STAR refinery temporarily suspends diesel production

The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) has recently halted the operation of the unit used for diesel production at its STAR oil refinery in Türkiye, Report informs.

The refinery, which has a daily processing capacity of 214,000 barrels of crude oil, faced the suspension earlier this month.

According to a source familiar with the matter, who spoke to Reuters, the hydrocracking separation unit was shut down due to a malfunction in the hydrogen unit. The affected section is expected to resume operations in the coming days.

Hydrocracking units utilize hydrogen and catalysts to convert high-sulfur vacuum gas oil (VGO) into more valuable distilled fuels such as diesel and jet fuel. This process is crucial for producing cleaner and higher-quality petroleum products.

The STAR refinery, which opened on October 19, 2018, after its foundation was laid on October 5, 2011, has been operating at full capacity since September 2019. With an annual crude oil processing capacity of 12 million tons, the facility can refine various types of oil, including Urals, Azeri Light, and Kirkuk. The main products of the refinery include diesel fuel (4.8 million tons), jet fuel, naphtha (1.6 million tons), liquefied petroleum gas, mixed xylene, and petroleum coke.

Notably, STAR is the first refinery in Türkiye to receive the Strategic Investment Incentive Certificate, highlighting its importance to the country's energy sector.