Petrobras will carry out works at the Duque de Caxias Refinery (Reduc) to adapt the Hydrotreatment Unit (HDT) for diesel and QAV. The interventions will increase the quality of the diesel produced in this unit, promoting a reduction in the sulfur content (from 500 ppm to just 10 ppm), aiming to meet the specifications of the local and international market, in addition to environmental requirements.

With investments in the order of R $ 140 million and completion of the works scheduled for the second half of 2023, Petrobras will expand the production capacity of Diesel S-10 at Reduc from the current 5,000 m³ / day to 9,500 m³ / day.

The adjustments are in line with Petrobras' strategic objective of launching products with higher added value and with less impact on the environment. The use of Diesel S-10 promotes the improvement of the fuel performance in the engines, with positive impacts in the reduction of emissions of particulate material. In addition to the difference in sulfur content, S-10 diesel has a higher level of cetane, an index that measures the quality of ignition, that is, the higher the better.

“We are preparing for the new refining market that will be formed in Brazil in the coming years and this project is of great relevance for us to remain competitive, providing derivatives with high added value, operating in a sustainable manner and in synergy with our world-class assets in deep and ultra-deep waters ”, explains the general manager of Reduc, Alexandre Coelho.

The increase in the production capacity of Diesel S-10 accompanies the evolution of the engines of heavy-duty and utility vehicles powered by diesel, responsible for most of the circulation of goods in the Brazilian territory. Currently, there are two types of road diesel in Brazil: Diesel S-10 and Diesel S-500, the latter being used only by vehicles manufactured until 2011.

In addition to Reduc, in the coming years adjustments are also planned to increase the production capacity of Diesel S-10 at two refineries in the state of São Paulo: at the Paulínea Refinery (Replan) and at the Henrique Lage Refinery (Revap), in São José dos Campos. The expectation is to increase the production of S-10 diesel by up to 16,500 m³ / day with the implementation of these additional projects.

S-10 on the market 

The participation of Petrobras' Diesel S-10 in the market in December 2020 registered 54.9%. In the fourth quarter of 2020, the Replan, Refap, RPBC and Regap refineries achieved monthly production records for Diesel S-10.