Our team provided engineering, procurement, expediting and construction support services for a facility expansion that increased a regional refiner’s capacity to produce and ship renewable diesel.
This project served as an opportunity for feedstock diversification, allowing the facility and its traders to optimize the blend based on market pricing and quality while reducing the carbon intensity of their renewable diesel product. Our team worked closely with the renewable diesel technology provider to evaluate the impacts of the feedstock changes on the process equipment.
Enhancements to the facility necessitated development of new rail and unloading infrastructure at the rail terminal, increases in storage capacity at the tank farm, modifications to process equipment in the distillate hydrotreater unit, and enhancements to the existing boiler and condensate collection systems. We worked closely with the client and BNSF Railway to develop a plan and layout that worked well operationally for both the processor and the railroad. Rail improvements included 2,000 feet of track and two No. 9 turnouts to accommodate 12 new unloading spots.
The renewable diesel produced is used in the local market or transported via rail to be blended into diesel. The project also generates credits under a program requiring the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the production and combustion of transportation fuels.