OREANDA-NEWS. The LOTOS refinery needs additional hydrogen volumes to increase its fuel production by nearly 1 million tonnes annually following implementation of the EFRA Project. Hydrogen is required for processing heavy oil residues into high-margin products and for fuel desulfurization. It will be generated by a Hydrogen Generation Unit (HGU), constructed as part of the EFRA Project.

Grupa LOTOS already has two Hydrogen Generation Units. Under the EFRA Project, a third one, with a capacity of 2.5 tonnes per hour, will be constructed to increase hydrogen output at the LOTOS refinery. Currently, the Gda?sk refinery consumes approximately 13.5 tonnes of hydrogen per hour. With a higher hydrogen output, it will be able to produce more fuels.

“At the refinery, hydrogen is mainly used to meet the requirements for modern engine fuels, concerning primarily sulfur content and removal of unsaturated compounds, which affect oxidation stability of fuels. Hydrogen is also required to obtain more fuel from each oil barrel in the hydrocracking process. It is also used in many processes of refining petroleum products such as gasoline, base oils or paraffins,” says Jan Biedro?, process engineer, Head of Innovation Office at Grupa LOTOS.

In the course of oil processing, hydrogen reacts with hydrocarbons, causing the so-called cracking (decay) of heavy and complex particles into smaller ones, typical of fuels. Furthermore, it supports full desulfurization. In hydrogen reactions, hydrogen surplus helps ensure maximum effectiveness. Unfortunately, in this way part of hydrogen leaves process units as fuel gas. That is why the refinery applies a method enabling recovery of approximately 60% of hydrogen from refinery gases at a hydrogen recovery unit.

“It is crucial for us to improve hydrogen recovery. Accordingly, we are constructing a special system, the Hydrogen Recovery Unit, at the refinery. Its launch will raise fuel production at the MHC unit even before the EFRA Project is completed,” explains Jaros?aw Kawula, process engineer, project manager at Grupa LOTOS. “Hydrogen content in fuel gas is one of the measures of a refinery’s operational excellence. Following construction of the Hydrogen Recovery Unit, we will rank among top refineries.”

In October 2015, Grupa LOTOS S.A. started construction works on a deep oil conversion complex under the EFRA Project. The total cost of the Project is estimated at ca. PLN 2.3bn. When completed, the complex will increase the distillate yields at Grupa LOTOS and, as a consequence, will boost its refining margin by approximately USD 2/bbl. The EFRA units are expected to add up to 900,000 tonnes to the LOTOS refinery’s annual fuel output. The project works are scheduled to end in 2018.