PHILADELPHIA, March 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sunoco, Inc. today
announced it plans to apply in early April 2006 for an air permit from
Philadelphia Air Management Services (AMS) to initiate an Alkylation Process
Improvement Project at its Philadelphia refinery's HF Alkylation unit. The
proposed project will involve the incorporation of ReVAP(TM) technology which
will require substantial improvements and modifications to the alkylation unit
and supporting utility systems as well as increasing production of alkylate.
The overall project cost is approximately $61 million. The project is
scheduled for completion during the first quarter of 2008 subject to permit
approval, fabrication, and delivery of materials.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19981105/PHTH006 )
"Sunoco is committed to operating all of our facilities in a safe,
reliable and environmentally sound manner," said Vincent J. Kelley, Sunoco's
Senior Vice President of Refining. "We continually assess new and emerging
technologies and enhancements to determine their applicability at our
refineries. We are excited about this project and believe it shows our
continued commitment to being a responsible neighbor."
HF is a catalyst that is used in the production of materials used in
everyday lives. Stainless steel, fire extinguishing materials, plastics,
aluminum products, automotive cleaners and other products require HF in some
form. Sunoco uses HF to produce a high octane gasoline component called
alkylate which is blended into fuel for today's automobile engines. This
process is called alkylation.
"Although HF has been used and stored safely at the Sunoco Philadelphia
refinery for more than 30 years, and we have made many safety-related
enhancements since the process was installed, we have been studying ReVAP
technology since it was first developed," said Kelley. "We have now concluded
that this technology will fit well with our operating system while providing
an additional layer of safety. The technology's operational and mechanical
reliability have been proven such that previous concerns, including potential
increases in corrosion in the unit that could cause operating upsets, have
been alleviated."
Sunoco has elected to adopt ReVAP technology, a ConocoPhillips licensed
technology, to further enhance safety measures if a release were to occur.
Equipment installed to support ReVAP technology also supports installation of
operational efficiencies to the plant to increase high octane alkylate
production. The improvement project will involve process enhancements and
additions to the HF Alkylation plant, which will allow the refinery to
increase capacity of high octane gasoline. The increase in output will not
add to the HF inventory on the unit.
"As demand for gasoline continues to increase, this Alkylation Process
Improvement Project will enable us to continue to be a reliable supplier of
quality transportation fuels for our customers," Kelley added.
Sunoco, Inc. (NYSE: SUN), headquartered in Philadelphia, PA, is a leading
manufacturer and marketer of petroleum and petrochemical products. With
900,000 barrels per day of refining capacity, approximately 4,800 retail sites
selling gasoline and convenience items, approximately 4,500 miles of crude oil
and refined product owned and operated pipelines and 38 product terminals,
Sunoco is one of the largest independent refiner-marketers in the United
States. Sunoco is a significant manufacturer of petrochemicals with annual
sales of approximately five billion pounds, largely chemical intermediates
used to make fibers, plastics, film and resins. Utilizing a unique, patented
technology, Sunoco also has the capacity to manufacture over 2.5 million tons
annually of high-quality metallurgical-grade coke for use in the steel
industry. For additional information, visit Sunoco's Web site at
http://www.SunocoInc.com.
SOURCE Sunoco, Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.SunocoInc.com
Photo Notes:
NewsCom:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19981105/PHTH006
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/829144.html
CONTACT:
Jerry Davis (media), +1-215-977-6298, or
Terry Delaney (investors), +1-215-977-6106, both of Sunoco
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