Nippon Oil, Mitsubishi may partner in new refining technology

Japanese firms Nippon Oil and Mitsubishi Chemical may possibly forge a partnership to link Nippon Oil’s next generation high severity fluid catalytic cracking (HS-FCC) refining technology with Mitsubishi’s olefin-derivative undertakings. Efforts to commercialize the HS-FCC technology are being undertaken at Mizushima, Japan, with a possible 3,000-barrel per day (bpd) pilot plant. Mitsubishi Chemical aims to ensure a good source of its ethylene and propylene raw materials for a solid petrochemical operation in Japan. The company’s main concern is its propylene-derivative operation, led by polypropylene compounds. Other options include tying up the HS-FCC technology to Mitsubishi’s propylene derivatives operation or to ethylene derivatives, such as high performance polyethylene. The advantages of Nippon Oil’s HS-FCC process against the conventional FCC include uniform reaction in less time, increased propylene output, controlled gasoline output, and enhanced octane rating. (August 28, 2008)