Cepsa has completed a revamping project to expand production at its Deten Química plant in Brazil. The revamping process allows it to increase the plant’s production capacity up to 260,000 tons. With this project Cepsa reaffirms its international leadership position in the production of linear alkylbenzene (LAB), reaching a global capacity of 600,000 tons a year.
The plant improvement project has involved an investment of €64 million that, besides the work in the process area, includes the acquisition of 65 new pieces of process equipment, the transformation of part of the existing equipment and the construction of a new electrical substation. The work carried out as part of the revamping of the Deten Química plant has also permitted the introduction of various innovations and improvements in product quality as well as the optimization of the production processes. It has also resulted in improvements in the plant’s energy efficiency and emissions due to its lower consumption of natural gas and electricity.
The development of the improvement activities to increase the plant’s capacity involved the use of 140 tons of steel, 850 meters of pipes, 810 m3 of concrete and 116 km of cables, among other items.
The revamp will allow to further meet growing demand from the Latin American market and will also allow to respond to the increase in local demand for LAB in Brazil, which is expected to grow at a 2.3% annual rate through to 2030.
Cepsa is the world leader in the production of linear alkylbenzene (LAB), the essential material in the production of the most widely used surfactants internationally for biodegradable detergents. The company has plants specializing in LAB in Spain, Canada and Brazil, whose total production represents 15% of world supply. The company’s LAB production represents 55% of the supply in Latin American countries.
Cepsa is also a pioneer in technological developments in the production of LAB and its know-how is used by companies around the world. Recently, four of every five new LAB plants have been built with Detal technology colicensed by UOP and Cepsa.
Along with its presence in the country through Deten Química, in which Cepsa has a 72% share and Petrobras 28%, Cepsa also carries out oil exploration and production activities in Brazil.
In addition to its activities in Brazil, Cepsa also has a significant presence in South America with activities in Panama (trading and bunker), Colombia (exploration and production) and Peru (exploration and production).
Cepsa’s Petrochemicals unit has plants in Germany, Brazil, Canada, China, Spain, Indonesia and Nigeria, and markets its products worldwide. The company is a global leader in the manufacture of raw materials such as LAB and cumene, and is the world’s second largest producer of phenol and acetone.
Cepsa’s petrochemical operations are highly integrated with its refining business. This allows it to produce high value-added products that become raw materials for other industries and with multiple end uses: high technology plastics, biodegradable detergents, synthetic fibres and pharmaceutical products, among others.
Cepsa is an energy group wholly owned by the International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC). It employs more than 10,000 professionals and operates at every stage of the hydrocarbon value chain. It is engaged in petroleum and natural gas exploration and production activities, refining, the transportation and sale of oil and natural gas derivatives, biofuels, co-generation and the sale of electricity.
The Company has developed a world-class chemicals division that is tightly integrated with its oil refining segment, where feedstock is manufactured and sold for the production of high-added-value components, chiefly used in making next-generation plastics and biodegradable detergents. It has a significant presence in Spain and, by progressively internationalizing its activities, it is now also active in 15 countries, selling its products throughout the world.
