SulphCo. announces new process for cutting refining costs

A process for significantly cutting refining costs while increasing the amount of high-grade diesel fuel that can be produced from a barrel of oil was announced by SulphCo., a desulphurisation technology company.
The company made the announcement after receiving results of laboratory testing by Sinclair Oil confirming SulphCo.'s process for extracting sulphur from petroleum products also alleviates the need for later stages of refining to produce high-quality diesel fuel. In addition, the amount of diesel fuel that can be produced from a barrel of oil is increased.
"This means that refiners will be able to produce more low-sulphur, high-grade diesel fuel at a lower cost then they are able to now," said Dr. Mark Cullen, president of SulphCo. "It is a breakthrough that could revolutionize the refining industry, allowing for the production of less expensive, cleaner diesel fuels."
Typically, refiners must process lighter distillates drawn from the first crude oil distilling tower through several more hydro treating processes to produce high-grade diesel fuel meeting emissions and performance standards. Employing the SulphCo. technology at the first distilling process, refiners will be able to produce commercial quality diesel fuel without the expensive hydro treating processes.

The SulphCo. process also increases the volume of diesel fuel produced from the same amount of oil, while removing more than 99 % of the sulphur from the base petroleum stock used to make diesel fuel. Sinclair Oil and the Bechtel Corporation are in the process of designing the first commercial unit employing the SulphCo. technology, with a prototype expected in 90-120 days.
"Given today's energy prices and the demand for cleaner fuels, we are excited to be able to offer the refining industry a technology that dramatically reduces their productions costs while lowering sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions to below the strict 15 ppm federal standard," Dr. Cullen said. "Ultimately, the consumer should benefit from lowercosts and cleaner air."
SulphCo.'s technology consists of a self-contained, skid-mounted petroleum desulphurisation unit that removes organic sulphur from crude oils, gas oils, gasoline, diesel fuel, and fuel oils. SulphCo. and Bechtel had a joint presentation on the technology at the National Petrochemical Refiners annual meeting in New Orleans on March 20th.