KARACHI: Byco Petroleum Pakistan Limited, Pakistan’s largest oil refining company, reached a key milestone in its Upgrade 1 project by beginning civil works construction on 9th January, 2021 at the site earmarked at its refining complex for the construction of the project. In an Extraordinary General Meeting held on 2nd April 2020, Byco had announced its plans to upgrade its refining complex with the installation of two major new additions to its refineries, namely the DHDS (Diesel Hydro Desulphurizing) Unit, and FCC (Fluidized Catalytic Cracking) Unit.
At the groundbreaking ceremony, Mr Mohammad Wasi Khan, Chairman, Byco’s Board of Directors, commented: “As per our planned schedule, Byco has commenced civil works for the installation of our DHDS and FCC units. The addition of the DHDS and FCC facilities to our refining complex will enable Byco to produce Euro 5 | Euro 6 compliant diesel and gasoline in Pakistan as per the government’s directive. The upgrade will enable Byco to reduce the production of low-value Furnace Oil and enhance our products’ quality, making them better for the environment as well as more valuable for our business and thereby will boost Byco’s profitability Insha’Allah. We are thankful to all our stakeholders, including our shareholders, the Ministry of Energy, Petroleum Division; the Ministry of Finance; the Ministry of Commerce, OGRA and our financial institution partners.”
The new units to be installed include, among others, the Diesel Hydro De-sulphurising units (DHDS), including its pre and post-treatment plants which include an Amine System, Sour Water System and Sulphur Recovery plant; and the Fluid Catalytic Cracking unit FCC), including the pre and post-treatment plants which include Vacuum Distillation, Selective Hydrogenation Process, Alkylation, Catalytic Naphtha Hydrotreater, Catalytic Reformer, Dimersol, Gasoline Merox, Sweet Frac, C3 | C4 Splitter and Gas Condensation Units. These additional processing units shall enable Byco to reduce the Sulphur content in the diesel it produces and convert furnace oil into gasoline and diesel.
Byco is the first refinery in Pakistan to announce plans of upgrading its facilities to ensure environmental compliance and sustainable profitability, and this will be the nation’s first FCC unit. The Company has made a name for itself through its innovative projects including establishing Pakistan’s first Single Point Mooring, a floating liquid port in the deep sea for crude oil shipments.
