removes any remaining contaminants such as: water, salts or solids

applies very high heat to separate crude into different components (fractions) according to boiling range and weight

sends the various fractions to other plants for further processing. Examples: diluent is stripped off and returned to the field, jet kerosene is sent to the Naphtha/Jet Hydrotreater, gas oil is sent to the Gas Oil Hydrotreater, and residuum is sent to the Hydrocracker Reaction Unit

residuum (the heaviest fraction) from the crude unit is heated and mixed with a hydrogen rich gas stream

the heated mixture passes through an expanded catalyst bed where cracking of the residuum occurs

the hydrogen reacts with the cracked compounds forming a de-sulphurized, de-metalized, de-nitrified, and hydrogen saturated product

the hydrocracking process converts about 60% of the residuum into lighter fractions which are sent to the Hydrocracker Fractionation Unit for further processing

the feedstock undergoes partial vapourization and mild cracking as it passes through a coking furnace

the lighter fractions removed are sent to other plants for processing

the petroleum coke remains in a coke drum from which it is cut into fragments, crushed, and sent to coke loading facilities

some heavier hydrocarbons are recovered and blended into the synthetic crude oil product

lighter gases such as naphtha or butane are sweetened (hydrogen sulphide gas removed or reduced) and sent to other plants for processing or recycled as fuel for other units

First, an atmospheric fractionator applies heat and produces gases or liquids

The gases, such as hydrogen sulphide and naphtha are sent to the Gas Recovery Unit

Liquids such as gas oil and jet kerosene are removed as side cuts and are sent to the Gas Oil Hydrotreater and the Naphtha/Jet Hydrotreater respectively

Heavier fractions are heated again in a vacuum tower, under sub-atmospheric conditions, producing light and heavy vacuum gas oils and vacuum residuum

The remaining residuum is sent to the Delayed Coking Unit

The hydrogen is produced through steam reforming of natural gas (methane) in the presence of a catalyst

The steps in the process are: desulphurization, reforming, carbon monoxide shift, and purification

The purified hydrogen is filtered and compressed before being sent to the other units

The processing reduces the sulphur and nitrogen content of the feedstock to improve its combustion characteristics

Secondly, hydrotreating reduces the amount of aromatic hydrocarbons which can give jet kerosene a poor smoke point or diesel fuel a poor cetane number

The processed fuels are sent to the storage area where they are blended into the synthetic crude oil product that leaves the Upgrader by pipeline

When they reach a refinery, they can be easily extracted and subjected to further processing

The unit processes straight-run atmospheric and vacuum gas oils from the Crude Unit, and cracked atmospheric and vacuum gas oils from the Hydrocracker Fractionation Unit and the Delayed Coking Unit

As a result of hydrotreating, the sulphur compounds are converted to hydrogen sulphide, nitrogen compounds changed to ammonia, and the aromatics are saturated

Other plants use amine absorbers to remove hydrogen sulphide

In the Amine Unit, super heated steam is applied to break the chemical bonds between the amine molecules and the hydrogen sulphide molecules

The Claus Unit produces elemental sulphur as a result of the following chemical conversion: 2H₂S + SO₂ » 3S + 2H₂O

The Tail Gas Clean-Up Unit reduces any unreacted sulphur compounds to a level consistent with emission regulations

The condensed liquid sulphur is collected, degassed to remove dissolved hydrogen sulphide, and exported from the site on railcars or trucks.