KBR, BP to advance hydrogen addition process

21 January 2010

Houston, Texas – KBR has signed a collaboration agreement with BP to promote, market, and execute licensing and engineering services for the slurry bed residue and coal upgrading Veba Combi Cracker (VCC) Technology. VCC Technology is a hydrogen addition technology suitable for processing residuum into high-quality distillates or synthetic crude oil in the refining, upstream field upgrading and coal-to-liquids (CTL).

Engineering company KBR said its technology portfolio will now include a full complement of solvent deasphalting, resid hydrocracking, delayed coking, resid solidification and gasification. The technology will be available for licensing globally. The technology will be available for licensing globally.

“We are now the only technology provider to offer all five options for hydrocarbon upgrading to clients worldwide,” said William Utt, KBR chairman, president and CEO. “KBR anticipates the trend in refining and fuels production shifting to hydrogen addition, especially in the face of changing environmental regulations and the demand for carbon emissions reductions.

The addition of VCC to our portfolio puts KBR in a position to meet client needs as these changes begin affecting the global hydrocarbons market. We are proud to partner with BP to market VCC technology to clients worldwide.”

“The option to convert unconventional feedstocks such as heavy oil and coal will be key in meeting transport fuel demand for the next 25 years,” said Iain Conn, CEO BP Refining & Marketing. “VCC is a highly competitive process for maximising transport fuel yield from heavy oil and coal. We are very pleased to be collaborating with KBR on the use of VCC to maximize liquid fuel yields whilst minimising environmental impacts of heavy and unconventional feedstocks.”