All Axens’ units of the Egyptian Refining Company (ERC) refinery project are now successfully operating and reaching full production and performances.

The refinery produces Euro 5 refined products, including diesel and jet fuel, for Egyptian local market by processing annually 4.7 million tons of mainly atmospheric residue from the Cairo Oil Refinery Company.

Axens was involved in providing licensing, Process Design Package (PDP), catalysts, proprietary equipment and services for:
• The naphtha Block: a naphtha hydrotreating unit (NHT), a CCR-reforming unit Octanizing™,
• The distillate Block: a diesel hydrotreating unit Prime-D™,
• A single stage Hydrocracking unit HyK™ with recycle meeting high conversion.

Today, all the units are performing well with the full satisfaction of ERC after a successful commissioning and start-up supported by Axens’ technical services teams. Moreover, units’ performances are optimized thanks to Axens’ Connect’In® digital services.

“ERC is very proud of the fruitful cooperation with Axens in this megaproject to start the production of this state-of-the-art refinery. We, as ERC, are keen to build on this cooperation with Axens by using latest catalysts and to continue with the digital technology Connect’In® that allows close monitoring of the units and opens a direct channel between ERC and Axens’ technical teams,” said Dr. Mohamed Saad, ERC Managing Director.

“Axens is very proud of the trust expressed by ERC following the provision of Axens’ support to operate our technologies in the most efficient way. They demonstrated their confidence in Axens by securing the implementation of Connect’In® digital services which proactively enables the monitoring of Axens units performances,” stated Patrick Sarrazin, Axens’ Process Licensing Global Business Unit Executive Vice-President.

About Axens

Axens is a group providing a complete range of solutions for the conversion of oil and biomass to cleaner fuels, the production and purification of major petrochemical intermediates as well as all of natural gas' treatment and conversion options. The offer includes technologies, equipment, furnaces, modular units, catalysts, adsorbents and related services. Axens is ideally positioned to cover the entire value chain, from feasibility study to unit start-up and follow-up throughout the entire unit cycle life. This unique position ensures the highest level of performance with a reduced environmental footprint. Axens global offer is based on highly trained human resources, modern production facilities and an extended global network for industrial, technical supports & commercial services. Axens is an IFP Group company.

About ERC

ERC is a state-of-the-art petroleum refinery and Egypt’s largest PPP infrastructure megaproject. ERC is converting lowest value fuel oil into middle and light distillates that are meeting domestic consumption needs and eliminating 186,000 tons of sulfur dioxide and 96,000 tons of sulfur annually. ERC has the capacity to produce 4.7 million tons of refined products & high-quality oil derivatives per year, including 2.3 million tons of Euro V diesel (30-40% of Egypt’s current imports) and 600,000 tons of jet fuel. Liquid stock products are being sold to EGPC at international prices under a 25-year off-take agreement.