ExxonMobil completes heavy lift of new lubes reactor at its Singapore refinery

• The new lubes reactor serves as a crucial piece of equipment for ExxonMobil’s ongoing expansion project at its Singapore Refinery in Jurong
• The expansion will implement quality improvements designed to help customers meet future finished lubricant specifications and achieve short and long-term cost savings
• Project continues to progress towards its scheduled completion in the second quarter of 2019

Enabling advantaged applications, particularly in the automotive sector, these quality improvements will help customers achieve short-term cost savings through blending optimization and long-term savings through reformulation.

“We are committed to meeting our customers’ requirements by offering industry-leading, reliable supplies of our CORE™ Group I and EHC Group II base stocks,” said Vipin Rana, Asia Pacific Basestocks and Specialties Sales Manager. “Our continued investment demonstrates our long-term focus on the business and commitment to meeting the growing demand in the Asia-Pacific region.”

The new lubes reactor, weighing 800 tons, 46 meters long and four meters wide, was one of the largest and heaviest lifts in recent years at the Singapore Refinery. The lift was completed earlier this year using a 1,200-ton gantry crane and 600-ton tailing crane.

“The journey to the reactor’s final location within the refinery was not an easy path,” said Brian Bade, Singapore Lubes Expansion Project Manager.  “In order to complete the numerous 90-degree turns, we had to install a temporary bridge and support critical flare lines utilizing a unique telescopic jack design. The lift to install the reactor was an impressive milestone that was made possible by working closely with our contract partners and various Singapore government agencies.”

Last October, transportation of the reactor began with a 5,500-kilometer journey from Larsen & Toubro’s facility in Hazira, India. ExxonMobil shipped the reactor from Adani Hazira Port to the Jurong-Hong Hang Port, where it arrived after nearly two weeks of land and sea travel.

After its arrival in Singapore, the reactor was sent by road to the refinery. Despite the short distance of just six kilometers, the entire land transport operation took six hours.  The reactor operation was carried out in the middle of the night at just one kilometer an hour to minimize public disruption. This safe and flawless reactor lift operation, was the outcome of over a year of detailed engineering studies, planning, and nearly 10 months of site construction preparatory work by the project team.

The refinery expansion project continues to progress towards its scheduled completion in the second quarter of 2019. When completed, ExxonMobil will strengthen its global supply of EHC Group II base stocks, enhancing the Singapore site’s competitiveness.

To learn more about ExxonMobil base stocks, visit: https://www.exxonmobil.com/en/basestocks

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About ExxonMobil Basestocks

Building on its long tradition of technology leadership with its CORE™ Group I slate ExxonMobil continues to enhance the EHC™ product line to enable excellence for its customers. To this end, ExxonMobil technical experts designed the overall EHC product slate to meet performance requirements of a wide range of engine oil grades and other finished lubricant applications.  The EHC Group II slate also allows customers to take advantage of industry base oil interchange and viscosity grade read-across guidelines to reduce formulation costs for many engine oil formulations.

About ExxonMobil in Singapore

ExxonMobil is one of Singapore’s largest foreign manufacturing investors with over S$20 billion in fixed asset investments. Our Singapore affiliate, ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, (EMAPPL) has manufacturing facilities which include refinery operations in Jurong and a world-scale petrochemical plant on Jurong Island. EMAPPL has a network of service stations under the Esso brand and is a supplier of cylinder cooking gas. EMAPPL also serves the commercial market with its industrial, aviation and marine fuels and lubricants.

As a corporation, ExxonMobil is committed to addressing the challenge of sustainability – balancing economic growth, social development and environmental protection. In line with those strategies, ExxonMobil and EMAPPL contribute to programs in Singapore that support the arts and education, the community and the environment. For more information, visit www.exxonmobil.com.sg or follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/exxonmobil_sg.

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