Refinery configuration

Complexity: 7.6

Yeosu is a medium complexity plant, with resid hydrocracking and FCC as well as VGO hydrocracking and FCC.  It also has asphalt and base oil capacity.  However overall conversion is still small relative to its very high distillation capacity.

Major process units:

• Atmospheric distillation - 785 kbpd - 4 units

• Vacuum distillation - 150 kbpd    

• RCC - No 1 HOU project  

• Resid hydrocracker - No 4 HOU project

• Hydrocracker - No 2 HOU project, Chevron Lummus (added in 2007)    

• FCC - No 3 HOU project   

• Alkylation - 12 kbpd    

• Reformer - Two units: a small Semiregen unit and a large Continuous (CCR) unit - combined 30 kbpd

• Naphtha hydrotreater  

• FCC gasoline hydrotreater   

• Kerosene hydrotreater   

• Distillate hydrotreater   

• Resid hydrotreater   

• Aromatics extraction   

• Oxygenates plant   

• Base oil plant  - Added in 2007. 26 kbpd capacity producing 9 kbpd lubricants and 8 kMTA greases 

• Asphalt plant 

• Paraxylene

• Polypropylene  

Refinery history

1969 - Refinery commissioned by Honam Oil Refinery Partnership (with No 1 CDU at 60 kbpd)

1970 - Expanded No 1 CDU to 100 kbpd

1972 - No 2 CDU added at 60 kbpd

1978 - No2 CDU expanded to 130 kbpd

1981 - No 3 CDU added at 150 kbpd

1986 - Refinery assumed independent management

1988 - Polypropylene plant added (120 kMTA)

1989 - Expanded polypropylene plant to 180 kMTA

1990 - Aromatics plant added: paraxylene (200 kMTA) and No 1 BTX (500 kMTA)

1991 - Expanded No 1 BTX to 600 kMTA, added No 1 HDS (50 kbpd)

1995 - No 2 paraxylene plant added (350 kMTA)

1995 - RFCC unit added (No 1 HOU at 70 kbpd)

1996 - Company renamed LG-Caltex

1996 - Added No 4 CDU unit (270 kbpd) and No 2 HDS (70 kbpd)

1997 - Expanded CCR to 30 kbpd

1998 - Added No 3 HDS (70 kbpd)

2000 - No 2 BTX plant added (400 kMTA)

2003 - No 3 paraxylene plant added (550 kMTA)

2005 - Expanded RFCC (No 1 HOU) to 90 kbpd

2005 - Added alkylation unit (10 kbpd)

2007 - No 4 CDU expanded to 300 kbpd

2007 - No 1 BTX expanded to 1.2 MMTA

2007 - No 2 HOU project added VDU of 150 kbpd and hydrocracker of 55 kbpd

2007 - Added base oil plant of 16 kbpd

2008 - Expanded RFCC to 93 kbpd and hydrocracker to 60 kbpd

2008 - Expanded No 2 CDU to 150 kbpd

2008 - Added No 4 HDS at 70 kbpd

2009 - Expanded No 4 CDU to 330 bpd and RFCC (to 94 kbpd) and hydrocracker to 61

2011 - Expanded No 3 CDU to 180 kbpd

2011 - Expanded base oil plant to 26 kbpd

2011 - No 3 HOU project added a resid hydrocracker

2011 - Addition of third hydrocracker (Vac resid)

2012 - First paraxylene plant expanded to 450 kMTA

2013 - No 4 HOU project added a VGO FCC at 53 kbpd 

2014 - Resid hydrocracker expanded to 66 kbpd, No CDU expanded to 120 kbpd