Total has inaugurated the new units at its Antwerp integrated refining & petrochemicals platform, which have progressively started up in the last few months. This event marks the completion of the upgrade program launched in 2013 of one of the largest and most efficient integrated refining & petrochemicals platforms in Europe. Thus, the company has invested more than USD 1B to further improve the competitiveness of this major site located in the heart of Europe’s main markets.
The upgrades included an investment in a new refining complex for the conversion of more heavy fuel oil into low-sulfur light products; and a deasphalting unit and a hydrocracker to increase the production of clean and high-value-added products. The new refining complex will reduce the high-sulfur heavy fuel oil yield, in anticipation of the new marine fuel regulation that will take effect in 2020. Also, the steam cracker flexibility has been increased to maximize the processing of low cost advantaged feedstock.
Recently, Total also announced a logistics project to connect the platform to the neighboring storage terminal via a new pipeline and the expansion of the terminal’s capacities to maximize product value.
