YASREF Refinery
YASREF Refinery is the refinery of Yanbu Aramco Sinopec Refining Company Ltd., known by its abbreviation “YASREF.” It is located in Yanbu Industrial City on the western coast of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
YASREF Refining Company was established on January 14, 2012, as a joint venture between Saudi Aramco, which owns a 62.5 percent stake in the refinery, and China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation – Sinopec, which owns a 37.5 percent stake.
The refinery was inaugurated by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and the President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping, on January 20, 2016.
Importance of YASREF Refinery
YASREF represents a significant addition to Saudi Aramco’s high-value joint ventures related to the final stages of production. It also relies on and strengthens the strategic partnership with Sinopec, one of Saudi Aramco’s major partners and crude oil buyers.
Refining capacity of YASREF Refinery
The total refining capacity of YASREF Refinery is four hundred thousand bbl of crude oil per day, with a net refining capacity of 250,000 bbl of crude oil per day. It has the capability to produce more than 13.5 million gallons per day of ultra-clean transportation fuels, along with a range of other high-value refined products.
The refinery covers an area of 5.2 million m² and is equipped with advanced industrial operational components. It integrates the best global technologies in a single processing site that enables its processing units to separate heavy crude oil feedstock and convert it into high-quality finished products. In addition, the refinery complex utilizes the latest utilities and external systems to support operations, along with associated feedstock, intermediate materials, and product storage.
YASREF Refinery products
YASREF Refinery focuses on producing high-quality, clean fuels used in transportation. Its products include ninety thousand bbl per day of gasoline, 263,000 bbl per day of ultra-low sulfur diesel, 6,200 t per day of petroleum coke, and 1,200 t per day of sulfur, in addition to 140,000 t per year of benzene. It processes Arab Heavy crude and converts it into high-quality refined products, which may in the future include paraxylene and products that support downstream industries.
YASREF Refinery facilities
YASREF possesses advanced refining facilities, such as the distillate hydrocracking unit and hydrotreating units. It has the capacity to deliver around one hundred thousand bbl per day of high-octane gasoline through a gasoline complex equipped with a continuous catalytic reforming unit.
Awards received by YASREF Refinery
YASREF won the Platts Global Energy Award for Best Project of the Year in 2015. It competed with seven major global energy companies for the “Best Project of 2015” award and succeeded in winning it.
The refinery also received the Saudi Aramco President’s Award for Excellence in 2020 in the category of Excellence in Joint Venture Companies. Additionally, Yanbu Aramco Sinopec Refining Company Ltd. (YASREF) received the King Abdulaziz Quality Award in its fifth cycle in December 2020.