The National Refining Company Ltd is a topping reforming refinery which produces the following products: butane, gasoline, kerosene, jet fuel, gas oil, fuel oil.
The refinery is designed to treat crudes of varying properties and different origins, and this flexibility makes room for various sources of supply.
The refining capacity of SONARA increased from 1.600.00 to 2.100.000 tons of crude oil per year. With the extension and modernization project, this capacity will increase to more than 3.500.000 tons. Excess products are meant for export.
Topping separates crude oil into semi-finished intermediate products which are further processed in downstream units. Cuts extracted are:
- A top cut mixture of gas, butane, light gasoline and naphtha,
- Kerosene
- Light gas oil
- Heavy gas oil
- VGO
- Atmospheric residue
Hydro-treatment refines the top cut hydrogenation in the presence of a catalyst. After separation by redistilation, the following products are obtained:
- Commercial butane,
- Light desulfurized gasoline which will be mixed with reformate to manufacture commercial gasoline.
Hydro-desulfurization treats kerosene from atmospheric distillation to obtain the following finished products:
- Kerosene and jet fuel,
Catalytic reforming treats desulfurized naphtha obtained from hydro-treatment and after separation, gives a reformate which will be mixed with desulfurized light gasoline and butane for the manufacture of high octane gasoline.
Utilities
In addition to the electricity supplied by AES SONEL, the refinery has 3 standby generators (3000 KW each) ready to take over in the event of any power failure. The refinery produces water, steam, compressed air, and the fuel with which it operates.