Orion Moves Forward with Construction of $50 Million Reformer

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Researched by Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources, Incorporated; Houston, Texas). Orion Refining Corporation (Houston, Texas), a privately held independent refining company, has selected Linde Group (Tulsa, Oklahoma) to provide engineering and construction services for a catalytic reformer unit addition at its New Sarpy, Louisiana refinery. The new unit, which will have a daily capacity of 25,000 barrels, will upgrade low-octane naphtha's to high-octane reformate utilizing technology licensed from Universal Oil Products (UOP). Commercial startup is tentatively scheduled for October 2002.

Orion owns one refinery capable of processing 155,000 barrels per day of heavy, sour crude oil. Utilizing state-of-the-art technology installed over the last 7-years, the low cost feedstock is converted to high-value products, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, kerosene, heating oil, naphtha, and NGL (Natural Gas Liquids). The refinery ships finished products to the eastern seaboard of the U.S. via the Colonial and Plantation Pipeline systems.

Industrialinfo.com is currently tracking maintenance and capital spending on over 180 reforming units across the U.S. and Canada. There are 20 projects that are under consideration to upgrade, expand, debottleneck, or construct new units worth an estimated $500 million.