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Abreu e Lima Refinery (RNEST), situated in Porto de Suape, Pernambuco

The RNEST refinery, officially known as the Abreu e Lima Refinery, is one of Petrobras’ most advanced and strategically important refining units, located in Ipojuca, Pernambuco, within the Suape Port Industrial Complex, about 45 km from Recife. It is Petrobras’ fifth largest refinery and is distinguished by its high level of automation, advanced refining technology, and the highest crude oil conversion rate to diesel among all Brazilian refineries—about 70% of its output is diesel fuel.

Key Features and Capacity

• Processing Capacity: Currently, RNEST can process 130,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) with Train 1 fully operational and modernized. An ongoing expansion project (Train 2), scheduled for completion by 2029, will double its capacity to 260,000 bpd, making it Petrobras’ second-largest refinery.
• Diesel Production: The refinery is designed to produce S-10 diesel, a low-sulfur fuel (10 parts per million sulfur), which meets strict international environmental standards and significantly reduces particulate and nitrogen oxide emissions.
• Other Products: In addition to diesel, RNEST produces naphtha, fuel oil, petroleum coke, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

Technological and Environmental Innovations

• Advanced Units: RNEST includes independent refining units for flexibility and reliability, such as atmospheric distillation, delayed coking, diesel hydrotreating, and naphtha hydrotreating units.
• SNOX Unit: In December 2024, RNEST commissioned a SNOX emissions abatement unit, the first of its kind in the Americas. This unit converts sulfur oxides (SOx) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) into sulfuric acid, which is then sold for water treatment and potable water production, contributing to environmental protection.
• Modernization: The recent revamp of Train 1 increased its capacity and improved its ability to process crude from Brazil’s offshore pre-salt fields, while also boosting the yield of light products and reducing emissions.

Basic refinery technical data

With the two refining trains in operation, the Abreu e Lima Refinery will have these units:

• Two atmospheric distillation units (ADU);
• 2 Delayed coking units (DCU);
• Two diesel hydrotreatment units (DHT-D);
• Two naphtha hydrotreatment units (NHT-D);
• Two hydrogen generation units (HGU);
• Two emissions abatement units (SNOX);

Summary Table