Aramco starts ULSD production from Ras Tanura refinery

Eric Watkins
OGJ Oil Diplomacy Editor

LOS ANGELES, May 12 -- Saudi Aramco said it has started producing ultralow-sulfur diesel (ULSD) from its 550,000-b/d Ras Tanura refinery in an effort to comply with higher environmental standards.

Aramco said the facility’s diesel hydrotreater unit has a capacity to produce 105,000 b/d of ULSD, which contains less than 10 ppm of sulfur. The facility also contains a 200 ton/day sulfur recovery unit.

Aramco last year launched a project to increase ULSD production at its 305,000-b/d Jubail refinery, which it owns with Royal Dutch Shell PLC. In 2013, Aramco plans to complete another ULSD project at its 400,000-b/d Yanbu refinery, which it owns with ExxonMobil Corp.

Contact Eric Watkins at [email protected].