K-COT is an FCC technology that converts low-value hydrocarbon streams into ethylene and propylene

Technology
KBR Catalytic Olefins Technology
UserPic
Kokel, Nicolas
8/5/2026 2:21 PM



K-COT™ Process Flow Diagram | Source: KBR

K-COT™ (KBR Catalytic Olefins Technology) is a fluidized catalytic cracking process that converts low-value C4–C10 olefinic, paraffinic, or mixed hydrocarbon streams into high-value propylene, ethylene, and aromatics-rich (BTX) gasoline. It couples a proprietary modified ZSM-5 catalyst with KBR’s Orthoflow™ fast-fluidized FCC reactor system, drawing on more than 70 years of KBR fluid-bed reactor design experience and over 100 KBR-designed olefins recovery plants.

K-COT can serve as an alternative to steam cracking for paraffinic feeds such as straight-run naphtha, or as an adjunct “recycle converter” that upgrades low-value steam cracker and refinery by-products (mixed C4s, C5s, cracked naphthas, aromatics raffinate) as well as non-traditional streams (methanol, ethanol, and Fischer-Tropsch or MTO/MTP by-products) — all without feed pretreatment. Compared with steam cracking, it operates at significantly lower temperatures (~600–700 °C vs. >850 °C), delivers a much higher propylene-to-ethylene ratio (~1:1 on paraffinic feeds, up to ~2–2.5:1 on olefin-rich feeds), 10–25% relatively higher light olefin yields, roughly 50% more BTX, and lower cost of production, capital cost, and CO2 emissions.

Continue reading the full K-COT™ technology profile here.

#fluidcatalyticcracking  #fcc  #orthoflowreactor  #zeolitecatalyst  #olefins  #ethylene  #propylene  #refineryintegration  #kbr  #skgroup  #ulsancomplex  #sasol  #olefinicfeed  #naphthafeed  Gupta, Sanjay

UserPic
Gupta, Sanjay
8/6/2026 6:01 AM

K- COT is an interesting process and was examined deeply for Indian refineries/ PC complexes in 2016-17. While the technology held great promise, it could not materialise in projects for variety of reasons.

1. It is a good technology to convert unhydrotreated unsaturated hydrocarbons.
2. Good feed to the unit is olefin C4 mix, fCc C4 and C 5 mix, Coker naphtha. Saturated streams can be also processed but the yield is poorer.
3. Good ethylene, propylene and Aromatic yield.
4. Unit operates like an FCC and can boost the PC pool significantly.
5. The negative is that it is a single licensor driven technology.
6. The licensor insists on too many proprietary supplies, which does not work in India.
7. Is an Excellent fit in an integrated complex with a Petro FCC, Olefin complex and a Delayed Coker. Can be well integrated with PetroFCC with additional unhydrotreated C 4 mix feed from Olefin and Coker Naphtha from DCU.
A standalone K Cot is expensive but an integrated unit can be useful.
UserPic
Kokel, Nicolas
8/6/2026 2:24 PM

Thank you Gupta, Sanjay for this valuable assessment. 
We will consider K-COT as one option for the Indian model refinery project we are launching on this platform. Proprietary components are an often underappreciated criteria in the technology selection decision process.