ExxonMobil to Expand Rotterdam Hydrocracker to Produce Higher-Value Products
ROTTERDAM, Netherlands - ExxonMobil will expand the hydrocracker unit at its Rotterdam refinery to upgrade heavier byproducts into cleaner, higher-value finished products, including EHCTM Group II base stocks and ultra-low sulfur diesel, to meet growing global market demand.
The refinery, operated by Esso Nederland BV, will use ExxonMobil’s proprietary hydrocracking technology and be the first to produce EHC Group II base stocks in Europe. Base stocks are the primary ingredients used in the production of high-quality lubricating oils and greases. Group II base stocks are higher in performance, resulting in advantages in many lubricant and process oil applications.
“This investment demonstrates ExxonMobil’s long-term view and disciplined investment approach,” said Jerry Wascom, president of ExxonMobil Refining & Supply Company. “Despite a challenging industry environment, we are committed to our long-term strategy of investing in projects in advantaged locations where we can continue to increase competitiveness and profitability.”
ExxonMobil’s Rotterdam refinery, one of the most energy efficient in Europe, plays a key role in the region and marketplace as a manufacturer of low-sulfur petroleum products and chemical feedstocks. Following the expansion, the hydrocracking process will use proprietary catalysts applied in a unique refinery process configuration to efficiently produce both high-quality base stocks and ultra-low sulfur diesel.
The base stocks that will be produced at Rotterdam are designed to help lubricant blenders achieve greater formulation flexibility and simplify global qualification testing. ExxonMobil’s EHC product line will enable customers to cost-effectively blend a broad range of finished lubricants to meet evolving industry requirements.
“This investment underscores our commitment to provide high-quality base stocks in Europe and follows previously announced expansions at ExxonMobil’s Baytown, Texas and Jurong Singapore refineries this past year,” said Loic Vivier, vice president of Wholesale & Specialties for ExxonMobil Fuels & Lubricants. “Combined with ExxonMobil’s existing manufacturing capabilities, this project will enable us to offer a global EHC Group II base stocks product offering to meet current and future customer needs.”
The Rotterdam hydrocracker project, coupled with the refinery’s advantageous location in an integrated petrochemical cluster, will strengthen the refinery’s position as a leader in the global refining industry.
The project’s environmental impact assessment has been approved and the site-permitting process is being finalized. Permits are expected in early 2016. Pending receipt of permits, construction is scheduled to begin in 2016 and unit startup is targeted for 2018.
About ExxonMobil Rotterdam Refinery
ExxonMobil’s modern Rotterdam refinery has a daily throughput of 190,000 barrels and plays a key role in the region and marketplace as a manufacturer of low-sulfur petroleum products and feedstocks for the chemical industry. The refinery was built in the late 1950s and was the largest ever foreign investment at that time. A 1980s Flexicoker investment was the largest ever industrial investment in the Netherlands at that time.
Categories
Investments
2015-10-29
€ 1,000 mln at Port of Rotterdam (NL) Investment detailsCountries
Companies
Latest news
MSSA doubles production capacity for sodium methylate in La Rochelle, France
The strategic investment will double MSSA's annual production capacity for sodium methylate from 20,000 tonnes to 40,000 tonnes, reinforcing the company's commitment to meeting the growing demand f...
Dreexo Energy to Launch Circular Economy Plant in Cádiz, Advancing Sustainable Industry in Andalucía
Construction of a new facility in the Cádiz Free Trade Zone. The project is expected to break ground in early 2026 and be operational by year’s end.
BASF invests in new semiconductor-grade sulfuric acid plant in Ludwigshafen, Germany
BASF SE, Ludwigshafen →Essential ultra-pure chemical enabling advanced semiconductor manufacturing processes New capacity meets growing demand for the manufacturing of chips in Europe
Vioneo appoints Wood to design world’s first industrial scale fossil-free plastics facility in Antwerp, Belgium
Port Of Antwerp →the renewably powered and energy efficient plant will be the first facility in the world capable of achieving the production of fossil-free plastics using green methanol at an industrial scale.