GEs Fuel Flex Technology Helps CEPSA Enable Spains Oil Refinery to Meet Strict European Emissions Standards

To meet environmental emissions restrictions without reducing efficiency or increasing operational costs, Compaia Espaola de Petrleos (CEPSA), one of Spains leading petrochemical companies, has adopted new GE (NYSE: GE) gas turbine technology at its Gibraltar-San Roque refinery.
Developed by GEs Power Generation Services business, the fuel-flexible High Hydrogen Fuel DLN1 technology increased the gas turbines efficiency by enabling it to use recycled refinery fuel gas (RFG) without needing additional water to generate power.

GE Power Generation Services solution helped us to increase plant efficiency and reduce our environmental footprint, supporting our goals to produce cleaner energy and meet the regions increasingly stringent emissions requirements, said Antonio Berlanga, CEPSAs operation manager. We appreciate GEs commitment to investing in flexible and efficient technologies that enable us to reduce our emissions footprint.
Refinery gases are used as fuel for CEPSAs internal processes with excess gas flared. GEs turbine configuration recaptures and reduces waste gas that otherwise must be flared or burned off. The gas, known as RFG, is a typical byproduct of the refining process and contains hydrogen and hydrocarbons, which contribute to greenhouse gases.

Using GEs technology, refineries around the world can reduce both water consumption and emissions, helping them comply with tightening environmental regulations while also reducing operating expenses.

GE is pleased to showcase the operational benefits, which is the first use of this technology for B/E Class turbines to run on refinery fuel gas in the petrochemical industry, said Ramon Paramio, Europe general manager for GE Power Generation ServicesGE Power & Water. This project illustrates our commitment to working with our customers to develop innovative fuel flexible technology solutions that help refinery operators around the world meet their operational, environmental and financial requirements.

This is the first time a refinery has adopted a process that uses RFG to power turbines for generating electricity without using water and reflects the fuel flexibility of GEs 6B DLN1 heavy-duty gas turbine design that blends startup fuel (natural gas) with RFG fuel. The flexible fuel configuration caps GEs three-year research and development effort.

GE completed the conversion process more than a year ago and since then, the unit has increased the power plants efficiency and lowered the release of gaseous emissions. The use of waste (RFG) gas has decreased the need to purchase natural gas resulting in a 7 percent heat rate improvement. CEPSA also has realized a 90 percent reduction in NOx emission with GEs DLN1 combustion system.

Since the upgrade, the new combustion system hardwares condition has exceeded CEPSAs expectations as the unit has accumulated 10,000 hours of operation on RFG. In addition, the new configuration of the combustion system has 24,000 hours inspection intervals, which is three time longer than the previous combustion system. This extension will reduce the plants operating costs.

CEPSA operates three refineries that account for more than one-third of Spains total refining capacity.