Petrobras plans to expand Train 1 at RNEST, boosting the refinery’s capacity by 15,000 barrels per day (bpd). Credit: Saulo Ferreira Angelo/Shutterstock.

Petrobras has commenced operation of the atmospheric emissions reduction unit (SNOX) at the Abreu e Lima refinery (RNEST) in the city of Ipojuca, Pernambuco, Brazil.

This initiative is a step towards increasing the refinery’s processing capacity from 88,000bpd to 115,000bpd, adhering to local environmental regulations. This will increase the current capacity of the refinery by 27,000 barrels.

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The SNOX unit, a first for refining in both Brazil and the Americas, is designed to convert SOx and NOx into sulphuric acid.

This acid is a vital component for water treatment and the production of drinking water.

Additionally, the process generates steam energy, which will be utilised within the refinery, thereby reducing natural gas consumption and enhancing RNEST’s energy efficiency.

Petrobras is also preparing to start the expansion works of Train 1 at RNEST, which is expected to increase the refinery’s capacity by an additional 15,000bpd.

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The expansion will optimise the production of light products and adapt the refinery for the processing of pre-salt oil.

Petrobras announced in January this year that Train 1’s revamp is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2025.

Furthermore, the procurement process to finalise Train 2’s construction is set to begin, promising to add another 130,000bpd to RNEST’s capacity.

RNEST claims to stand out among Brazilian refineries with the highest conversion rate of crude oil to diesel at 70%.

Once the SNOX unit, Train 1 revamp and Train 2 are fully operational, the refinery’s total processing capability will reach 260,000bpd. This will contribute to a significant increase in Brazil’s S-10 diesel production of approximately 13 million litres per day.