Project Overview > Refinery Configuration

The Project Mthombo refinery will be designed to process heavy sour crude oil with a high conversion capability, producing a white product yield of up to 90% per volume on crude.

The refinery products will meet Euro V standards in line with global trends towards cleaner fuels. This will ensure no additional investment is required to upgrade the refinery when these specifications are adopted by South Africa. This will also enable access to global markets for product exports.

The refinery design philosophy is based on a stand-alone and a self-sustainable plant producing or generating its own utility requirements, off-sites and loading facilities. From time to time, and during start up conditions, electricity will need to be imported from the Eskom grid, but the refinery will be self-sufficient during normal operation.

Water consumption will be minimised through the optimal use of air cooling. Effluent and waste discharge will be minimised and the maximum amount of internal water recycled. Utilities such as fire water, potable water, cooling water, demineralised water, plant and instrument air, nitrogen, fuel gas distribution, effluent treatment, electric power and distribution systems will all be housed within the refinery limits.

A pre-feasibility study to determine the optimal processing configuration arrangement for the new refinery was carried out by KBR, an experienced international engineering consulting firm and took into consideration the following key factors:

• The refining technology to be employed will all be commercially proven to minimise the technology risk.
• The refinery will be configured and metallurgy will be suitable to process heavy, high sulphur, high acidity crude oil to take advantage of the relatively lower prices of these crude oils.
• The conversion units must ensure a high conversion capability to white products, including LPG, petrol, jet fuel, illuminating paraffin and diesel, whilst minimising low value fuel oil production. This will increase the refining margins and consequently the project profitability.
• The refinery will maximise diesel production in line with the forecast Southern African market demand. The refinery will also have the flexibility to swing to petrol production to meet seasonal and market changes.

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