Amine regeneration unit starts at Vadinar

Essar Oil Ltd. has commissioned a large amine regeneration unit in the first phase of expansion of its 300,000 b/d Vadinar refinery in Gujarat, India, after commissioning a pentane-hexane isomerization unit last month (OGJ Online, Dec. 12, 2011).

Bob Tippee

Jan. 9, 2012

The company expects initial expansion of distillation capacity to 375,000 b/d to be complete in March.

Optimization will further increase capacity to 405,000 b/d by September, when the refinery will be able to handle 87% extra-heavy crudes.

UOP designed the new amine regeneration unit, which has a design capacity of 160,000 b/d. The unit supports diesel and vacuum gas oil hydrotreaters.

About the Author

Bob Tippee

Editor

Bob Tippee has been chief editor of Oil & Gas Journal since January 1999 and a member of the Journal staff since October 1977. Before joining the magazine, he worked as a reporter at the Tulsa World and served for four years as an officer in the US Air Force. A native of St. Louis, he holds a degree in journalism from the University of Tulsa.