Vacuum Distillation Unit of the New Talara Refinery begins start-up tests

The New Talara Refinery is preparing to start its commercial operation in the last quarter of this year, making use of the most modern technologies to process heavy and light crude existing in the country and other parts of the world, which will allow the production of a greater volume of refined fuels (95 thousand barrels per day) with less sulfur content and high quality.

According to the schedule of the gradual and progressive start-up process, which began on April 12, after the delivery by Técnicas Reunidas of the Primary Distillation Unit to Petroperú in mid-August, the commissioning of the Vacuum Distillation Unit has begun.

In the same way, the commissioning of the Hydrogen Plant is beginning, which will allow to continue with the naphtha, diesel and cracked naphtha hydrotreatment plants and finally with the conversion and deep conversion units (Fluidized Catalytic Cracking and Flexicoking) in the month of November, as scheduled.

The Hydrogen Production Plant is an auxiliary unit with Danish technology that will allow the production of high-purity hydrogen in the most efficient way, as well as the reduction of sulfur in diesel and gasoline. It is important to indicate that for its operation it has the services of natural gas, water, steam, electricity, among other elements.

The start-up process is carried out with the participation of experienced personnel hired by the contracting companies Técnicas Reunidas, in the process units, and Cobra, in the auxiliary units. Also participating in these activities are the licensing companies Honeywell, Axens, UOP, Haldor Topsoe and Exxon Mobil, as well as the international supervision consortium CPT and the different specialist technicians from the factories that supplied the various pieces of equipment that form part of this new complex of refine.

In the coming months, Peru will have one of the most modern refineries in Latin America. The New Talara Refinery has been built under the highest international standards, which will allow the production of gasoline, diesel and LPG with a maximum content of 50 parts per million of sulfur, which contributes to the preservation of the air and the health of all Peruvians.

It has 16 process units and five packages of auxiliary units and complementary services, two liquid loading docks and 21 new storage tanks, being one of the most modern deep conversion refineries in Latin America. It has a Flexicoking unit, a waste conversion technology that maximizes liquid yields and minimizes the production of residuals and coke, this being the ninth unit to be put into service in the world.

New facilities

As part of the start-up process of the New Talara Refinery, Petroperú has received, in recent weeks, the new buildings for use by the technical, maintenance, and logistics areas and the new fire-fighting station.

The facilities, which will provide facilities for the new refining complex, have modern systems that will allow a first-class operation. Among the technology implemented are voice systems, automated fire-fighting systems, closed circuit television and communication, allowing real-time monitoring of activities in each of the new units.

Likewise, it is important to mention that to date the Primary Distillation (DP1), Nitrogen Production (NIS), Reverse Osmosis Desalination (OR2) plants, the Water Distribution System (STA), the of Seawater Demineralization (DM2), the Caustic Soda Plant (CAF), the Closed Water Cooling System (CWC), the Electric Transmission Line (IER), the Operator Training Simulator (OTS) and the Waste Water Treatment System (WWS).