Saudi Aramco and partners’ CAN-15 recognized with JPI award
On behalf of Saudi Aramco, chief technology officer Ahmad O. Al Khowaiter receives the International Technology Exchange Award from Japan Petroleum Institute officials.
Saudi Aramco and its research and development (R&D) collaboration partner, JGC Catalysts and Chemicals—a leading catalyst developer and manufacturer in Japan— have been awarded the Japan Petroleum Institute (JPI) 2015 International Technology Exchange Award.
Each year, JPI honors the best scientists, projects and institutions in recognition of scientific contributions made in petroleum and relevant fields.
During a visit to Tokyo, Japan to attend the Saudi Aramco and JCCP joint symposium, “Unlocking the potential of fuel to enable energy savings and emissions reductions,” Saudi Aramco chief technology officer Ahmad O. Al Khowaiter received the JPI International Technology Exchange Award on behalf of the company.
The winning technology “Hydrocracking catalyst for heavy oil mixed with deasphalted oil” was developed jointly between Saudi Aramco R&DC (Oil Upgrading R&D Division) and JGC Catalysts and Chemicals Ltd., with the support of Japan Cooperation Center Petroleum (JCCP).
The collaboration began in 2007 to develop a catalyst system for the Riyadh Refinery hydrocracking unit, targeting extended catalyst life while increasing or maintaining distillate yields and quality. The R&D phase of the project was completed in 2010, with four of more than 80 potential catalysts developed and identified for scale-up and commercialization.
The developed catalyst, novel heavy oil hydrocracking catalyst (CAN-15), was deployed at the Riyadh Refinery hydrocracking unit. It has been in operation for two years, and its performance exceeded expectations, yielding additional valuable distillate volumes.
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