Hindustan Petroleum to upgrade units using Honeywell technology

State-run oil marketer Hindsutan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) has selected Honeywell's technologies for the expansion and modernisation of its refinery at Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, according to the American software-industrial company.

Honeywell said in a statement here that the project includes licensing, basic engineering design and other associated services for a Penex isomerisation unit, which helps make "cleaner burning high-octane gasoline, 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," Honeywell UOP India Managing Director Steve Gimre said in the statement

"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 isomerization and benzene saturation catalysts, the company said.

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.

"Together, the two processes will significantly enhance HPCL's ability to supply gasoline 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," the statement said.

According to the company, India's gross domestic product, currently growing at 7 to 8 per cent, is driving robust growth in demand for gasoline as automobile sales increase, and of diesel fuel, driven by growth in commercial and agricultural production.

To meet tightening global emissions standards, the Indian government has proposed a 35 per cent reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 by adopting Euro-IV fuel specifications by 2017 and BS-VI by 2020.

--IANS

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