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
PureCycle’s First Plastic Recycling Plant in Europe located in Antwerp-Brugges NextGen District, Belgium
The new plant is expected to have an annual capacity of 59,000 metric tons, with opportunities to expand operations with an anticipated total capacity of approximately 240,000 metric tons per year.
CABB site in Kokkola, Finland: vital growth with a focus on sustainability
CABB Group will invest more than EUR 50 million by 2025 in expanding its facilities at its site in Kokkola, Finland. A new office building is also being constructed. Special attention is being pai...
TotalEnergies commissions BioBéarn, the country’s largest anaerobic digestion unit in Mourenx, France
The project will convert 220,000 metric tons of organic waste into 200,000 metric tons per year of digestate, a natural fertilizer, and 160 GWh of biomethane. This new unit allowing to avoid the em...
Borealis, committed to lead the transformation to a circular economy, acquires a majority stake in Renasci’s Ostend facility, Belgium
Borealis increases its financial investment in Renasci to acquire a majority shareholding position of 50.01%. Investment will provide Borealis increasing access to chemically recycled feedstock, st...