India’s HPCL to upgrade refinery units with Honeywell UOP technology

Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) will be utilising technologies from Honeywell UOP to expand and upgrade HPCL refinery located in Visakhapatnam in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

The project includes licensing, basic engineering design and other associated services for a Penex isomerisation unit that makes cleaner burning high-octane petrol and a Unicracking hydrocracking unit that produces cleaner burning diesel fuel.

Honeywell UOP process technology and equipment business vice president and general manager Mike Millard said: “HPCL chose these solutions from Honeywell UOP due to their superior economics and our successful track record with these technologies.

“UOP has licensed more than 160 Penex units, and more than 220 Unicracking units; more than any other licensor in these applications.”

The Penex process produces cleaner petrol blend-stock, which is free from benzene, aromatics or olefins.

The Unicracking process leverages highly effective catalysts, unit design and reactor internals to produce higher yields of cleaner-burning fuels.

The fractionation section of the unit features an innovative configuration that can separate the products more effectively thereby reducing capital costs.

The application of these two processes will enable HPCL to deliver petrol and diesel that fulfils Bharat Stage-VI, the new clean fuel standard proposed by the Government of India.

India is currently witnessing a high demand for petrol driven by growth in commercial and agricultural production.

To satisfy the stringent global emissions standards, the Indian government proposed a 35% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 and intends to adopt Bharat Stage-VI by 2020.

HPCL is a Government of India enterprise that operates two coastal refineries located at Mumbai and Visakhapatnam.

It also owns a joint venture refinery at Mangalore and another at Bhatinda in Punjab.