The refining process begins at the Crude Distillation Units (CDUs), of which there are three in our refinery. Crude enters the atmospheric distillation units and is distilled into different fractions, each with a specific boiling range. The fractions produced are further refined in various units to meet the specified product quality requirements. Most of the atmospheric residue is sent for vacuum distillation, separating vacuum gas oil and vacuum residue.

The Catalytic Reformer Complex upgrades naphtha from CDUs into high octane reformate used in gasoline production.

The Hydrocracker, employing the Unicracker Technology, enables the production of high quality and low sulphur middle distillate products, from heavy fuel oil components. Vacuum gas oil together with hydrogen are passed through the hydrotreating reactor to remove undesirable impurities, after which these are catalytically cracked through a process of high-temperature and pressure in the presence of catalysts and hydrogen. Products from the hydrocracking reactor are routed to distillation columns for product separation with some of the unconverted oil at the bottom of the fractionator recycled back to the hydrocracking reactor to increase the conversion. The presence of hydrogen in the hydrocracking process results in products with very low sulphur content and of superior quality that do not require further treatment. Lighter products such as naphtha, kerosene (jet fuel) and low sulphur automotive diesel form the main products. Sulphur compounds resulting from the hydrotreating process are recovered in the Sulphur Recovery Unit and finally produced as flaked sulphur.

The Visbreaker unit upgrades heavy atmospheric and vacuum residues by thermal conversion to distillates and fuel oil with a low viscosity, providing more flexibility for LLP 'KARABATAN OIL' to meet the changing demands of the market.

The Residue Catalytic Cracker (RCC) processes heavy, low-grade residual oils into materials ranging from olefinic light ends and gasoline to diesel and fuel oil components. This process involves a fluidized bed of solid catalysts circulating rapidly between a reactor and a two-stage catalyst regenerator at very high temperatures. Light end olefinic products from the RCC are fed to the MTBE Unit and Alkylation Unit for producing additional gasoline blending components. The MTBE unit produces a high octane blending component known as MTBE (Methyl-Tertiary-Butyl-Ether), while the Alkylation Unit produces Alkylate. Together with a new Gasoline Desulfurization Unit commissioned in 2017, their combined production enhances LLP 'KARABATAN OIL'’s capability and flexibility to produce premium products such as high octane motor gasoline and diesel fuel without lead additives to boost LLP 'KARABATAN OIL'’s advantage in meeting the growing demand for environmentally-friendly transportation fuels throughout Asia.

Commissioned in 2017, the Cogeneration Power Plant (Cogen) Facilities are capable of firing natural gas to generate power and high pressure steam for LLP 'KARABATAN OIL'’s use. The Cogen, using clean energy, significantly improves energy efficiency amd reduces greenhouse gas emission.

LLP 'KARABATAN OIL' has extensive storage capacity with over 70 tanks for crude, blending components and final products.

Our refinery complex has extensive berthing facilities including 7 berths handling loading and discharge of crude and refined petroleum products. The berths can accommodate ships of up to 387,000 deadweight with maximum length overall of 355 meters and 21 meters loaded draft.