(Energy Analytics Institute, 24.Nov.2020) — Maintenance work at the non-catalytic units #2 and #3 of the Las Esmeraldas Refinery included repair work on the static, rotating, and electrical equipment as well as instruments in the following units: heavy naphtha hydrotreater, catalytic reformer, regeneration loop and diesel hydrodesulfurizer (HDS).
Work at the refinery was carried out for 47 days, EP PetroEcuador General Manager Ricardo Merino said on 24 November 2020 in an official company statement.
The scheduled maintenance work also included the change of the HDT unit’s catalyst, which guarantees low sulfur content in the reformed and heavy naphthas used to produce gasoline.
The diesel obtained from the crude units is subjected to the hydrotreatment process in the HDS unit, which produces a fuel with low sulfur content (less than 0.05% weight) and free of nitrogen compounds.
With this process, the diesel produced by Esmeraldas Refinery satisfies the restrictions implied in INEN 1489.
With the change of catalyst and maintenance of the HDS unit, PetroEcuador guarantees the production and improvement of the quality of the premium diesel with a content of less than 350 ppm of sulfur, which is 30% less than required by the INEN 1489 standard.
With the improvement of the quality of premium diesel and the reduction in the sulfur content, Ecuador will be in compliance with the EURO III regulation, therefore, leading the reform process to the NTE INEN 1489 standard.
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By Piero Stewart. © Energy Analytics Institute (EAI). All Rights Reserved.
