How do you evaluate residue upgrading technology options economically?

Residue upgrading evaluation: Technologies - delayed coking (lowest capital, produces coke), fluid coking/Flexicoking (higher conversion, uses coke), residue hydrocracking (highest quality products, high hydrogen consumption), solvent deasphalting (produces deasphalted oil for FCC/hydrocracker). Economic factors: Capital cost - hydrocracking highest, coking lowest. Operating cost - hydrogen cost dominates for hydrocracking, energy for coking. Product value - hydrocracker produces higher-value products. Yield structure - analyze liquid yields and product quality. Byproduct value - coke value varies widely (fuel grade vs. anode grade), DAO value depends on downstream processing. Integration - hydrogen balance, heat integration, shared infrastructure. Evaluation approach: model each option in refinery LP, compare NPV/IRR including implementation timeline. Location factors: coke market, hydrogen cost, environmental constraints. Heavy-sour crude discounts drive residue upgrading investments.