As a major licensor for clean fuel production, Axens has been selected for the modernization project of the Heydar Aliyev Oil Refinery that will enable the refinery, located at Baku, to increase its annual processing capacity, from 6.0 to 7.5 Mtpa (million tons per annum), and produce high-quality Euro 5 fuels. This project is today one of the most important projects of SOCAR at a downstream stage.

As part of the project, Axens is providing the following technologies:

- Prime-G+™, gasoline desulfurization unit for a design capacity of 1.2 Mtpa
- Prime-D™, diesel hydrotreater unit for a design capacity of 3.0 Mtpa

Axens is recognized by SOCAR as a key technology provider for clean fuel technologies since Axens was involved in the STAR refinery project in Turkey, supplying the naphtha, kerosene and diesel hydrotreating processes.

About SOCAR

The State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR), is involved in exploring oil and gas fields, producing, processing, and transporting oil, gas, and gas condensate, marketing petroleum and petrochemical products in domestic and international markets, and supplying natural gas to industry and the public in Azerbaijan. Three production divisions, one oil refinery and one gas processing plant, a deep water platform fabrication yard, two trusts, one institution, and 23 subdivisions are operating as corporate entities under SOCAR.

Joint ventures (including ventures in Georgia and Turkey), consortia, and operating companies established with SOCAR's participation, are doing business in different parts of the petroleum industry. SOCAR has representative offices in Georgia, Turkey, Romania, Austria, Switzerland, Kazakhstan, Great Britain, Iran, Germany and Ukraine and trading companies in Switzerland, Singapore, Vietnam, Nigeria, and other countries.

About Axens

Axens, an IFP Group affiliate, is an international provider of advanced technologies, catalysts, adsorbents and services, with a global reputation for basic engineering design excellence. The main scope of Axens' business is focused on the conversion of oil, coal, natural gas and biomass to clean fuels as well as production and purification of major petrochemical intermediates. Axens’ global offer is based on: highly trained human resources, modern production facilities and extensive commercial feedback from plants using our processes and catalysts all around the world.