Americas Image Gallery - Hydrocarbons Technology

Abreu e Lima Refinery,
The Abreu e Lima refinery is under construction at Suape Industrial Port Complex in the State of Pernambuco, Brazil.	The refinery will have 12 pipelines to carry the crude oil and transport the finished products.	Once complete, the Abreu e Lima refinery will process heavy oil from Venezuela and Brazil and primarily produce diesel.
AES Sparrows Point LNG Facility, Baltimore, Maryland
AES will run a fleet of LNG vessels.	How the new plant will look when completed.	The site for the new LNG facility will be brownfield.
Alaska Gas Pipeline, USA
The Alaska gas pipeline will dwarf the trans-Alaskan oil pipeline constructed in the 1970s.	The route will take Alaskan North Slope gas to supply the rest of North America.	The route of the Alaska gas pipeline will roughly follow the Dalton Highway route from Prudhoe Bay.
The Alaska gas pipeline construction will be a phenomenal feat of engineering.	The pipeline route will take it from Alaska and finally into the Canadian Province of Alberta.
Alaska North Slope Oil and Gas Project
Map of the planned Alaska North Slope LNG Project.	LNG tankers will take the product away from the Nikiski gas to liquids facility.	The Alaska North Slope project has four sponsors: Phillips Alaska, BP Exploration (Alaska), Foothills Pipelines and the Marubeni Corporation.
The Alaska North Slope LNG project is driven by a conviction that the demand for LNG will drastically outrun the LNG supply by 2010.
Alliance Pipeline System, Canada / USA
Construction of the Alliance pipeline started in 1999 and was completed in 2000.	An interconnecting facility was finished in Bantry, North Dakota in February 2010.	The 3.179km pipeline carries natural gas from Canada to the US.
Altamira LNG Terminal
LNG ships will transport gas from various fields including Nigeria and the Gorgon gas fields to the Altamira terminal.	The Altamira LNG terminal in full production.	One of the LNG storage tanks under construction.
The Altamira LNG terminal will be expanded in due course. There are four other Mexican LNG terminals under construction.	The Altamira LNG terminal will supply CFE with gas for electricity generation for the next 15 years.
Ashland Refinery Expansion, Garyville, Louisiana
The new Ashland Refinery Expansion will provide an additional 7.5 million litres of fuel a day to the domestic US market.	Garyville is a small town and the Ashland refinery is the major employer.	The Ashland refinery expansion will not interrupt any supply form the existing facility.
The expansion will basically consist of a new refinery being built adjacent to the first.	Flowserve have the contract to supply the pumps for the Ashland refinery expansion.
Athabasca Oil Sands Project, Alberta
The Muskeg River Mine, where oil is extracted from the oil sands of Northern Alberta.	Construction of the Muskeg mine.	The mine resource contains more than five billion barrels of mineable bitumen.
In oil sands mining, a mix of oil and sand is removed from just below the surface using trucks and shovels.	Upgraded crude oils are suitable feedstocks for refineries.	The Scotford Upgrader uses hydrogen-addition technology to upgrade the bitumen into premium quality low sulphur and low viscosity synthetic crude oils.
The Scotford Upgrader produces synthetic crude oils.	The synthetic crude oils produced at the Scotford Upgrader are sold to both Shell and Chevron refineries.	The Scotford Upgrader was constructed next to Shell Canada's Scotford Refinery near Fort Saskatchewan.
Baytown Refinery Coker Facility, TX
Map showing the location of Baytown.	The Baytown complex.	Overview schematic of Exxon Research and Engineering's refining technology showing the processing sequence in a refinery.
The products are likely to be sold at Mobil branded service stations.	The refinery is ultimately managed from the ExxonMobil headquarters in Irving.
Big Foot Oil Pipeline,
The pipeline will be located 170 miles south of the Louisiana coast.	Engineering and consulting group Cronus Technology Inc has been selected as consultant for the Big Foot Oil Pipeline.	Located in Walker Ridge Block 29 in the US Gulf of Mexico, Big Foot oil field is one of the largest and deepest in the gulf.
The pipeline will have a transporting capacity of 100,000bpd.
Biodiesel from Algae
A continuous process for the production of biodiesel from algae oil.	Sonication process equipment fitted in-line.	An open tank algae farm that could produce 10,000 gallons of oil per acre.
A Heilscher sonication system.	Part of the ultrasound technology to produce algae oil.
Bradwood LNG
The river will provide a sheltered port for easier and safer gas transfer.	The LNG facility will be 38 miles upriver.	LNG carriers will have to abide by a long list of environmental regulations imposed by FERC.
The project also includes a 36 mile pipeline.	The site for the LNG facility has an industrial heritage as it used to be a mill.	There will be two full containment tanks and a single jetty at Bradwood.
BT Whiting Refinery Modernisation, Indiana
Whiting refinery is undergoing a major expansion project.	The Lake Michigan south shore has many national parks.	The refinery is well placed to process crude from Canada and provide fuel supplies in the mid-west.
The dunes of the Lake Michigan shore are said to be under threat from industrial development.
Burgos Natural Gas Plant
Pemex plans to build a pipeline for LNG transportation.	Burgos natural gas cryogenic plant 1.	Burgos natural gas cryogenic plant 2.
Cadereyta Refinery Reconfiguration
Pemex's (Petroblas Mexicanos) oil refinery expansion in Cadereyta, Mexico, had its official start in April 2002.	The Cadereyta Refinery Reconfiguration Project (CRRP) is improving the structure of the Mexican petroleum industry.	The Cadereyta refinery at night.
14 other plants, including a refinery plant producing 155,000bpd of fuel and a 65,000bpd fluidised catalytic cracking plant, have been revamped, modernised and expanded.
Calhoun LNG Project, Texas
A map showing the position of the new Calhoun LNG facility and the surrounding port infrastructure.	Map of Lavaca bay showing the proposed site for construction of the Calhoun LNG plant.	The site of construction.
How the Calhoun LNG site will look when completed in 2010.	The 27-mile route of the Point Comfort pipeline.
Camisea Gas Project
The gas plant built at Las Malvinas.	Tank Farm in the Camisea Gas Project.	Secondary piping at the Malvinas Plant.
An aerial view of the Malvinas Plant.	The gas processing plant.	Installation work at San Martin.
A view of the well head.
Canaport LNG Plant, St John, New Brunswick
How the new Canaport LNG terminal will look when completed.	The LNG terminal's offloading facilities will be closely monitored.	The New Brunswick area is an environmentally sensitive one.
Construction of Canaport LNG Plant got underway in late 2006.	The construction is about 20% complete. The LNG plant will be finished by 2008.
Chevron Richmond Refinery
The refining process starts with fractional distillation, which separates the components of crude oil.	The Chevron Richmond refinery is situated 25 miles from San Francisco.	The Chevron Richmond refinery produces high-quality transportation fuels mainly for the San Francisco Bay area.
Coal-to-Clean Fuels and Power Project,
Following completion of the Early Entry Co-Production (EECP) research, development and testing program in 2003, a new EECP plant is planned for Gilberton, Schuylkill County, PA.	The liquid fuel production process at the EECP plant.	Pennsylvania is estimated to have over 34 billion t of coal and waste coal in ground reserves, and the US as a whole 1,600 billion t.
The technology is based on the gasification of waste coal residue, followed by a liquefaction process to produce sulphur-free low particle diesel.	WMPI's first plant will be a 5,000b/d facility built on a 75-acre site adjacent to the existing Gilberton Power Plant.	The project feedstock requirements are 12,000,000t/yr (400,000,000t over the 35-year lifetime of the project) of 10,000 BTU run-of-mine coal or coal dust waste.
It is hoped that the Gilberton project will reclaim large areas of Schuylkill County from the acres of anthracite culm piles and silt ponds that cover the area (these will provide the necessary feed-stocks).
Elk Point Refinery
South Dakota is a diverse state, from the badlands to prime agricultural land.	The Missouri river will supply 12 million gallons of water for coolant.	The process scheme of the refinery units.
Fort Hills Oil Sands Project, Calgary, Alberta
The Fort Hills upgrader will be situated in Sturgeon County near to an existing refinery.	The oil sand residue will be piped to the upgrader.	The Fort Hills upgrader will begin construction in mid-2008 at the earliest.
The Fort Hills project has over four billion barrels of reserves.	UTS has purchased extensive lease areas for exploration and exploitation along the Athabasca River.	The upgrader will recycle the naphtha used as solvent to transport the bitumen.
Freeport Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Terminal,
The Freeport LNG terminal is scheduled to begin delivering gas in mid-2007.	Aerial photograph of Freeport where the LNG terminal is being constructed.	Plan of the terminal area showing areas under different lease restriction.
Diagram showing the areas around Freeport and their gas requirements.	A natural gas pipeline will extend from the LNG import terminal to the proposed Stratton Ridge Meter Station for connection to the intrastate gas pipeline system.	The chosen site had to have a 45ft draft channel to open water and a port facility sufficient to service LNG carriers.
Facilities at the port will comprise LNG ship docking and unloading facilities.
Gill Ranch Gas Storage Project
The gas field for the Gill Ranch gas storage project is situated in Madera County in the central San Joaquin Valley, around 25 miles west of the city of Frenso.	The project will start with an initial storage capacity of 20bcf, along with ability to expand its storage capacity later.	The natural gas injection is planned to begin in August 2010 and by October 2010, the natural gas should be available for withdrawal.
Golden Pass LNG Project, Sabine Pass, Texas
Map of where the LNG facility will be situated.	The US domestic gas requirement and the shortfall for which imported LNG will be required.	A gas pipeline such as will be constructed for Golden Pass.
An LNG terminal similar to the one being constructed.	LNG tankers will be calling at the terminal to offload their cargo.
Hamaca-Ameriven Syncrude Project,
Map showing the location of the Orinoco tar belt and the location and extent of the Hamaca field.	The upgrader will accept extra-heavy sour crude oil mobilised with diluent.	Construction of the heavy crude upgrader.
Map of Venezuela showing the major cities.	Graph detailing oil production in Venezuela during 2002 to 2003 and showing the effect of the PdVSA strike in early 2003.	Construction of the heavy crude upgrader at Jose industrial complex in Northern Venezuela.
The Hamaca project concession area in the Orinoco tar belt.
Henrique Lage Refinery
The refinery is located in São José dos Campos in São Paulo state, Brazil, and is the fourth-largest refinery in the country.	Metso will provide process automation systems and solutions and other related services.	The refinery is equipped with Neles Finetrol rotary control valves, Neles smart valve controllers ND 9000 and a VALVGUARD system for ESD valves.
In October 2009 the Revap refinery started refining its first load of oil from the Tupi presalt region.
Horizon Oil Sands Project, Alberta
Construction site being cleared for the Horizon Oil Sands Project.	Canadian Natural Resources' leases lie close to other oil sands concessions.	Full production, due in 2012, will amount to 232,000bpd of synthetic crude oil.
Halfway to Horizon – Horizon Oil Sands Project ahead of schedule.	Horizon Oil Sands Project nearing completion of phase I
Keystone Pipeline
Part of the Keystone Pipeline is already in place and will be converted from gas to crude oil.	Construction on the Keystone Pipeline began in 2008.	The Keystone Pipeline will transport oil sands crude from Canada to the US refineries.
The Keystone Pipeline project has been dogged by environmental protests.	The pipeline will be completed by 2010 and then extensions may be planned.
Kitimat LNG Import Terminal
The Kitimat LNG project will be the first of its kind on the west coast of North America.	The siting of the Kitimat LNG plant was made with careful consultation with the native Haisala people.	The Kitimat facility will be supplied with LNG from Australia, Indonesia and Malaysia.
An aerial view of the Kitimat LNG facility.	How the LNG plant will look when completed. It is intended for there to be three storage tanks eventually.
Lake Charles Refinery, LA
The Lake Charles refinery.	The Lake Charles refinery from above.	The refinery, which has an independently appraised replacement value of approximately $86 million, is situated on 87 acres of land adjacent to a river accessible from the Gulf of Mexico, facilitating transportation via barge.
American Petroleum International has a terminal in Houston and refineries in Houston, Lake Charles and St Marks.	American Petroleum International also has a refinery at St Marks in the Florida panhandle.
Lima Refinery
The refinery processes gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, residual fuels and petrochemical feedstock.	Husky Lima Refinery is a world-scale refinery in Ohio, US.	Established in 1886, the refinery has changed ownership several times without ceasing operations.
Main Pass Energy Hub Project, Louisiana
The whole concept of the MPEH project.	The old sulphur mining platforms.	The LNG platform will stretch for one mile with ample docking facility.
The excellent positioning of the Main Pass project.	The LNG platform will also be connected to a two-mile-diameter salt cavern for gas storage.
Marcus Hook Refinery, Philadelphia
The Marcus Hook Refinery has been owned by Sunoco Inc since the beginning of 2008 and is one of the largest in the region.	Sunoco and the United Steelworkers reached agreement on 13 March 2009 after an ongoing dispute over staff losses and pay cuts.	Sunoco is cutting costs because the market for gasoline in the US has decreased significantly and there is a period of economic uncertainty, even for oil companies.
The Marcus Hook Refinery processes approximately 178,000bpd of crude oil.	Marcus Hook is described as the cornerstone of Philadelphia.
Mejillones LNG Terminal,
The Mejillones LNG terminal will help to secure new gas supplies for Chile.	The first phase is being fast tracked to get the Mejillones terminal into operation by 2010.	The second phase will see a new on-shore storage tank.
In the first phase of the Mejillones LNG terminal an FSU will be used to store gas.	The community of Mejillones will now benefit from a new LNG terminal and also a new super port being constructed.
Na Kika Project,
The Na Kika project is a major offshore development in the Gulf of Mexico. The fields being developed are Kepler, Ariel, Fourier and Herschel, in which Shell and BP each have a 50% share, and East Anstey, in which BP has a 62.5% interest and Shell a 37.5% interest.	The fields will be exploited from an offshore host platform. The Kepler, Ariel, Herschel, Fourier, Coulomb and East Anstey fields will all be connected to the offshore platform (and each other) by a complicated network of subsea installations.	Shell already has an extensive range of offshore hydrocarbon operations in the Gulf of Mexico. The map shows the oil projects operated by Shell, the gas projects operated by Shell and the many offshore hydrocarbons project in which Shell has an interest.
Natural Gas Potential of North Canada and Alaska
Vast fields of natural gas reserves were discovered in the Northern Frontiers of Canada and Alaska in the 1970’s, but until now demand was not sufficient to make investment in infrastructure necessary.	There are two main projects that are being discussed in the Yukon area, the Prudhoe Bay, Alaska gas reserves, and the Mackenzie Delta project.	The largest gas field that has been discovered in the Mackenzie Delta is the Taglu field, with a possible 3tcf, which is a third of proven discovered onshore gas in the region.
In January 2002, a group of oil companies, moved closer to an agreement to develop applications for regulations and a multi-billion dollar pipeline in the Mackenzie Delta region, from Taglu in the north to Alberta in the south.	Oil has been drilled and transported from the area since the mid-1970’s, but the eight million cubic feet of natural gas which is pumped with the oil is re-injected into the earth because there is no market and no infrastructure available to ship it to market.	Enbridge built the first 870km pipeline in NT between 1883-5, between Norman Wells and Fort Simpson at a cost of $330 million. The new pipeline will link this section to Alberta in the south, and the drilling grounds in the north.
North West Upgrading Heavy Oil Upgrader,
The North West Upgrading facility is found in the Province of Alberta.	The various processes and units at the North West Upgrading facility.	The upgrader will be near the North Saskatchewan River.
Extraction of bitumen from oil sands.	Canada has some huge deposits of oil sands, actually having larger reserves than Saudi Arabia.
Northstar Oil Field, AK
Detailed map of the Northstar project in the Beaufort Sea (to the north of Alaska).	The frozen Beaufort Sea had to be levelled for the construction to begin.	Rollagons are essential to the construction process.
An aerial view of work on the pipeline road of the Northstar project.	An explosive array at a gravel mine. The gravel was used for building on Seal Island.	More than 10,000 truck trips were needed just to shift the gravel.
Peru LNG Project
The final route that the Peru LNG project pipeline will take.	Map showing where the various LNG facilities will be situated.	The LNG processing plant.
LNG tankers will be exporting the LNG to foreign markets to produce hard currency for Peru.	Hunt oil has various facilities in Peru and is comfortable with the politics and the terrain.
Petrozuata Pipeline and Upgrader Plant
Petrozuata integrates upstream, downstream, pipeline and marine operations.	The syncrude is taken from Petrozuata's Jose upgrader to the USA using this CALM transfer system.	An Alstom G35 gas turbine used to power the pumps which supply the upgrader.
The Orinoco Belt oil reserves are found deep in the interior.
Pigap II Gas Compression Terminal
PDVSA as an extensive network of gas facilities across Venezuela.	Map showing location of Anzoátegui.	The reserves are in an area of natural beauty, which has environmental sensitivities.
Point a Pierre Refinery
The Trinidad and Tobago refinery.	Map showing the location of Trinidad and Tobago.	Trinidad retains a reputation as a popular holiday destination despite its substantial oil and related industry.
The discovery well for the Guayaguayare Field marked the start of the oil industry in Trinidad.
Point Fortin Refinery / LNG Liquefaction Plant
LNG site showing proposed locations of Trains 2 and 3 and LNG.	The Point Fortin LNG plant.	The Point Fortin LNG plant exploits the large offshore reserves of Trinidad and Tobago.
Map showing location of Trinidad and Tobago.
Port Arthur Refinery Base Oil Plant Modernisation,
The Port Arthur refinery.	Map showing the location of Port Arthur.	Port Arthur is a major port.
A view of the Port Arthur refinery.	An aerial view of the Port Arthur refinery.	Motiva's 15,000 barrels/day lube hydroprocessing facility at Port Arthur completed a successful startup in October 1998.
Presidente Barnardes Refinery Expansion, Cubatao
The Presidente Barnardes refinery is 60km from the city of Sao Paulo.	Ethanol is being introduced into diesel fuel to lower the environmental impact.	The fuel has to be modified to increase its cetane number and give it better burn characteristics.
The industrial town of Cubatao where the Presidente Barnardes refinery is situated used to be one of the most polluted cities on earth.	Petrobras is the Brazilian national oil company and it owns the Presidente Bernardes refinery which produces 12% of the nation's fuel oil.
Quintero Bay LNG Project
The regasification complex at Quintero Bay will be capable of handling 2.5 million tonnes of LNG a year.	The Quintero project has included the installation of a sea terminal to receive LNG from tanker ships and a plant for regasifying and distribution through pipelines in central Chile.	The LNG terminal was constructed on the land of ENAP Refinerías SA in Quintero Bay (El Bato sector).
Chile is not self sufficient in its supply of gas and has always had to rely to a certain extent on its neighbour Argentina for its supplies.	In May 2004, former President Ricardo Lagos asked the national oil and gas company ENAP (Empresa Nacional del Petróleo) to lead an LNG project that would provide the necessary energy independence for the country.
Replan Refinery
Petrobras Paulínia refinery, also called Replan, started operating in 1972.	The refinery produces diesel fuel, gasoline, LPG, naphtha, kerosene, coke, asphalt, solvents and propene.	The refinery processes about 80% of domestic oil, the majority of which comes from the Campos Basin.
Rockies Express Pipeline
The Rockies Express is the largest natural-gas carrying pipeline to be constructed in North America in 20 years.	The REX pipeline will carry gas from production centres in Wyoming to the industrial areas where it is needed.	The pipeline stretches across eight states from Colorado to Ohio.
The original cost was estimated in 2005 as $3bn but this has increased significantly.	The final sections to be laid are for the REX East due to be completed in June 2009.
Salamanca Refinery
Overview of the Pemex Salamanca refinery.	View of the Salamanca refinery.	Pemex also has a refinery in Tula which is being expanded.
Salamanca is in the state of Guanajuato in central Mexico.
Scotford Refinery Upgrade, Alberta
Map showing the location of the Scotford Refinery Upgrader project.	The Scotford Upgrader.	A gas pipeline being constructed to supply fuel to the power station for the Scotford Refinery.
The Scotford Refinery plant.	Aerial view of the Scotford Refinery Upgrader project.	Construction of the Scotford Refinery Upgrader.
Sempra Energy LNG Receiving Terminals, USA/Mexico
The Energia Costa Azul LNG terminal project is scheduled to be completed by 2008 and will have the capacity to process 1 billion ft³ of natural gas per day.	The Cameron LNG terminal is expected to commence operations in 2008 and be capable of processing 1.5 billion ft³ per day of natural gas.	Construction on the Port Arthur LNG project is expected to begin in 2006 with operations commencing in 2009.
Shell Ultra-Low Sulphur Diesel Project
The process for the desulphurisation of diesel and naphtha.	Both the Scotford and Montreal refineries were upgraded with hydrotreaters.	Sulphur is recovered and exported as a commodity.
Molybdenum disulphide is one of the catalysts used in hydrotreaters to remove sulphur from diesel and naphtha.	Shell has achieved the desired levels of sulphur in its ULSD to satisfy the fuel regulations.
South Riding Point Terminal
The terminal is situated offshore the Bahamas.	South Riding Point's revenue sources include ug operations.	The onshore facility comprises ten large crude oil storage tanks with a capacity for 6.75 million barrels.
Suncor Project Voyageur, Fort McMurray, Alberta
Map showing the locations of the bitumen reserves for Suncor.	Map to show the oil sands deposits in Canada.	Oil sands extraction by in situ method.
Oil sands extraction by more usual open cast mining.	A diagrammatic representation of the new upgrader set up for Voyageur.
Syncrude 21
Diluent recovery units (DRU 7-3) viewed from coker (8-3).	Aerial view of construction site (units 18-2 to 9-4).	Coker under construction.
Coker 8-3 vessel.	Hydrogen unit under construction.	View of pipe racks from 8-3 elevator.
West view of the new pipe rack.	Upgrader expansion (UE-1) and underground piping [right].	Pipe rack module lift [left] deaerator module lift [right].
The mining process.	The synthetic crude produced at the Syncrude facility.	The new UE-1 plant and DRU.
Equipment for mining the oil sand.	Formation of the slurry during the extraction process.
Torrance Refinery, California
The refinery covers 750 acres in Torrance in southwest California on the Pacific coast.	Exxon's Torrance refinery is connected via a pipeline to Los Angeles International Airport.	In 2005, Exxon was the third largest oil and gas company in the world, with revenues of over $270bn.
Trans-Ecuadorian Oil Pipeline System (SOTE)
As a state monopoly Petroecuador owns all the refining capacity in Ecuador.	Petroecuador engineers working on a pipeline.	Map showing location of Ecuador.
Urucu-Coari-Manaus Pipeline
The initial capacity of the Urucu-Coari-Manaus pipeline is 4.1 million cubic metres a day.	The work on the Coari-Manaus pipeline started in June 2006 and was completed in October 2009.	The planned installation of two compressor stations between Urucu and Coari will increase the capacity of the pipeline to 5.5 million cubic metres a day by September 2010.
Valero Bill Greehey Refinery
Valero Bill Greehey Refinery is owned and operated by Valero Energy Corporation.	The refinery's throughput capacity is about 340,000bpd.	Valero Bill Greehey Refinery's west plant produces clean fuels and products.
Weavers Cove
The project will be constructed at Weavers Cove on the Fall River.	Weavers Cove will be an important LNG facility to supply the east coast of the US.	The single storage tank will be of a double-skin containment type.
Standard LNG tankers will be able to dock at the terminal to unload. However there have been objections from the US Coastguard about the unsuitability of the waterway for this purpose.
Westlake Hydrocracker Facility, LA
Conaco's refining technology produces high-quality base oils that in turn allow the production of improved motor oils, transmission fluids and other industrial lubricants.	A view of the Westlake refinery.	The new vacuum tower in place at the West Lake refinery.
The new vacuum tower being assembled by the giant crane of the Deep South Crane & Rigging Company.	Conoco's Westlake refinery from the air.