Industrial gases have been at the heart of fuels production for decades. Thousands of tonnes of oxygen have been used on refineries all around the world for catalyst regeneration on fluidised catalytic cracking (FCC) units.
The FCC unit upgrades heavier molecules to increase the production of high-value gasoline. Oxygen is also integral to the gas to liquids and methanol to gasoline processes, where it is required as a feedstock to Auto Thermal Reformers (ATRs).
Pipeline supply of hydrogen to refineries is required to desulphurise crude oil and produce clean-burning, low-sulphur diesel and gasoline. Hydrogen is also used for hydrotreating heavy fractions of crude to generate higher value, lighter products. On bio-refineries, hydrogen is required to hydrogenate vegetable oils to enable them to be used as sustainable bio-diesel.
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