Three brand new reactors for ExxonMobil’s new hydrocracker arrived at the Rotterdam, Netherlands, refinery site last week. After the arrival of the vacuum tower early this fall, the arrival of the new reactors highlights the progress of the construction that is well underway at the Rotterdam refinery.
The reactors, in height varying from 25 m to more than 30 m and with a diameter of 4.5 m, were built in Italy and subsequently shipped to Rotterdam. The units will be installed at the refinery site in early 2017.
The new hydrocracker will convert heavier products into products such as base stocks for lubricants, and ultra-low sulfur diesel.
“With an investment of over $1 billion in the new hydrocracker unit, ExxonMobil reinforces the leading position of the Rotterdam refinery in the European refining sector,” the company stated in a press release. “The Rotterdam refinery is already one of the most energy efficient refineries in Europe, and this investment will further increase energy efficiency by 5%.”
The Rotterdam refinery already produces low-sulfur diesel fuel, but with the new hydrocracker unit, production will be further expanded. In addition, the hydrocracking technology will allow ExxonMobil to produce EHC Group II base oils in Europe for the first time.
