Husky Energy (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) has selected Axens (Princeton, New Jersey, USA) for the supply of three technologies for the possible future expansion of the Husky Lloydminster Upgrader “HLU”.  The expansion will increase production from 82,000 barrels per stream day (bpsd) to 150,000 bpsd, and thus enable the HLU to process additional heavy oil from operations in the Lloydminster area and the Tucker Oil Sands Project at Cold Lake, Alberta, 250 kilometers northwest of Lloydminster.

Axens will license a high conversion hydrocracker to convert vacuum gas oil into high quality ultra low sulfur diesel fuel and additional high quality distillates for synthetic crude production.  A  Prime-D unit has also been licensed to upgrade distillates to ultra low sulfur diesel fuel.  Furthermore, Axens will revamp the existing H-Oil^® hydrocracker to process 100% deasphalted oil. This modification will achieve high conversion to quality distillates for direct blending into the synthetic crude oil pool.  Axens has carried out a number of studies targeting process configuration optimization to establish a firm technical basis for developing the basic engineering for the Husky Lloydminster Heavy Oil Upgrader expansion

Husky Energy Inc.
Husky Energy, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, employs approximately 3,000 people and holds almost $13 billion in quality growth assets. Husky is an integrated energy and energy-related company that ranks among Canada's largest petroleum companies in terms of production and the value of its asset base. Upstream activities are currently focused in Western Canada, offshore Eastern Canada as well as in China. Husky Energy is a major heavy oil producer with future development potential in both Eastern Alberta and Western Saskatchewan that is strategically enhanced by a 2,050-kilometre pipeline system and its heavy oil upgrader and refinery in the area.