04-05-2021

Chennai Petroleum selects Axens for Cauvery Basin refinery project

Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL), a group company of Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), India, has selected Axens to supply several advanced technologies for its state-of-the-art 9 MTPA refinery to be set at Cauvery Basin at Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu (southern part of India).

CPCL’s Cauvery Basin Refinery (CBR) was commissioned in November 1993, to process Narimanam crude, initially with a capacity of 0.5 MMTPA further expanded to 1.0 MMTPA in 2002. CPCL is planning to expand the capacity of CBR by adding grassroots facilities at the same location of the existing refinery in Nagapattinam.

For over a decade, Axens has built a strong and trustful relationship with CPCL for its Manali Refinery (10.5 MMTPA), involved in technologies, catalysts and services supply and supporting it through different projects.

As part of this Cauvery Basin Refinery Project, Axens will provide the following technologies for:
- 1 Naphtha Hydrotreating Unit
- 1 Reforming unit (OctanizingTM)
- 1 C5-C6 isomerization unit
- 1 VGO (Vacuum Gasoil) Hydrotreater incorporating ZPJE spiraled tube heat exchangers technology that enables to achieve highest energy efficiency through heat recovery maximization.
- 1 Cracked gasoline selective desulfurization (Prime-G+®) unit, and
- 1 Sulfur block consisting of 2 trains of Claus unit and 2 trains of Tail Gas Treatment unit (Sultimate™).

The scope of Axens’ work includes the supply of process book, catalysts & adsorbents proprietary equipment, trainings and technical services.

Axens’ Process Licensing Global Business Unit Executive Vice-President Patrick Sarrazin said: “Today marks a significant step towards the expansion of the CPCL’s Cauvery Basin Refinery. With these numerous advanced technologies, CPCL will be well positioned to supply the market with clean fuels reaching Bharat Stage VI (BS VI) specifications. Our extensive refining technology expertise, global capabilities in the basic design, catalysts, equipment and services supply position Axens ideally to deliver this important contract for CPCL.”