NARL’s Come-by-Chance refinery due crude flexibility project

NARL Refining LP has filed for registration and review of the environmental assessment process for a crude efficiency project at its 130,000-b/d refinery at Come-by-Chance, Newf., to help achieve compliance with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) upcoming global cap of 0.5% sulfur on fuel oil by all oceangoing vessels taking effect in January 2020.

While the crude efficiency project is a measure designed to enable the refinery to produce IMO-compliant fuel, it also will enable the site to increase crude throughput to more than 160,000 b/d, making Come-by-Chance the fourth-largest refinery in Canada, NARL said.

The crude efficiency project includes a $25 million (Can.) investment to install and operate several preheat exchangers and a prefractionation column within the crude unit, as well as several piping modifications.

NARL said it also expects the project to reduce the refinery’s greenhouse gas carbon intensity by 8% and sulfur dioxide emissions by 40%.

Construction scheduled to begin this summer, with all assets operational by spring 2020.

Announcement of the crude flexibility project follows NARL’s early July filing for registration and review of the environmental assessment process for the construction of a delayed coker at the Come-by-Chance refinery (OGJ Online, July 8, 2019).

If approved, the proposed delay coker would not become operational until 2023, the operator said.

“These projects are critical to supporting the long-term viability of NARL, our competitive advantage, and our commitment to the Newfoundland and Labrador economy.” said Thomas Jenke, NARL’s chief executive officer.

“Through innovative initiatives, such as the crude efficiency project, we will continue to improve our crude oil processing flexibility to efficiently manage exposure to the commodity market in the future,” Jenke said.

The operator has yet to reveal a precise timeframe for when it might reach a final investment decision on either the delayed coker or crude flexibility projects.

Contact Robert Brelsford at [email protected].