SAUDI Aramco Shell Refinery Company (Sasref) took a step into the future with the inauguration of its ultra-low sulphur diesel unit at the refinery in Jubail, the company says.

The new line has started commercial production of about 100,000 barrels per day of low-sulphur diesel fuel with less than 10 parts per million sulphur content.

“The start of the ultra-low sulphur diesel unit reinforces our strategy to keep pace with future trends and comply with environmental and marketing requirements, which will help Sasref to maintain its competitiveness as one of the leading refineries in the Middle East and Asia,” says Sasref president Abdulhakim A Al-Gouhi, adding that the new unit reduces sulphur emissions for a cleaner environment and also meets the high-standard diesel specifications of Europe.

Joining Al-Gouhi were Saudi Aramco president and CEO Khalid A Al-Falih, and Saudi Aramco senior vice presidents Khalid G Al-Buainain and Abdulrahman F Al-Wuhaib. Shell International Downstream executive director Mark Williams also attended.

The 28-month project required 11.5 million work hours, and at the peak involved 2,800 on-site workers. It included the revamp of two crude units and an existing diesel hydrodesulphuriser unit as well as the construction of a new, high-pressure diesel hydrodesulphuriser. Inline blending and amine treatment facilities also were included in the work, which required 336 tie-ins including 18 hot taps.

Sasref is a joint venture export refinery owned 50-50 by Saudi Aramco and Shell.

It operates a 305,000-bpd refinery in the industrial city of Jubail on the Arabian Gulf.

Its main products are chemical feed naphtha, dual purpose kerosene, ultra-low sulphur diesel, fuel oil and LPG, with the main export destination to Asia.