Industry, Logistics & Shipping

KBR, MHPS to enable use of pitch

US-based KBR and Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems (MHPS) have agreed to work together to enable use of the pitch generated from KBR's market-leading solvent de-asphalting (SDA) technology, Rose, for steam and power generation.

Pitch is the residue stream left over from the Rose SDA process once the high-value material has been extracted. The solution will be offered by KBR as AiGSSM (Asphaltene integrated Generation System), said a statement.

KBR's proprietary Rose technology is the leading "bottom-of-the-barrel" solution to recover valuable products from crude oil. By working with MHPS, KBR will further extend the value delivered from Rose technology by converting the SDA pitch into clean power. MHPS' technology has three reference units in operation.

Doug Kelly, KBR president - technology solutions, said: “We are excited to offer this combined solution to our clients to include electricity generation through SDA pitch-fired boilers.”

“Our combined solution with MHPS will enhance the economic efficiency of plants and provide a new, environmentally friendly option for power generation,” he added.

With a global market share of more than 90 per cent, KBR's Rose technology is a highly reliable process that uses up to 60 per cent less energy and consistently delivers tremendous return on investment.

Rose is a key technology option to address the IMO2020 bunker fuel transition and has been continuously improved to meet current industry demands.

MHPS, headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, is a joint venture of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Hitachi integrating their operations in thermal power generation systems and environmental technology to handle the entire production process from development, design, manufacturing, construction and commissioning to after-sales service for thermal power plants.

MHPS today ranks amongst the world's leading suppliers of equipment and services to the power generation market, it stated. – TradeArabia News Service