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Barrancabermeja, June 20, 2025 – Ecopetrol, Colombia’s majority state-owned oil company, has awarded a detailed engineering contract to UK-based Wood plc. The project covers the Línea Base de Calidad de Combustibles (LBCC) upgrade at Barrancabermeja—Colombia’s oldest and largest refinery, processing about 250,000 barrels per day and supplying over 40% of the nation’s fuel demand .
Wood’s engineering team—over 250 specialists—will redesign key units to produce ultra-low-sulfur gasoline (≤10 ppm), alongside enabling output of low-carbon hydrogen and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The engineering phase follows a US $1.2 billion board approval in March 2025. First production of cleaner gasoline is anticipated by 2030.
According to Ecopetrol, the upgrade is projected to reduce CO₂ emissions by approximately 4.5 million tonnes per year—equivalent to planting 207 million trees—and lower NOₓ, SOₓ, and CO emissions by around 90,000 tonnes annually (a 2.7% national reduction) . These reductions support Colombia’s target of net-zero emissions by 2050 and comply with the 2023 Resolution 40444, setting stricter fuel standards.
Barrancabermeja has operated since 1922 and remains central to Colombia’s domestic fuel supply. The LBCC program represents a significant policy shift aimed at lowering national vehicle emissions, improving public health, and aligning with global energy transition trends. This project follows previous upgrades, including a 2021 revamp valued at $780 million.
Clad plates—a composite construction of corrosion-resistant metals like stainless steel or nickel alloys bonded to carbon-steel substrates—play a vital role in refinery modernization:
Corrosion resistance: Essential when processing sulfur-rich streams and high-pressure fluids, clad liners extend the lifespan of vessels and pipes.
Cost efficiency: Offering similar performance to full alloy materials at 30–50% lower cost, clad plates are ideal for large-scale modules like hydrotreaters and reactors.
Ease of retrofit: They can be bonded inside existing structures, reducing downtime and avoiding full component replacement.
In the LBCC upgrade, clad plates are likely to be used in hydrotreater reactors, heat exchangers, pressure vessels, and SAF production units, ensuring resistance to corrosive environments created by hydrogen and high-temperature processes.
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