Praxair, Inc. (Danbury, Conn.; www.praxair.com) has started up a hydrogen plant for Repsol, one of the world’s largest producers of hydrocarbon fuels and petrochemicals.
The new 12 million-standard-cubic-feet-per-day steam methane reformer (SMR) is located at Repsol’s La Pampilla Refinery in Callao, near Lima, Peru. A new Praxair facility adjacent to the hydrogen plant will recover and purify carbon dioxide (CO2) generated by the SMR for the production of food-grade liquid CO2. The product will be used to meet customer demand in the Peruvian market.
The La Pampilla refinery produces gasoline, liquefied petroleum gas, jet fuel, kerosene, diesel and asphalts, among other products, to serve the local market. Additionally, the Repsol refinery produces low-sulfur diesel fuel that complies with strict environmental standards and is also used to serve customers locally.
“We are pleased to start up our latest hydrogen plant in South America, which is helping Refineria la Pampilla improve air quality and contribute to public health while also enhancing our liquid carbon dioxide production infrastructure in Peru,” said Domingos Bulus, president, Praxair South America.