KBR, Inc. (Houston; www.kbr.com) has entered into a contract with Wynnewood Refining Co., LLC (Wynnewood) for engineering and design services relating to KBR’s Solid Acid Alkylation Technology (K-SAAT) for Wynnewood’s refinery located in Wynnewood, Oklahoma.
Under the terms of the contract, KBR will provide basic engineering and design (BED) services for its K-SAAT technology and the opportunity to utilize the technology to revamp the existing Hydrofluoric acid (HF) alkylation unit at the Wynnewood Refinery.
K-SAAT is a technology to produce alkylate, which is an ultra-clean gasoline blendstock. Unlike traditional refinery alkylation technologies that utilize strong acids, K-SAAT produces alkylates by combining light olefins and isobutane using a solid catalyst that provides yield and operating cost benefits by avoiding complex acid handling and cooling cost.
“I am delighted to announce that Wynnewood is considering KBR’s innovative and groundbreaking K-SAAT technology to revamp the HF Alky unit at Wynnewood,” said John Derbyshire, President, KBR Technology. “K-SAAT produces an ideal blendstock for increased gasoline octane which is in high demand and does not use corrosive liquid acids. Alkylate octane obtained through the K-SAAT process is higher compared to other liquid and solid acid alkylation processes under a wide range of process conditions. We are honored to support Wynnewood and to showcase the tremendous potential of K-SAAT for grassroots and revamp projects.”
Since the first K-SAAT unit was commissioned, early this year in China, K-SAAT technology has received significant interest from refiners globally. K-SAAT technology reflects KBR’s commitment to provide innovative technologies that give our customers a competitive edge in attractive markets.
The key to the K-SAAT technology is ExSact, a solid acid catalyst engineered to overcome rapid deactivation limitations of solid-acid catalysts and provide superior alkylation performance. K-SAAT offers the capabilities to upgrade olefins ranging from ethylene to amylenes into higher value alkylate.