PKN ORLEN launches new production unit for top quality diesel oil

PKN ORLEN has launched the new unit (VII Diesel Oil Hydrorefinining Unit, or HON VII) in response to growing market demand for diesel oils. The recently completed CAPEX project means a larger amount of better quality diesel oils for customers.

- Diesel oils from the new unit will have higher cetane values, which translate into improved engine performance. A lower sulphur content additionally results in reduced SO2 emissions. "Also fuel oils made from components processed by the HON VII unit (e.g. Ekoterm) will feature the same improved properties - explained Jacek Krawiec, President of PKN ORLEN's Management Board during a celebration marking the launch of the unit.

The project has added environmental benefits in the form of reduced consumption of circulating water and fuels in process furnaces, as well as improved tightness of the process unit. Additionally, HON VII enables on-line monitoring of furnace flue gas emissions.

The new unit comprises a reactor used to remove sulphur and nitrogen from process streams obtained in crude distillation (DWR) and a reactor used to remove hydrogen sulphide and ammonia.

The low-sulphur component obtained in the process will be used to produce diesel oils and light fuel oils. The new unit will add approximately one million tonnes to the annual diesel oil production capacity of the Main Plant in Płock.

Having launched HON VII, PKN ORLEN intends to shut down some older units with lower processing capacities (HON II and HON III) later this year. The development of the new HON unit took two years and cost approximately PLN 500m.

Last year, the Main Plant in Płock processed 14.5 million tonnes of crude oil, and produced over 5.3 million tonnes of diesel oil and 800 thousand tonnes of Ekoterm.