BP brings on stream first unit using proprietary desulfurization technology

Nov. 12, 2001
BP PLC said the first commercial unit to use its proprietary gasoline desulfurization technology has come on stream. The unit, at the Bayernoil refinery in Neustadt, Bavaria, Germany, has capacity to produce 15,000 b/d of low-sulfur gasoline for use in the German retail market.

By the OGJ Online Staff

HOUSTON, Nov. 12 -- BP PLC said the first commercial unit to use its proprietary gasoline desulfurization technology has come on stream.

The unit, at the Bayernoil refinery in Neustadt, Bavaria, Germany, has capacity to produce 15,000 b/d of low-sulfur gasoline for use in the German retail market. German regulations call for maximum sulfur concentrations of 10 ppm by 2003.

That refinery is a joint venture of BP, Agip SPA, and Ruhroel, itself a JV of Veba Oil Refining & Petrochemicals GMBH and Petroleos de Venezuela SA. The refinery complex has capacity of 260,000 b/d.

Graham Butler, BP's manager of new refining technology, said: "The speed with which this first full scale production unit has been brought online, only a year after we first revealed the technology, is testament to the advantages of the OATS process. We believe it offers the lowest margin loss of all competitive commercial gasoline desulfurization processes and, together with its simplicity, flexibility and ease of retrofit to existing units, this makes it one of the most attractive options for the production of ultralow sulfur gasoline."

BP said, "The basis of the OATS process is catalytic conversion of thiophenes into high boiling compounds that can be readily removed from the gasoline stream by fractionation."

BP expects that two other plants using the process will come on stream in 2002.