Remote oil fields
Recover middle distillate near production where imported fuel is costly or logistically unreliable.
24–160m³/d feed rate
Continuousprocess operation
A / Batmospheric / vacuum
Project-specificscope and fabrication schedule
Process objective
A process configuration engineered for the feed and required product
The term mini refinery covers facilities with very different objectives. MUPSD is engineered for one practical task: recover middle distillate from crude near the production site and route the remaining fractions to agreed process streams.
Producing a specified diesel grade requires more than distillation alone. A representative sample is characterized before process selection to establish the material balance, properties achievable by fractionation and any additional treatment required.
Applications
Where mobile crude processing creates practical value
Project economics depend on available feed, imported-fuel cost, site demand and routing of return streams.
Early production
Start processing before permanent infrastructure is built, with the option to relocate the facility later.
Field utilities
Create a local distillate stream for equipment and power generation once the required product properties are confirmed.
Contingency processing
Deploy a temporary process route during maintenance, reconstruction or constraints in external fuel supply.
Model range
MUPSD mobile unit range
Capacity is stated on inlet feed. Final arrangement and target-cut yield are established by engineering.
- Modules
- 1 × 40 ft
- Length
- 10 m
- Weight
- up to 20 t
- Modules
- 1 × 40 ft
- Length
- 12 m
- Weight
- up to 28 t
- Modules
- 2 × 40 ft
- Length
- two 12 m modules
- Weight
- up to 25 t each
- Modules
- 3 × 40 ft
- Length
- three 12 m modules
- Weight
- up to 30 t each
Product quality
What fractionation controls and what depends on the crude
This distinction is verified before process guarantees are issued.
Properties influenced by operating conditions
- boiling range and product cut points
- density and kinematic viscosity
- cetane number within the feed potential
- flash point
- cold filter plugging point
- ash and carbon residue
What cannot be guaranteed without testing
- total and mercaptan sulfur
- acidity and alkalinity
- iodine value
- mechanical contamination
- copper-strip corrosion
- compliance with a specific emissions grade
Project sequence
From crude assay to stable operation
Sample and design basis
Representative crude sample, flow range, operating cases, climate, utilities and required product properties.
Feed characterization
Atmospheric assay to 300 °C and, where required, vacuum assay of the residue with target-cut analysis.
Process and material balance
Definition of cut points, distillate yield, heat duties, equipment scope and return streams.
Engineering and fabrication
Detailed engineering, fabrication, factory assembly and shipment-readiness inspection.
Start-up and operating confirmation
Installation supervision, commissioning, operating-point adjustment and verification of the actual product.
Buyer questions
Mobile mini refineries and diesel-range recovery
What does the term mini refinery mean on this page?
The term is used here for MUPSD: a mobile continuous primary crude-distillation unit for middle-distillate recovery, not a full refinery producing a complete finished-product slate.
Can diesel fuel be produced directly from crude oil at a field site?
MUPSD recovers a middle-distillate, or diesel-range, fraction. Suitability for a particular diesel grade depends on feed properties, selected cut points and laboratory verification.
How does MUPSD differ from a conventional mini refinery?
MUPSD targets middle-distillate recovery in a mobile arrangement. Light and heavy fractions are routed to agreed streams, so the unit does not produce the full product slate of a conventional refinery.
What capacities are available?
The line includes MUPSD-24N, MUPSD-40N, MUPSD-80N and MUPSD-160N rated up to 24, 40, 80 and 160 m³ of feed per day.
When is a vacuum configuration required?
A vacuum stage is evaluated when additional target fraction can be recovered from the heavy residue or when product properties cannot be achieved at acceptable process temperature. Feed assay determines the choice.
Does distillation reduce sulfur content?
Fractionation is not hydrotreating. Sulfur depends on the crude and the distribution of sulfur compounds across boiling ranges, so it must be verified in the recovered distillate.
Initial assessment
Start with feed analysis and the required product volume
Send the available crude analysis and completed questionnaire. If the data is insufficient, we will define a representative-sample test programme.
Email the feed analysis and questionnaire