CPC Corp. to upgrade Talin refinery

Taiwan’s government-run oil company CPC Corp. announced that it will invest NT$46.1 billion (US$1.4 billion) upgrading its largest refinery located in Talin before the end of 2012. The investment will boost production of cleaner auto fuels, CPC said. About NT$6 billion (US$) will be spent on building new hydro-desulfurizing facilities so that the 300,000 barrel per day (bpd) refinery in southern Taiwan will be equipped to produce diesel fuel and gasoline with a maximum sulfur content of 10 parts per million (ppm). Another NT$33 billion (US$) will be invested in converting fuel oil into higher valued refined oil products such as gasoline and diesel fuel. Under this program, 80,000 bpd residue fluid catalytic cracker will be built. CPC has also earmarked NT$9 billion (US$) to develop new alkylation facilities to produce gasoline low in sulfur, olefins and aromatics content. Other than the Talin refinery, CPC also owns and operates two other refineries in Taiwan: the 220,000 bpd plant in southern Kaohsiung and the 200,000 bpd plant in northern Taoyuan. (June 3, 2009)