HPCL’s Visag refinery to use Honeywell UOP tech to meet rising demand for clean fuels

Honeywell has announced that Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) is using technologies from Honeywell UOP for the expansion and modernisation of its refinery at Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.

Included in the project are licensing, basic engineering design and other associated services for a Penex isomerisation unit, which helps make cleaner burning high-octane petrol, and a Unicracking hydrocracking unit to produce cleaner burning diesel fuel.

"HPCL chose these solutions from Honeywell UOP due to their superior economics and our successful track record with these technologies," said Mike Millard, VP and general manager of Honeywell UOP's Process Technology and Equipment business. "UOP has licensed more than 160 Penex units, and more than 220 Unicracking units – more than any other licensor in these applications."

The Penex process upgrades light naphtha feedstock to produce isomerate, a cleaner gasoline blend-stock that does not contain benzene, aromatics or olefins. The process uses Honeywell UOP's portfolio of proven, high-activity isomerisation and benzene saturation catalysts.

The Unicracking process uses highly effective catalysts, unit design and reactor internals to produce higher yields of cleaner-burning fuels from a wider range of feedstocks. The unit's fractionation section includes an innovative configuration to more efficiently separate the products, reducing capital costs and significantly lowering utilities and operating expense. In addition, the unit's heavy polynuclear aromatics management allows the unit to achieve nearly 100-percent conversion throughout the entire cycle length.

Aiming for BS VI clean fuels
Together, the two processes will significantly enhance HPCL's ability to supply petrol and diesel that meets the Indian government's new Bharat Stage-VI clean fuels standard, and meets growing demand for those fuels. They also improve gross refining margins by converting low value feed stocks to high-value transportation fuels.  

India's gross domestic product currently is growing at 7 to 8 percent, driving robust growth in demand for petrol – particularly as automobile sales increase – and diesel fuel, driven by growth in commercial and agricultural production. To meet tightening global emissions standards, the Indian government has proposed a 35-percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 by adopting Euro-IV (BS IV) fuel specifications from April 1, 2017 and BS-VI (roughly equivalent to the Euro-VI specification) by 2020.

HPCL owns and operates two coastal refineries at Mumbai and Visakhapatnam along with a joint venture refinery at Mangalore, and another at Bhatinda, Punjab. It also operates six cross-country pipelines along with an extensive network of terminals, depots, LPG bottling plants, lube filling plants and aviation service facilities.