Neste lets contract for Porvoo refinery

March 2, 2017
Neste Corp. has let a contract to Neste Jacobs Oy to provide advanced process automation technology for the fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) and FCC gas recovery units at its refinery in the Kilpilahti industrial area of Porvoo, Finland.

Neste Corp. has let a contract to Neste Jacobs Oy to provide advanced process automation technology for the fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) and FCC gas recovery units at its refinery in the Kilpilahti industrial area of Porvoo, Finland.

Neste Jacobs Oy’s scope of work under the contract includes delivery of its proprietary NAPCON simulators to Porvoo’s FCC and FCC gas recovery units as part of Neste’s plan to ensure safe, reliable, and cost-efficient ongoing operation of the two units, the operator and service provider said.

This latest order follows previous installations of NAPCON simulators at the Porvoo refinery, which Neste has subsequently integrated into the plant’s continuous maintenance program, according to Neste Jacobs Oy.

A value of the technology contract was not disclosed.

Separately, Neste said on Feb. 7 that it continues to finalize works related to its previously announced €500-million project to integrate the 3 million-tonne/year Naantali refinery with the 10.5 million-tpy Porvoo refinery so that the sites will operate as a single Finnish refining system (OGJ Online, Mar. 23, 2015).

While work on an associated €200-million solvent deasphalting (SDA) feedstock pretreatment unit and asphaltene pelletizer in the area of PL4 at Porvoo also remains under way, the project is still on schedule for mechanical completion and startup by second-half 2017, the operator confirmed.

Designed to enable Porvoo to increase production of higher-quality fuels such as diesel by decreasing the content of asphaltenes present in crude feedstock processed at the site, the SDA unit also will help the refinery to reduce output of heavy fuel oil (OGJ Online, Sept. 22, 2016).

Most recently slated for commissioning by yearend 2016, Neste’s overall refining consolidation program currently is due to be completed and the new Naantali-Porvoo operating model fully commissioned later this year following a major 2-month turnaround planned for the third quarter at Naantali, the company told investors.

Contact Robert [email protected].