NExBTL plant to SingaporeRefine Online 26 April
The NExBTL plant under construction in Tuas in Singapore is an impressive sight and will be the world’s largest renewable diesel production unit when completed.
The reactor tower at the NExBTL plant rises 40 meters above the ground. Over 4,500 people are employed at the moment at the site.
“It’s quite a project,” says Process Engineer Sachin Jain. “For a plant designed to produce just one product, it is certainly big,” he continues. It is also very much a groundbreaking one for Neste Oil.
It is being built in what is largely a new country and a new part of the world for the company, something that has called for a lot of groundwork in building contacts with the local authorities, local partners, and recruiting a local organization. The project is now in its final stages and rapidly moving towards commissioning.
Revolutionary technology
The revolutionary technology developed by Neste Oil has proved particularly exciting for Jain.
“We’ve had the chance to come up with a lot of new solutions,” he says, waiving towards the process area, based around two reactors that will convert input, which will primarily be palm oil, into renewable diesel.
Quality fuel
Liang Hin Ooi is involved with negotiations with the plant’s raw material suppliers. He says that explaining Neste Oil’s technology to suppliers has proved quite time-consuming, as the plant has been designed to produce an advanced renewable diesel that can be used at up to 100% content in any diesel engine – unlike conventional biodiesel.
“This type of renewable diesel is something new to everyone. Suppliers have been really surprised that such a quality fuel can be produced from something like palm oil.”
Constant improvement
The plant will never be completely ready, says Jain, as there will always be room to improve things as people learn more about it and make it more efficient.
Testing to make sure that everything operates just as it should will take its own time, but Jain believes that everything will proceed on-schedule and that full output will be reached in the second half.
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The NExBTL plant in Singapore will employ something over 100 people directly and over 50 indirectly via its service providers.
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Rapid growth
“Neste Oil’s production of renewable fuels is set to grow rapidly over the next few years, in line with the company’s strategy. The plants in Singapore and Rotterdam will be critical to our success here,” says Petri Jokinen, who heads up Neste Oil’s operations in Singapore.
“The plant is due to start up towards the end of this year and has been budgeted at €550 million. Things are moving ahead in line with this.”
Europe main market
The market for the NExBTL renewable diesel produced in Singapore will mainly be Europe, at least initially. North America could become an important market later.
The plant will employ something over 100 people directly and over 50 indirectly via its service providers. “It will also work with other local chemical companies through bodies such as the Singapore Chemical Industry Council (SCIC),” says Jokinen.
The chemical industry is a major part of the economy in Singapore. Neste Oil’s investment has received a lot of favorable coverage in the media, particularly as many other companies have postponed their investments because of the current economic situation.
Translation by Peter Herring
Photos Leon Huang
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