Shell, Schneider Electric and Axens have completed the installation of an industrial-scale electric tubular heater at Shell’s R3 base oil project in Germany, marking a step forward in the electrification and decarbonisation of energy-intensive refinery processes.

The installation at the Shell Energy and Chemicals Park Rheinland is the first of its kind at industrial scale in Europe, according to the companies.

It is part of Shell’s wider effort to repurpose the Rheinland site and reduce its carbon footprint.

The electric heater is designed to replace conventional fired heating with an alternative capable of operating without direct carbon dioxide (CO₂) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions.

The project demonstrates how electrification, process technology and site integration can be combined to reduce emissions from refinery heating.

Axens provided its Heurtey Petro Solutions Electric Tubular Radiant Heater technology, designed to meet the process requirements of base oil distillation.

Schneider Electric supplied a modular, prefabricated power system incorporating electrical distribution switchgear, transformers and a power control system linked to Axens’ process control system.

The system has been integrated into Shell’s existing infrastructure to support safe, reliable and optimised operations.

Its integrated power and process approach enables rapid power modulation and precise heating control while meeting Shell’s power quality and design requirements.

The companies said the project highlights the importance of collaboration between industrial operators, process technology providers and electrification specialists in scaling lower-carbon solutions.

The installation forms part of Shell’s broader strategy to transform the Rheinland site and reduce emissions from its operations.

It also provides an industrial-scale example of how electrified heating could support the decarbonisation of energy-intensive processes where conventional fired heaters remain widely used. -OGN/TradeArabia News Service