Pertamina signs licensing deal with Axens for Balikpapan and Cilacap refineries

Axens technologies have been licensed by Indonesia's state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina for its Balikpapan and Cilacap refineries.

Pertamina’s expansion project consists of upgrading residue into gasoline in Balikpapan and for a new middle distillate hydrotreater in Cilacap refineries in order to comply with new regulations. 

The company’s Balikpapan project consists in a Resid FCC unit (R2R) has a design capacity of 90,000bpsd, a LPG sulphur removal unit (Sulfrex), a propylene recovery unit (PRU), and a new 80,000bpsd middle distillate hydrotreater (Prime-D).

The Resid FCC unit will produce gasoline that will be hydrodesulphurised in a Prime-G+ unit with a design capacity of 48,000bpsd to produce ultra-clean gasoline.

Axens president and CEO Jean Sentenac said: “We started our collaboration back in 2002 and the magnitude of these new projects underlines the trust built over the years.

"Axens is committed to delivering the highest quality of work to make this project a full success and we are proud to contribute to Pertamina future supply of top quality fuels."

Pertamina’s Cilacap project consists in a 36,000bpsd grassroots Prime-D (Distillate Hydrotreater) unit and will allow ultra-low sulphur diesel production.

Prime-G+ and Prime-D technologies will enable Pertamina to reduce Indonesia’s dependence on foreign imports of transportation fuels.

Pertamina refinery director Rachmad Hardadi said: “I do believe that after this process, our project will run faster to achieve Pertamina and Indonesia’s goal for reducing imports of fuels."