Sonatrach expands refinery capacity
Published by Anna Nicklin,
Assistant Editor
Hydrocarbon Engineering,
Sonatrach will use technologies from Honeywell UOP to expand the Skikda Refinery on the eastern Mediterranean coast of Algeria. The technologies will enable Sonatrach to meet growing domestic demand for high-octane gasoline and diesel fuel that meets Euro V standards for cleaner-burning fuels.
Honeywell will provide licensing, basic engineering design and other associated services for an 81 000 bpd UOP UnicrackingTM unit and UOP/Foster Wheeler solvent deasphalting unit to produce ultra-low sulfur diesel. In addition, the company will provide CCR PlatformingTM and PenexTM isomerisation units to convert 143 000 bpd of naphtha into cleaner-burning high-octane gasoline.
“These Honeywell technologies will enable Sonatrach to upgrade low-value feedstocks by efficiently converting them into Euro V diesel,” said John Gugel, Vice President and General Manager of Honeywell UOP’s Process Technology and Equipment business. “Sonatrach also will use an integrated Platforming and Penex process to produce high-octane gasoline without having to produce or import additives, such as MTBE.”
The 24 100 bpd solvent deasphalting unit will produce deasphalted oil in addition to resin and pitch, which will be used to produce different grades of bitumen, the base material for asphalt and roofing materials.
The Penex process is a high-performing isomerisation option. It upgrades light naphtha to produce isomerate, a cleaner gasoline blend-stock that contains no benzene, aromatics or olefins. The process uses Honeywell UOP’s portfolio of proven, high-activity isomerisation and benzene saturation catalysts.
The Unicracking process has advanced due to more effective catalysts, unit design and reactor internals. Today’s Unicracking process produces higher yields of transportation fuels that adhere to new emissions regulations from a wider range of feedstocks than has been possible previously. Honeywell UOP has licensed more than 200 Unicracking units in over 40 countries.
The CCR Platforming process produces reformate for high-octane, low-sulfur gasoline and aromatics, and is a reliable, continuous source of high-purity hydrogen for the production of other fuel products.
Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/refining/08052018/sonatrach-expands-refinery-capacity/
You might also like
Low US distillate consumption reflects slow economic activity and biofuel substitution
The EIA reports that US distillate consumption so far this year is lower than usual because of warm winter weather, reduced manufacturing activity, and continued substitution of biofuels in place of petroleum distillate on the US West Coast (PADD 5).