Byco to commence full commercial operations soon

Refinery will increase capacity to 220,000 bpd in five years.

ISLAMABAD: Byco, the country’s largest oil refinery, has announced that it will begin full commercial operations soon and will increase its refining capacity over time from the current level of 120,000 barrels per day, a move that will reduce reliance on imports of petroleum products.

“With a 35,000 bpd refinery already in place, Byco is set to take refining capacity to 155,000 bpd, which will be 55% more than the current largest refinery in the country,” Qaiser Jamal, Chief Executive Officer of Byco Oil Pakistan Limited, said.

As a blueprint had already been prepared, the capacity would rise to an unprecedented 220,000 bpd by 2018, he said.

Speaking to the media, Jamal outlined the aims of Byco in the petroleum and petrochemical sector. “Oil refining and putting together Pakistan’s largest refinery has been a gargantuan task. But we are prepared for all challenges and will soon commence our next big contribution, the petrochemical complex,” he said.

With operations at full capacity, the oil refining capacity of 155,000 bpd will constitute 39% to 41% of the country’s refining capacity.

Recently, the new Byco refinery completed a 72-hour performance test run at 60% of capacity. During the test run, it produced petroleum products such as naphtha, kerosene, high speed diesel and high sulphur fuel oil (HSFO).

“The 72-hour trial run was the last of all critical tests, showing credible integrity and operability of process units and on-site utilities,” Jamal said.

The refinery will enhance its capacity from the current 12.5 million tons per annum to around 18.5 million tons to meet consistently rising energy needs of the country. Annually, it will produce about 1.6 million tons of HSFO, 2.4 million tons of diesel, 1.1 million tons of motor spirit (petrol) and 0.8 million tons of liquefied petroleum gas.

According to Byco, it will provide substantial import substitution to the country. Diesel imports are expected to come down by about 71%, motor gasoline 68% and furnace oil 27%, leading to substantial savings of foreign exchange.

“Byco refinery will also be introducing Pakistan’s first and only isomerisation unit. At present, refineries in Pakistan export naphtha, which can be upgraded to gasoline by processing it at Byco’s isomerisation plant, which will have a capacity of 12,500 bpd,” said Jamal.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 23^rd, 2013.

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