Total starts up hydrocraker at Normandy refinery

Aug. 1, 2006
Total SA has begun start-up of a hydrogen production unit at its 342,000 b/d refinery in Normandy. The steam methane reformer start-up is part of the company's strategy to increase diesel production over 3 years by 3 million tonnes/year (OGJ Online, Sept. 12, 2005).

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Aug. 1 -- Total SA has begun start-up of a hydrogen production unit at its 342,000 b/d refinery in Normandy. The steam methane reformer start-up is part of the company's strategy to increase diesel production over 3 years by 3 million tonnes/year (OGJ Online, Sept. 12, 2005).

The €550 million distillate hydrocracker (DHC) project was completed in 26 months. The next steps consist of bringing the sulfur recovery units on stream this month then commissioning the hydrocracker, which will be gradually ramped up to reach full product availability by Sept. 30.

The units will produce 1.3 million tonnes/year of sulfur-free automotive diesel, 200,000 tonnes/year of sulfur-free kerosene, 500,000 tonnes/year of high quality bases for lubricants and specialty fluids, and 400,000 tonnes/year of naphtha feedstock for petrochemicals.