Brazilian Refineries Implement “Gasoline Projects” Aimed at Improving Air Quality

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas). Cubatão refinery (São Paulo, Brazil) is the seventh biggest refinery in Brazil, with a capacity to produce 170,000 barrels per day. It accounts for 11% of Brazil’s derivates production. The plant's most important project is the implementation of the Gasoline Projects (Carteira de Gasolina).

The Gasoline Projects are being developed in refineries all over the country and enforced by the National Environmental Council’s (CONAMA) Resolution Number 315/2002. This resolution has established future standards for the reduction of automobile emissions aimed at improving the quality of the air in big urban centers.

These projects will help Brazil to meet the future internal market needs, as well as export gasoline surplus productions to the United States and Europe.

The Gasoline Projects involve the implementation of the following units: HDS Cracked Naphtha (31,500 barrels per day), HDT Coked Naphtha (14,000 barrels per day), and the revamp of the catalytic reforming unit which will see its capacity increased from 9,500 barrels per day to 12,600 barrels per day and will allow octane booster and hydrogen to be used in the new HDS and HDT units. Moreover these projects include the implementation of auxiliary units: SRU 3 (35T/D), Residue Gas Treatment (126T/D), and one DEA.

The basic engineering of these projects was carried out by different companies. AXENS worked on the HDS and DEA units, Cenpes Petrobras on the HDT, and Parsons on SRU 3 and Residue Gas Treatment UTGR. The Revamp of the Catalytic Reforming Unit project was developed by UOP.

Techint Engineering & Construction will be responsible for the detailed engineering and construction of the HDS, HDT and DEA units. The contract signed with Techint was estimated at $272 million. The civil construction of these units will commence in July and September 2007. The SRU 3 and residue gas treatment units are in the bidding process. The detailed engineering of the Revamp of the Catalytic Reforming Unit is being developed by PROGEN (São Paulo, Brazil) and the building company has not been selected yet.

SRU 3 and the residue gas treatment units are estimated to start operating in January 2009, HDT in June, HDS and DEA in July and CCR in December of the same year.

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