Shell Global Solutions Launches Centera(TM) Catalyst in Asia Pacific to Help Refiners Produce Cleaner Fuels and Save Costs
2010-08-10 17:30
CENTERA boosts yields and reduces contaminants
BEIJING, Aug. 10 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Shell Global Solutions(1) today launched CENTERA(TM) to help Asia Pacific refiners improve operational performance and to meet product specifications to produce cleaner fuels. Minimum savings of US$30 million per year can be achieved(2).
CENTERA(TM) is a portfolio of third generation catalysts that can be used for Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel production (10 parts per million Sulphur).
The latest offering by Shell Global Solutions has an integrated portfolio of clean fuels licensed technologies, catalysts and services, to help refiners in China meet urgent demands for a cleaner energy future.
Catalysts like CENTERA(TM) are critical in refineries as they help boost product yields and reduce the proportions of contaminants such as sulphur, nitrogen, aromatics and other metals.
"By using CENTERA(TM), refiners get better profit margins, consumers enjoy cleaner transport fuels, factories emit lesser contaminants and people can live and work in cleaner environments," said Brian Smith, Vice President, Refining Catalyst, Shell Global Solutions (US) Inc. at the launch of Shell Global Solutions' Technology Day in Beijing, China.
Technology Day 2010 is a platform to share knowledge and technologies with clients and partners on new alternative fuels and clean coal technology, reduce energy consumption, and improve asset reliability and technical integrity.
To date, CENTERA(TM) has secured worldwide sales of more than 8 million lbs (3,600 Metric Tonne). CENTERA(TM) catalyst technology is currently being deployed at refineries in North and South America, Russia, and in Europe.
Shell Global Solutions is the technology arm of Shell, and as part of its portfolio, offers catalysts, licensing and consulting services. Shell Global Solutions provides technologies that can be customized with catalysts to create a complete, optimized solution for any hydro-processing problem or supplier independently.
The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has indicated that energy demand in China will increase by 45% in the next decade(3). Access to easy oil and gas will become increasingly more difficult, compounded by the challenge that 'easy hydrocarbons' will be insufficient to meet demand. Building a cleaner energy system is a project for decades that must be steadily pursued.
"Shell Global Solutions constantly develops technology and products to meet the energy challenge, which is in line with Shell's mission to produce oil responsibly from difficult to reach sources like the Arctic, deep water and oil sands. Shell makes advanced transport fuels and lubricants available to more customers to help them improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. Shell continues to invest in renewable energy in biofuels, and build our capabilities in carbon capture and carbon storage," Smith said.
Shell Global Solutions' licensed clean fuels refining technologies and catalysts include hydro-cracking; hydro-treating -- from naphtha to residue cuts; thermal conversion; fluidised catalytic cracking (FCC), distillation and separation, gasification, and carbon dioxide capture technology. Its technical team provides customers expert guidance on catalyst selection; unit start-ups and shutdowns; unit performance optimization and troubleshooting; and benchmarking and best practices.
Shell customers in the Asia Pacific region include China National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC), PetroChina and Sinopec; Shell Singapore, Petronas in Malaysia, PTT in Thailand, Reliance in India and Showa Shell refineries in Japan.
(1) Via its wholly owned refining catalyst company Criterion Catalysts and
Technologies LP
(2) Based on a refinery of size 200 - 300 kbd with at least 2 diesel
hydrotreaters with savings coming from (1) more difficult feedstock
upgrading (2) increase cycle lengths and (3) incremental diesel
process.
(3) Based on the forecast increase from 3.3 billion to 4.8 billion tones
of standard coal equivalent between 2010 and 2020, as reported by NDRC
on 19th April 2010 (http://www.interfacts.cn/news/13451 )
About Shell Global Solutions
Shell Global Solutions provides business and operational consultancy, catalysts, technical services and research and development expertise to the energy and processing industries worldwide. Shell Global Solutions has over 4,700 staff located in an extensive network of offices around the world, with primary commercial and technical centers operating in the USA, Europe and Asia Pacific.
SOURCE Shell Global Solutions (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd