JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corp. has completed installation of a petroleum coke electric power generation unit at the Refinery B plant of its 320,200-b/d Mizushima refinery in Okayama Prefecture, Japan.
Commissioned on June 20, the boiler power generation unit will use petroleum coke as well as heavy oil and off gas generated from processing equipment at the refinery to provide power at the site, helping to replace electric power purchased from general utilities, JX Nippon said.
Alongside reducing purchases of electric power, the unit will enable the refinery to sell its surplus electricity as electric power, presumably into the local market, the operator said.
Approved for construction in July 2014, the power generation unit comes as part of the company’s strategy to effectively maximize use of its petroleum resources as well as strengthen the international competitiveness of its core refining and chemicals businesses, JX Nippon said.
Osaka refinery update
JX Nippon also is in the process of restarting its majority owned Osaka International Refining Co. Ltd.’s (OIRCL) 115,000-b/d Osaka refinery in Takasago Takaishi, Osaka Prefecture, following the refinery’s shutdown on June 18 in the wake of a 6.1 magnitude earthquake that struck the region.
While operations at the refinery will take about a week to restore, the shutdown will not interrupt product supply to the regional market amid availability of supplies in storage, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade & Industry said in its latest situation update.
JX Nippon jointly owns OIRCL with PetroChina International (Japan) Co. Ltd.
Contact Robert Brelsford at [email protected].
