Exxon Mobil Corp has put into operation what it said is “a first-of-its-kind technology in Singapore to increase production of higher-value products, including a range of lubricant base stocks and fuel”.
The technology has been deployed at new facilities on Jurong island that are integrated with ExxonMobil’s existing refining and petrochemical complex, which supplies Asia-Pacific, the energy giant said.
“The unique combination of technologies converts fuel oil and other bottom-of-the-barrel crude products into higher-value lube base stocks and distillates, improving the competitiveness and profitability of the manufacturing site and helping to meet customer demand”, ExxonMobil said in a statement on its Singapore website.
“The new facilities expand our Group II base stocks production capacity by 20,000 barrels per day, including up to 6,000 barrels per day of the new-to-industry EHC 340 MAXTM. The base stocks are for commercial vehicles and industrial sectors, and used in engine oils, gear oils, marine oils and greases. EHC 340 MAXTM improves lubricant performance in these applications”.
ExxonMobil has a refining capacity of 592,000 barrels per day (bpd) in the Southeast Asian city-state. The complex also produces up to 1.9 million metric tons per annum (MMtpa) of ethylene, 1.9 MMtpa of polyethylene and one MMtpa of polypropylene, according to company figures.
Singapore contributed $15.72 billion in revenue to ExxonMobil last year, according to the company’s annual report.
Besides refining and petrochemical production ExxonMobil is pursuing lower-carbon solutions in Singapore. Last year it launched a SGD 60-million ($46.42 million) partnership with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) for research on technologies to be used to produce lower-emission products.
The ExxonMobil-NTUA*STAR Corporate Lab will help advance global research efforts in the conversion of biomass into lower-emission fuels for use in aviation, maritime transport and the chemical sector.
The lab will also study “carbon capture and utilization using by-product industrial brines, such as desalination brine to produce alternative construction materials, turning industrial side streams into useful materials”, ExxonMobil said in a press release April 26, 2024.
The lab also targets new process technologies to derive low-carbon hydrogen and solid carbon materials from methane, as well as efficient carbon capture and carbonation technology to produce solid carbonates for use in building and infrastructure applications.
Source: By Jov Onsat from Rigzone.com