23-01-2019

Wynnewood Refining Company selects solid acid alkylation technology from KBR

KBR, Inc. announced today that it has entered into a contract with Wynnewood Refining Company, LLC (Wynnewood) for engineering and design services relating to KBR's Solid Acid Alkylation Technology (K-SAAT™) for Wynnewood's refinery located in Wynnewood, Oklahoma.

Under the terms of the contract, KBR will provide basic engineering and design (BED) services for its K-SAAT™ technology and the opportunity to utilize the technology to revamp the existing Hydrofluoric acid (HF) alkylation unit at the Wynnewood Refinery.

K-SAATTM is a revolutionary technology to produce alkylate, which is an ultra-clean gasoline blendstock. Unlike traditional refinery alkylation technologies that utilize strong acids, K-SAATTM produces alkylates by combining light olefins and isobutane using a solid catalyst that provides yield and operating cost benefits by avoiding complex acid handling and cooling cost.

"I am delighted to announce that Wynnewood is considering KBR's innovative and groundbreaking K-SAAT™ technology to revamp the HF Alky unit at Wynnewood," said John Derbyshire, President, KBR Technology. "K-SAAT™ produces an ideal blendstock for increased gasoline octane which is in high demand and does not use corrosive liquid acids. Alkylate octane obtained through the K-SAAT™ process is higher compared to other liquid and solid acid alkylation processes under a wide range of process conditions. We are honored to support Wynnewood and to showcase the tremendous potential of K-SAAT™ for grassroots and revamp projects."

Since the first K-SAAT™ unit was commissioned, early this year in China, K-SAAT™ technology has received significant interest from refiners globally. K-SAAT™ technology reflects KBR's commitment to provide innovative technologies that give our customers a competitive edge in attractive markets.

Global demand for motor fuels continues to rise while stricter environmental standards and oxygenate blend requirements for gasoline place a premium on clean burning fuels and blendstocks such as alkylate. KBR's K-SAAT process is a highly adaptable technology that produces a more cost effective, higher quality alkylate than conventional liquid acid catalysts or other solid acid catalysts.

The key to the K-SAATTM technology is ExSact™, a revolutionary solid acid catalyst engineered to overcome rapid deactivation limitations of solid-acid catalysts and provide superior alkylation performance. K-SAAT™ offers the capabilities to upgrade olefins ranging from ethylene to amylenes into higher value alkylate.

KBR's licensed process technology is found in more than half of the world's FCC units, a majority of residue upgrading units and more than 100 hydroprocessing units. Our emphasis on heavy oil upgrading, improving bottom-of-the-barrel yields, producing clean fuels, increasing chemical yields and providing a wider range of operating flexibility to refiners makes KBR a preferred partner to address any refining challenge.