By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Mar. 7 -- Pasadena Refining System Inc. (PRSI), which recently purchased a 117,000 b/d refinery in Pasadena, Tex., from Crown Central Petroleum, plans to install ConocoPhillips's S Zorb sulfur removal technology (SRT) at the facility during the first quarter. Projected start-up of the unit is targeted for late 2006.
S Zorb technology removes sulfur from gasoline streams using a regenerable sorbent. The process design package for the 40,000 b/d S Zorb gasoline desulfurization unit in Pasadena is being designed for a flexible slate of feedstocks, ConocoPhillips said.
PRSI, a wholly owned subsidiary of Astra Holding USA Inc., is the first US refinery to commit to building an S Zorb SRT outside of ConocoPhillips' own refining system.
The technology will help PRSI comply with the Environmental Protection Agency's Tier 2 sulfur regulatory levels that require gasoline sold in the US to contain no more than 30 PPM of sulfur. It also will minimize refinery octane pool losses and hydrogen consumption normally associated with gasoline desulfurization.