By an OGJ Online Correspondent
PARIS, Feb. 13 -- TotalFinaElf SA plans a 5-year, 70 million euro program to revamp its 114,000 b/d Feyzin refinery in the Rhône valley in eastern France.
The refinery produces very high octane unleaded, jet fuel, low sulfur diesel and heating oil, heavy fuel oil, liquid petroleum gas, and bitumen. It also includes petrochemical units which produce ethylene, propylene, butadiene, and aromatics.
The work will be performed during two shutdowns. From Mar. 25 to Apr. 26, the Feyzin cat cracker will be increased to 1.6 million tonnes/year from about 1.5 million tonnes/year. Hydrosulfuration units will be revamped and smoke and flaring reduced. A new control room will be installed. A 2003 shutdown will involve work at petrochemical units.
Over the next 3 years, the refinery will spend 3 million euros to integrate the site into the urban landscape with the help of a group of Lyon-based artists called Cité de la Création.
The Feyzin refinery had been seen as a likely candidate for closure when the European refining industry had too much capacity. Jean-Paul Vettier, vice-president of TotalFinaElf's refining division, said all the group's refineries are now profitable: The breakeven point has been reduced from $11/tonne in 1999 to $9/tonne in 2001.