Thailand to become major oil processing hub after Thaioil expansion

The Thailoil refinery, located in Laemchabang, near Bangkok, Thailand, will increase production from 275,000 to 400,000 barrels per day (bpd), positioning Thailand as Asia’s leading crude oil processing hub.

The USD4.8 billion plant expansion and upgrading project, which will include the installation of new heavy crude processing units, will be completed in 2023.

The expansion works to upgrade from a light crude processing plant include, among others, a crude distillation unit (CDU), a hydrogen manufacturing unit, and an energy recovery unit (ERU). This latter unit will generate up to 250 megawatts (MW) of electricity and 175 tonnes of steam per hour, which will cover the energy needs of the rest of the plant.

Once operational in 2023, this plant will enable Thailand to become a major crude oil processing hub in Asia, improving the quality of fuels consumed in the country, increasing energy independence from third countries, while reducing the environmental footprint of cargo ships transporting processed crude oil from those countries to Thailand.

Sarens, a world leader in heavy lifting, engineered transport and crane rental, has been involved in the lifting and installation of pre-assembled rack modules ranging from 104 to 392 tons.