Shell to increase low-sulphur fuel capability at Europe’s largest refinery

Royal Dutch Shell plc today said it will build a new hydrodesulphurisation plant at its Pernis Refinery in the Netherlands. The plant, expected to come on stream in the second half of 2011, will increase cleaner-burning, low-sulphur fuels production at the 400 thousand barrels per day refinery.

“The investment is part of Shell’s strategy of selective Downstream growth and focus on larger, integrated refining and chemical sites,” said Tom Botts, Shell’s Downstream Executive Vice President for Global Manufacturing.

Much of the production from the new plant will be marketed to German households as domestic heating oil, which must comply with strict new sulphur content requirements: The new plant’s energy consumption and emissions will comply with the highest standards, anticipating more stringent European requirements. For instance, the new desulphuriser’s furnace features a specially designed multi-burner system that will reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions.

At the peak of construction activity, about 1,300 extra people will work on the Shell Pernis site, in addition to the regular Shell workforce of 2,100.
Notes to Editors

Royal Dutch Shell plc
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