EMEA News
ExxonMobil's Antwerp Refinery Distillates-Producing Unit Ready Early next Year
Oil major ExxonMobil has said that the delayed coker unit at its 320,000 barrels per day Antwerp refinery should be fully operational in the first half of next year, according to Reuters.
The unit, which processes residual fuel oil into high end products, forms part of $1 billion investment announced in 2014. The unit upgrades high sulfur fuel into various types of diesel including low sulfur bunker fuel for shipping.
An Exxon spokeswoman was quoted as saying that the company plans to complete construction "towards early 2018".
The spokeswoman added that although the complex start-up process can take several months, the company expects the unit to be fully operational in the first half of next year.
The 0.5% sulfur cap on bunker fuel which starts from 2020 is widely tipped to deflate demand for high sulfur fuel oil making any project to cut fuel oil production is crucial to refinery survival.
