A catalytic distillation unit and a project for segregation of
catalytic naphtha started up at the 135,000 b/d El Palito refinery in
1996. The unit uses technology from Intevep. It has helped boost the
output of MTBE, TAME and high octane components needed to reformulate
gasolines. The plant has been modenised with a new 48,000 b/d vacuum
distillation unit, a 28,000 b/d vacuum gasoil desulphurisation unit and
a 55,000 b/d FCC unit. The gasoline-making capacity thus has increased.
The MTBE plant came on stream at El Palito in 1994. There is an
aromatics (BTX) plant at this complex, operated by Pequiven. El Palito
is close to the petrochemical production centre of Moron. The FCC unit
was shut down in January 2007 due to unexplained problems, causing the
high-sulphur VGO surplus to be increase (as explained above).
COPYRIGHT 2007 Input Solutions Reproduced with permission of the copyright holder. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Copyright 2007, Gale Group. All rights
reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.
NOTE: All illustrations and photos have been removed from this article.
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