A grassroots hydrocracker unit (HDCU), licensed by Axens, has been streamed at Repsol-YPF’s Tarragona Refinery in Spain. The 25 000 BPSD unit operating at 90%-plus-conversion was started-up in May and is considered as a remarkable success by Repsol-YPF. The plant meets all guaranteed performance criteria and had an outstandingly short lead-time between oil-in and stable operations.

The Axens’ designed HDCU, employs HR 400 and HYC series catalysts and treats heavy vacuum gas-oil (HVGO) feeds containing up to 2000 ppm nitrogen depending on the variety and origin of the crude mixtures processed at the refinery. The unit produces middle distillates of superior quality. The diesel fuel product from the HDCU is a key component in upgrading the diesel pool and contains only 1 ppm sulfur and has a cetane number over 65. The jet fuel, which is also produced in the unit, is of excellent quality and exhibits a smoke point above 29 mm.

The Tarragona HDCU dramatically increases Repsol-YPF’s conversion capacity towards middle distillates and places them in a strategically enviable position of having oriented their refinery configuration to the market growth products, diesel and kerosene, for both the Iberian peninsula and for the rest of mainland Europe.

Repsol-YPF also recently selected Axens’ technologies for two mild hydrocracking units at its La Coruna and Puertollano refineries, with the objectives of increasing the production of low sulfur diesel and of improving FCC yields and product qualities.