Repsol Picks Proven GE Technology for Refinery Expansion
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Spanish Oil Company Has Purchased 14 Frame 6B Gas Turbines Over the Years
COLOGNE, GERMANY-May 28, 2009-Repsol YPF, S.A., Spain's largest oil company, has turned to GE Energy's Frame 6B gas turbine technology to help meet its growing energy needs while also reducing emissions.
GE will supply one Frame 6B gas turbine for a new, 42-megawatt cogeneration plant that is part of the expansion of Repsol's oil refinery located 13 kilometers east of the city of Cartagena, Spain. This will be the 14th Frame 6B that GE has provided to Repsol and its affiliates. The unit will be maintained under an existing service agreement between the two companies.
The Cartagena refinery was the first one on the Iberian Peninsula. Since 2000, it has been connected by oil pipeline to the Puertollano refinery, with a total processing capacity of 5.5 million tons of crude oil per year. When completed, the expansion will considerably increase that capacity and the Frame 6B-powered cogeneration plant is expected to help meet Repsol's increased electricity and steam needs. Plans are for surplus electricity to be sold to the local grid.
The new Frame 6B will be the first one purchased by Repsol to feature GE's dry low NOx combustion technology, which limits gas turbine nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions to 15 parts per million. The GE Frame 6B is one of the most versatile and widely used gas turbines ever manufactured. More than 1,100 of these units are in service or on order worldwide and have accumulated more than 60 million operating hours. Close to 30% of all 6Bs in operation are being used for cogeneration, located in countries on six continents.
"Secure and reliable electricity and steam supply is critical for the efficient performance of refineries, and is considered a key capability for the evaluation of a project ," said Fernando Ortega, GE Energy's sales leader, power generation for Spain and Portugal. "Repsol has again shown confidence in our Frame 6B gas turbine, selecting this well-proven technology for an important project that will help contribute to the region's economic growth."
The new power plant offers an example of the significant growth that cogeneration is experiencing in Spain. The Spanish government supports cogeneration as part of its initiative to foster energy savings, reduce grid losses and reduce greenhouse emissions.
Cogeneration is the simultaneous production of electricity and useful heat from the same fuel or energy. Facilities with cogeneration systems use them to produce their own electricity and use the unused excess (waste) heat for process steam, hot water heating, space heating and other thermal needs. They may also use excess process heat to produce steam for electricity production.
The Repsol project is expected to begin commercial service in 2011.
About GE Energy
GE Energy (www.ge.com/energy) is one of the world's leading suppliers of power generation and energy delivery technologies, with 2008 revenue of $29.3 billion. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, GE Energy works in all areas of the energy industry including coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear energy; renewable resources such as water, wind, solar and biogas; and other alternative fuels. Numerous GE Energy products are certified under ecomagination, GE's corporate-wide initiative to aggressively bring to market new technologies that will help customers meet pressing environmental challenges.
About GE
GE is a diversified global infrastructure, finance and media company that is built to meet essential world needs. From energy, water, transportation and health to access to money and information, GE serves customers in more than 100 countries and employs more than 300,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.ge.com. GE is Imagination at Work.
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Masto Public Relations
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