ExxonMobil Corp. has let a contract to a division of Bechtel Corp. for work related to a recently announced project designed to expand production of ultralow-sulfur fuels at its 345,000-b/d refinery in Beaumont, Tex. (OGJ Online, July 26, 2016).
Bechtel’s oil, gas and chemicals global business unit has started design work on the project and plans to begin construction activities in midyear 2017, the service company said.
Without disclosing details regarding its precise scope of work under the contract, Bechtel said it will apply ExxonMobil’s proprietary selective cat-naphtha hydrofining (SCANfining) technology to help boost the Beaumont refinery’s production of motor fuels.
A value of the contract was not disclosed.
Due to be completed in 2018, the project involves installation of a 40,000-b/d SCANfining unit to produce gasoline that will meet the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Tier 3 gasoline sulfur specifications, which take effect Jan. 1, 2017, ExxonMobil previously said.
A separate expansion project under way at the Beaumont refinery will add 20,000 b/d of new capacity by yearend 2017 to accommodate increased processing of light crudes from US shale (OGJ Online, Aug. 12, 2015).
Contact Robert Brelsford at [email protected].
