KBR, Inc. entered into a contract with Wynnewood Refining Co., LLC for engineering and design services relating to KBR’s Solid Acid Alkylation Technology 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.