Investments prepare the refinery to act more competitively in an open refining market and in transition to a low-carbon economy

The Duque de Caxias Refinery - Reduc completes 60 years of operation today. The third largest refinery in the country, with the capacity to process 252,000 barrels of oil per day, and Petrobras' most complex, Reduc has 43 process units spread over an area of 13 km², which produce more than 50 different types of derivatives. With privileged logistics, interconnected to the pre-salt flow routes and various terminals, and located close to important consumer markets, it is responsible for around 80% of the national production of lubricants, in addition to being one of the main production and production centers. distribution of LPG in Brazil.

The refinery has approximately 1,200 own employees and 1,800 employees of companies contracted to perform routine services, in addition to temporary job openings in modernization works and maintenance shutdowns. In 2021 alone, more than 4,000 jobs were created, most of them occupied by local labor, bringing jobs and income to families in the region.

Reduc is one of the five refineries that will remain in Petrobras' portfolio after the planned divestments in the refining park. Currently, the company is carrying out a series of investments in the unit with the objective of preparing it to operate in an open, more competitive refining market in transition to a low-carbon economy.

In the RefTOP – World Class Refining Program, Petrobras is adopting a series of measures to increase the energy efficiency and operational performance of its refineries. At Reduc, the implementation of several initiatives to improve energy performance by 2025 will allow a reduction in total energy consumption by around 28%, which is equivalent to a reduction of around 238 million m3 of natural gas per year.

Another important driver of RefTOP is the increase in the production of more profitable derivatives, such as Propene, one of the most value-added petroleum products, used as a raw material in the petrochemical industry for the production of packaging, car parts, carpets, fabrics and furniture. The Program foresees an annual increase of 7 thousand tons in Reduc's Propene production.

Works to adapt the hydrotreatment unit (HDT), which will expand Reduc's S-10 diesel production capacity from the current 5,000 m³/day to 9,500 m³/day, are underway, with 20% physical progress and forecast for start-up by the second half of 2023.

On another front, it is worth mentioning the integration project with Polo GasLub Itaboraí, which will allow the production of more advanced lubricants and derivatives with lower sulfur content, and the potential to make Reduc the refinery with the best conversion rate in the country, or that is, greater capacity to transform the heavier and less valuable parts of the oil, originating from the distillation process, into smaller molecules, increasing the economic use of oil.

Investments in Safety, Environment and Health (SMS) allow all these gears to work in a safe way for people and for the environment. Reduc is currently a reference in safety, with performance in indicators that are benchmarking in the industry. One of the most used indicators in the oil industry to measure the safety of a unit is the rate of recordable injuries per million man-hours (TAR). The world average for the sector is at 1.01. At Petrobras, the alert limit for TAR is below 0.7 and, at Reduc, the index is even lower: it was below 0.2 in the last two years and is zero in 2021.

“At 60 years of age, Reduc is at its best, seeking maximum efficiency in its processes, while preserving the environment. We are becoming more and more competitive to help Petrobras achieve its strategic objectives”, celebrates the general manager of the refinery, Alexandre Coelho.

Story 

Reduc started operating on September 9, 1961, with only six process units and a powerhouse. Located in Duque de Caxias (RJ), in the Baixada Fluminense, fuel production was primarily aimed at the State of Rio de Janeiro and its region of influence. Three years later, Reduc was already processing 120 thousand barrels of oil per day.

In 1972, Reduc enters the lubricant era with the construction of the first Lubricant Set. The following year, it began producing 4,600 barrels/day of five types of paraffinic lubricating oils. The second set was inaugurated in January 1979. Also at this time, gas from the Campos Basin begins to arrive at Reduc and new gas processing units, responsible for the treatment and separation of Liquid Natural Gas (LGN) into products, enter into operation. such as cooking gas (LPG) and natural gasoline (C5+).

In the following decades, Reduc turned to the production of derivatives with higher quality and less environmental impact, following the evolution of environmental laws and of automotive engines, which became more elaborate and less polluting. New units that promote the reduction of sulfur content, such as those for hydrotreatment (1989 and 2004), come into operation. Other batches, such as Coke in 2008, increase the conversion of lower value petroleum fractions into nobler derivatives and higher added value.

Today, the refinery works linked to a vast network of industries, ensuring that it meets the growing market demands for fuels, lubricants, gas and petrochemical inputs.