRI, column hydraulic assessment, compressor operating curve review; (4) Sizing the modification — new exchanger, column tray replacement, pump upsize — and confirming the revamped design passes all process and mechanical checks; (5) Issuing a revamp package including simulation model files, modified equipment datasheets, piping modification drawings (tie-in list), and the revised HAZOP action list for the changes.
What inputs are needed to start a process simulation for a refinery unit?
To begin a process simulation engagement for a refinery or petrochemical unit, KVRM requires: (1) Feed composition and flow rate — for crude units, an assay (TBP curve, UOP K factor, ASTM D-86 data); for gas processing, a wellhead or inlet gas composition and flow; (2) Desired product specifications or yield targets; (3) Operating pressure and temperature at key points if this is a revamp (or design basis targets for a greenfield unit); (4) Utility availability — steam levels, cooling water temperature, fuel gas composition; (5) Equipment sizing preferences or constraints (existing equipment dimensions for revamp); (6) Applicable project specifications and codes. KVRM prepares a formal Design Basis document summarising all agreed inputs before simulation work begins — this is the reference document for all subsequent scope changes.
Does KVRM provide engineering for Indian regulatory submissions (PESO, PNGRB, IBR)?
Yes. For Indian refinery and petrochemical projects, KVRM is familiar with the relevant statutory frameworks: IBR (Indian Boiler Regulations 1950) governs steam-generating plant and steam piping — KVRM prepares IBR calculation packages in the prescribed format for TPIA (Third Party Inspection Agency) approval. PESO (Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation) governs storage and handling of petroleum products and LPG — KVRM’s designs for tank farms, LPG storage, and petroleum product handling are prepared with PESO compliance in view, including the required layout drawings, firefighting provisions, and safety distances from OISD guidelines. PNGRB (Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board) applies to natural gas pipelines — KVRM’s pipeline designs reference ASME B31.8 as required by PNGRB technical standards. KVRM provides the technical design package; the formal statutory application is typically submitted by the client or EPC contractor.
Related Engineering Services
Often Combined with
Often Combined with
Petrochemical & Refining Engineering
Refinery and petrochemical projects are multi-discipline by nature — the services below are routinely delivered alongside process simulation and piping stress on the same project.
Ready to Discuss Your
Refinery or Petrochemical Project?
Send us your process brief, P&IDs, or feed composition — we’ll scope the simulation and multi-discipline engineering required.
📞 +91 8447784536 ·
📧 services@kvrm.in ·
📍 New Delhi · Navi Mumbai · Faridabad