Karachi September 28 2023: National Refinery Limited inform that Hydrogen Production Unit has resumed normal operations and the Company has successfully commenced the production and supply of High Speed Diesel (HSD) compliant with Pak-V specifications (based on Euro-V specifications slightly customized for local climate conditions) as recently notified by the Government.
Adoption of Pak-V specifications shall increase the Company’s HSD production by around 5-6%, besides.
Earlier on July 3rd 2023, the company has announced temporary shutdown of Hydrogen Production Unit (HPU) due to unscheduled maintenance, avoiding penalty on production of HSD below Pak-V specifications.
NRL is engaged in the manufacturing, production and sale of large range of petroleum products. The refinery complex of the Company comprises of three refineries i.e. two lube refineries and one fuel refinery having a total crude oil refining capacity of 24,570,000 Bbl per annum which corresponds to 70,000 Bbls/day. Two Lube refineries process reduced crude to produce LBO, Bitumen, Wax and other specialty products. Details of the different plants are given below:
First Lube Refinery:
Designed and constructed by SNAM PROGETTI of Italy with a capacity to process 3,976,500 Bbl per annum of crude oil and to produce 533,400 Bbl per annum of LBO was commissioned in June 1966. This refinery also produces fuel, asphalt and specialty oils. After revamp of Two-Stage Distillation Unit in September 2020 the crude oil processing capacity has been increased from 12,050 barrel per stream day (bpsd) to 17,000 bpsd corresponding to 5,967,000 Bbls per annum and vaccum fractionation capacity from 5,200 bpsd to 6,600 bpsd.
Hydro skimming Fuel Refinery:
Designed and constructed by Industrial Export Import (IEI) of Romania with a capacity to process 11,385,000 Bbl per annum of crude oil was commissioned in April 1977. Its capacity was increased to 16,500,000 Bbl per annum in February 1990. The fuel products consist of LPG, Naphtha, Motor Gasoline, Kerosene, Jet fuels, Diesel and Furnace Oil. After second Revamp in March 2017, the capacity was increased to 18,603,000 Bbl per year.
As directed by MOE (PD), NRL commissioned UOP licensed Diesel Hydrotreater Unit having capacity to process 29,765 BPSD of HSD to improve it to Euro II specifications. The plant has a capacity to reduce sulphur content in HSD to as low as 10 PPM. In October 2017, the Company has successfully commissioned Isomerization Unit having capacity to produce 6,793 BPSD of Isomerate.
Second Lube Refinery:
Designed by CE Lummus of UK and constructed by Industrial Export Import (IEI) of Romania, second lube refinery was commissioned in January 1985. It has a designed capacity of 700,000 Bbl per annum of LBO and 100,000 tons per annum of asphalt. A lube revamp project undertaken with the technical assistance of Exxon Mobil has been commissioned thereby enhancing LBO production capacity to 805,000 Bbl per annum.
BTX (petrochemical) Plant:
Designed and constructed by Nordon ET Cie of France with a capacity to produce 180,000 Bbl per annum of BTX, the plant was commissioned in April 1979. This plant produces Benzene, Toluene and Xylene for the specialty chemicals market.
National Refinery Limited ( NRL ) was incorporated on August 19, 1963 as a public limited company. Government of Pakistan took over the management of NRL under the Economic Reforms Order, 1972 under the Ministry of Production, which was exercising control through its shareholding in State Petroleum Refining and Petrochemical Corporation (PERAC).
