Attock Refinery plans new 50,000 bpd deep-conversion refinery

Attock Refinery Limited (ATRL), a subsidiary of the Attock Oil Company Limited, plans to establish a new 50,000 barrels per day (bpd) deep-conversion refinery.

The company, a key player in Pakistan’s downstream petroleum sector, shared its plans in its annual report released on Monday.

“ARL has plans to install a state-of-the-art new deep conversion refinery of 50,000 BPD capacity, if sustainable enhanced supplies of local crude from the North become available and necessary support is received from the government side,” the refinery said.

Regarding its expansion plans, ATRL shared that one of the biggest challenges it is facing is to upgrade its plants to meet Euro-V fuel specifications.

“The company has prepared a strategic plan for expansion with a view to improving the products’ specifications,” it said.

Under the planned projects, a Continuous Catalyst Regeneration (CCR) Unit will be set up, which will increase the volume of PMG production and improve PMG pool octane to meet Euro-V specifications while eliminating the use of octane-boosting additives and naphtha export, it said.

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Moreover, DHDS unit revamp is expected to reduce HSD sulphur content to 10 ppm.

“ARL has already completed Licensor Front End Engineering Design (FEED) studies for addition of CCR Unit and Revamp of DHDS Unit under its planned upgradation project at an estimated cost of about $600 million.

“Further, contract for Project FEED and Project Management Consultancy (PMC) services was awarded to Studi Technologie Progetti SpA, Italy (STP). Currently, transmittals relating to FEED are being exchanged with STP, including deliverables across multiple disciplines related to Management, Process, Mechanical, Civil, Electrical and Instrumentation. This translates to around 90% of the project FEED package completion,” read the annual report.

The company shared that its annual contribution to the national exchequer in the form of taxes and duties amounted to Rs156 billion while foreign exchange savings of $167.13 million were achieved through import substitution and exports.

Attock Refinery was incorporated in Pakistan on November 8, 1978, as a private limited company and was converted into a public company on June 26, 1979. It is principally engaged in the refining of crude oil.