Refinery Plant

Through distillation and chemical reactions, refineries convert crude oil into a variety of valuable fuels and lubricants, as well as feedstocks for other downstream processes.

New plant designs and upgrades to existing facilities are driven both by supply-related performance requirements and increasing environmental regulations for emissions and fuel compositions.

GE Oil & Gas has extensive global experience in all areas needed to enhance both production and environmental performance.

How it works

Refinery configuration depends both on the range of crude gravity it can handle and on the final product mix it will produce. The basic component is the primary topping process where crude oil is distilled into a number of fractions: lightest petroleum gases, light and heavy naphtha, and heaviest fractions up to asphalts and residue.

Those fractions are upgraded to commercially viable products, for example:

• Hydrodesulphurization and hydrotreating produce fuels with reduced sulphur content

• Cracking creates a higher yield of lighter gasoil, kerosene and gasoline

• Reforming increases the octane number of the gasoline, etc.

GE Oil & Gas helps operators plan and execute conversions and upgrades that will help them remain competitive in the evolving industry.

Features & Benefits

  • Optimized plant performance through valorization of low-quality streams in the refinery

  • Improved economics through integration of petrochemical production

  • Single-source supply and expertise ensure refinery-wide integration for optimized production and operating efficiencies

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