CONCLUSIONS
1. The proportion of fuel oil in the projected local product demand
for 1985 and 1990 varies from 63 to 61%wt respectively. Whilst the latter can be met with a 245 MBSD toppint' refinery processing wholly Chinese crude, catalytic dewaxing of middle distillate and fuel oil components will be necessary to overcome product quality. problems'.
2:
3.
4.
The bulk of the fuel oil is required by inland power stations. Confirmation is required for the opportunity to market PSFO locally without restriction on pour-point, so that demand can be met from Chinese crude only. Bunkers could then be produced from Persian Gulf crude, say Kuwait. This will then reduce the dependence on catalytic dewaxing to meet product quality, and require less crude (ca 218 MBSD) to meet fuel oil deinand.
Minimum cost processing will correspond to a simple 'topping' refinery without hydro-dewaxing of components. This may be achieved by processing sufficient Persian Gulf, say Kuwait, in the crude slate with Taching to enable fuel oil pour point to be met without dewaxing. This study shows 89%wt of Kuwait is needed in the crude slate for this purpose. Middle distillate deficits in 1990 are relatively small but LDF surplus is large. A possible disadvantage of the high. Kuwait content of the crude slate will be the need for some hydrofining to meet middle distillate sulphur specifications,
The above study relates to local product demand/pattern in 1985/90. However, identification of further export opportunities could offer a more attractive project involving upgrading the crude by inclusion of conversion processes to produce more middle distillates. This might involve a larger crude capacity than indicated by this preliminary study, but would afford a means of dealing with the wax problems associated with. processing a significant proportion of Chinese crude in the slate.
Should BP proceed in greater depth with the Punch Refinery studies, we consider it essential that attempts are made to procure current samples of the relevant Chinese crudes (eg Pearl River, Shengli and Taching) for assay. This will ensure that BP will be in a position to provide improved estimates for assessing the viability of the project.
Sunbury 569
Attached:
Tables 1
PCG/180/80
3. :