Lummus Technology (Houston) and Chevron Lummus Global (CLG) announced multiple technology contracts from North Huajin Refining and Petrochemical Co., Ltd. for a grassroots refinery and petrochemical complex in Liaoning Province, China.
The complex will include one of the largest vacuum residue desulfurization (VRDS) units in China and one of the largest Novolen polypropylene (PP) plants. Lummus will provide the license and basic engineering for its Novolen PP technology, plus the associated catalysts. CLG will provide the license and basic engineering for the VRDS technology, plus proprietary reactor internals and catalysts.
“Lummus and CLG are uniquely equipped to provide multi-technology solutions for our customers,” said Leon de Bruyn, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lummus Technology. “By supplying our world-class technologies and services, we can enhance the productivity throughout the entire life cycle of North Huajin’s complex, reduce their capital and operating costs, and increase their profitability.”
“The VRDS technology we are licensing, and the catalysts and reactor internals we are supplying, will help optimize product quality, product yield and run-length over a range of vacuum residue,” said Ujjal Mukherjee, Managing Director of CLG. “Our VRDS technology has a very strong market share worldwide, and this award further strengthens our position and leadership in licensing world-class residue desulfurization technology.”
Once complete, the VRDS unit will process 5 million metric tons per year (m.t./yr) of vacuum residue, providing hydrotreated feed for the downstream conversion unit while simultaneously producing low sulfur bunker oil that meets International Maritime Organization (IMO) specifications. The Novolen plant, embedded in a compact plot area, will produce 1,000,000 m.t./yr of polypropylene homopolymers, random copolymers, and impact copolymers – making it one of the largest in China – with high-end products encompassing the complete portfolio.