Name of the Project
Cherry Point refinery efficiency projects.

Location
Washington, in the US.

Project Owner/s
bp.

Project Description
The project aims to improve the Cherry Point refinery’s efficiency, reducing its carbon dioxide emissions and increasing its renewable diesel production capability through three projects.

The hydrocracker improvement project (HIP) will improve efficiency and reduce periods of planned maintenance, resulting in fewer unit shutdowns and associated flaring events.

The hydrocracker is the “heart” of the refinery. In this unit, heavy oils are subjected to high temperatures and pressure in the presence of hydrogen to produce gasoline, diesel and jet fuel.

The cooling water infrastructure project (CWI) will enhance cooling water infrastructure and improve reliability by enabling the refinery to maintain an optimum cooling water temperature year-round. Increasing efficiency in cooling produces fewer light hydrocarbons, such as methane and ethane, which are combusted in process heaters and utility boilers.

The HIP and CWI projects are expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from operations at Cherry Point by about 160 000 t/y.

The renewable diesel optimisation (RDO) project will more than double the Cherry Point refinery’s renewable diesel production capability, to an estimated 2.6-million barrels a year.

Renewable diesel is manufactured from biomass-based feedstocks such as vegetable oils and rendered animal fats. The increased production capability from the project is expected to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions resulting from diesel production by about 400 000 t/y to 600 000 t/y.

Potential Job Creation
The project is expected to create more than 300 jobs over the next three years. This includes more than 200 construction jobs, 25 engineering jobs and about 40 support roles.

Capital Expenditure
$269-million, comprising $169-million for the HIP project, and $55-million and $45-million for the CWI and RDO projects respectively.

Planned Start/End Date
Work on the HPI and CWI projects will begin later this year and is expected to be completed in 2023. The additional renewable diesel production from the RDO project is expected to be available in 2022.

Latest Developments
None stated.

Key Contracts, Suppliers and Consultants
None stated.

Contact Details for Project Information
bp, email uspress@bp.com.