Directors of Valero Energy Corp., San Antonio, have approved three capital projects totaling about $77 million in a clean fuels program at its 27,000 b/cd Corpus Christi refinery.
Scheduled are construction of a methyl tertiary butyl ether/tertiary amyl methyl ether (MTBE/TAME) complex a reformate splitter, and a marine vapor recovery system.
The MTBE/TAME complex will convert streams currently produced by Valero's heavy oil cracker into about 2,000 b/d MTBE and 3,000 b/d of TAME. The complex also will reduce the olefins content in Valero's gasoline pool.
Total project cost is pegged at $46 million, with an expected start-up in January 1994.
The reformate splitter will extract a benzene concentrate stream from reformate produced at the company's naphtha reformer unit.
Valero will ship the concentrate stream to other refineries, which will recover and buy the benzene at market prices, then return the balance of the concentrate stream to Valero for gasoline blending or for sale as a petrochemical feedstock.
Project cost is estimated at $21 million, with an expected in-service date of January 1994.
Completion of the projects will enable the refinery to produce as much as 100% of its gasoline pool as reformulated gasoline.
The marine vapor recovery system will allow recovery of 99% of hydrocarbon vapor emissions during marine loading of gasoline and gasoline related products. The system also will enable the company to recover additional gasoline products that can be sold.
Project cost is estimated at $10 million, with start-up expected in April 1993.
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