BP to expand renewable diesel coprocessing at Cherry Point refinery in Washington
BP is investing $269 million in three projects at its Cherry Point Refinery in Washington state, one of which will more than double its capacity to coprocess renewable diesel. When complete in 2022, the $45 million investment is expected to allow the manufacturing of nearly 110 million gallons of coprocessed renewable diesel per year.
“The increased production capability from the renewable diesel optimization project is expected to reduce the CO2 emissions resulting from the diesel produced by Cherry Point by approximately 400,000 to 600,000 tons per year,” the company stated. “In 2018, Cherry Point became the first and only refinery in the Pacific Northwest capable of processing these feedstocks alongside conventional feedstocks like crude oils. This fuel produced through coprocessing is chemically identical to petroleum diesel and can be distributed using the same systems.”
The other projects in the $269 million investment include a $169 million hydrocracker improvement project and a $55 million cooling water infrastructure project.
The hydrocracker improvement project is expected to improve efficiency, and reduce downtime and associated flaring events. As a result of the project, the hydrocracker will consume less hydrogen, which is produced at the refinery from natural gas. “In addition, the hydrocracker will require less heat input from the consumption of gaseous fuel in refinery process heaters than it does today,” BP stated.
The cooling water infrastructure project will allow for increased utilization, better energy efficiency, and a related reduction in CO2 emissions.
The hydrocracker and cooling-water projects will begin this year and should be finished in 2023.
