Our team supported a major U.S. oil refinery in the conversion of its existing crude oil refinery into a renewable fuels facility for generating renewable fuel products — primarily diesel — used in the local West Coast market and blended into California Air Resources Board (CARB) diesel or transported via barge to Southern California or other markets.
The project converts blended triglyceride feedstock (vegetable oils and animal fats) into renewable diesel and other renewable products. The initiative reduced capital expense by using existing facilities and infrastructure to support the licensed pretreatment and hydrodeoxygenation processes. Extensive revamping of existing equipment, piping and electrical infrastructure was required.
The project scope included evaluation of existing facilities, integration of multiple licensed units into the existing infrastructure, outside battery limits (OSBL) revamp, environmental permitting support and wastewater treatment. The work occurred in three major phases, converting three existing hydroprocessing units to renewable diesel operation using Haldor Topsoe technology for a total processing capacity of 48,000 barrels per day (BPD). A new pretreatment unit using ARA’s Hydrothermal Cleanup technology and rail improvements, including 36 unloading spots and 14,500 feet of new track, were designed and constructed to allow the delivery of new feedstocks to the facility. Other support units included a new stage one wastewater unit, new offgas compression, and other OSBL modifications. We provided construction execution planning and advanced work packaging during all phases.
This renewable diesel refinery conversion project was completed under budget and ahead of an aggressive schedule. Approximately 11,000 spools of shop-fabricated piping were executed and delivered to the site.