Pertamina: Pertamina Works on Largest RFCC Unit in RDMP Balikpapan to Increase Refinery Margin

PT Refinery Pertamina Internasional (PT KPI) is committed to optimizing the performance of the Refinery Development Master Plan (RDMP) through the construction of the largest Residual Fluid Catalytic Cracking (RFCC) unit in Balikpapan. RFCC is a unit that functions to increase the profitability of Pertamina’s refineries through processing residues into high-value products. The unit expected to operate in 2024, is designed to have a production capacity of 90,000 barrels/day.

President Director of PT Pertamina (Persero), Nicke Widyawati explained that the RFCC Unit has a crucial function, both in increasing refinery profitability and supporting energy security. “The RFCC unit can increase the margin of Pertamina’s refinery in Balikpapan with high-value production, including Gasoline, LPG and Propylene. The resulting Gasoline product will meet EURO V specifications and have an octane rating (RON) of 92,” said Nicke Widyawati.

Nicke Widyawati further revealed that the operation of the RFCC will increase the supply of LPG and Propylene in line with the increase in LPG and Propylene production at the Balikpapan refinery. In addition, another priority of RFCC is to reduce or eliminate the import of HOMC as a gasoline blending component.

The RFCC function has been implemented at Pertamina’s refineries, including PT KPI Refinery Unit IV Cilacap with a capacity of 54,000 barrels/day and Refinery Unit VI Balongan with a capacity of 83,000 barrels/day. “With a capacity of 90,000 barrels/day, the RFCC Unit in Balikpapan managed by PT Kilang Pertamina Balikpapan (PT KPB) will later become the largest RFCC,” said Nicke Widyawati.

Optimistic to Work on the Largest RFCC Unit

The President Director of PT KPI, Djoko Priyono, stated that as of December 30, 2021, the overall percentage of Balikpapan’s RDMP development progress has reached 46.92%.

The stages that have been carried out are multi-disciplinary work, starting from Piling, Foundation, Steel Structure, Mechanical Installation, Piping Installation, and E&I Installation work. “Until December 2021, to support the progress of the RFCC, we have scored several milestones, namely the installation of Propane / Propylene Splitter, Main Piperack PR-052-01/02, RFCC Fired Heater, Extractor, Depropanizer, RFCC Catalyst Hopper, and First Stage Regenerator,” explained Djoko Priyono. Currently, preparations for the installation of the 2nd Stage Regenerator and RFCC Disengager/Stripper are underway.

PT KPI’s efforts to oversee the construction of the RFCC cannot be separated from its mission to complete the Balikpapan RDMP. The Balikpapan RDMP has three objectives, namely increasing the production capacity of the refinery from 260 thousand barrels/day to 360 barrels/day, increasing the complexity of the refinery from 4.4 Nelson Complexity Index (NCI) to 8.8 NCI, and increasing refinery margins at the Balikpapan refinery.

In addition to running the project on track, PT KPI through PT Kilang Pertamina Balikpapan (PT KPB) also continues to apply HSSE principles in the construction of the Balikpapan RDMP. “PT KPI implemented HSSE principles in all lines of operations. In 2021, the Balikpapan RDMP will also receive the Patra Nirbhaya Karya Utama Award,” explained Djoko Priyono. The total safe working hours achieved by the Balikpapan RDMP reached 46.4 million working hours as of July 2018 until now.

“We ask for the support to maintain the conduciveness of refinery operations, including the construction of the RFCC in Balikpapan. PT KPI’s spirit in overseeing the Balikpapan RDMP project is not only profit-oriented but is a form of PT KPI’s integrity in ensuring energy security in Indonesia,” concluded Djoko Priyono.