FCCU, Delayed Coker at Chile's Bio Bio Refinery Running at Reduced Rates

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--The Bio Bio refinery, owned by Chile's state-owned oil company Enap, reduced the capacity of its fluid catalytic cracker unit (FCCU) and delayed coker to reduce acid gas emissions to avoid environmental inconveniences.

Enap has three refineries in the country: Aconcagua, Gregorio and Bio Bio. The latter has a total production capacity of 113,000 barrels per day and four divisions within the refinery: ethylene, south, north and the delayed coker. The 3,200-cubic-meter-per-day FCCU, located within the south area with the CRR and Merox, was derated during the first week of February to lower its acid gas emissions and has since been producing 2,700 cubic meters per day. The 2,200-cubic-meter-per-day delayed coker, which is located within the coker division, was also derated and is producing 1,800 cubic meters per day.

A planned turnaround in the FCCU, topping 1 and vacuum 1 is scheduled to be carried in April 2008; however, the set date for this turnaround may vary because of internal consumption rates. Partial maintenance work in the delayed coker will be carried out in April to change damaged furnace tubes. During this turnaround, sulfur recovery units 1 and 2 will be derated, as well, to undergo minor maintenance work. Hydrogen 1 (CHT) will undergo a 13-day maintenance turnaround also in April. In November, hydrogen 2 is scheduled to be shut down for 20 days to undergo work on its catalyst. Moreover, during that month, a 28-day maintenance will be performed in the ethylene unit. As of February 15, 2008, all of the units at the Bio Bio refinery were online. All of its processing unit, except for the derated FCCU and coker, are running at normal rates.

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