By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Sept. 11 -- Saras SPA has completed a process license agreement with an affiliate of Shell Global Solutions International BV to revamp the visbreaker unit at the 300,000 b/cd Sarroch refinery in Sardinia, Italy.
The unit will be upgraded to use Shell GSI's deep thermal conversion technology, which will allow the refinery to process heavier crudes.
Saras and Shell GSI are working alongside ABB Lummus Global, one of Shell's authorized licensors, and have scheduled delivery of the project by the end of September.
The visbreaker license agreement follows the revamp of the refinery's hydrocracker in March.
The Sarroch refinery has recently undergone a maintenance cycle involving shutdown of a crude distillation unit, a vacuum unit, and now the visbreaking unit. As a result, refinery runs have been reduced by about 10% from normal levels, Saras said.
