Page 77 - FINAL Phillips 66 50 Year Book

The laboratory staff settled into a brand new purpose-built building –
moved from the original buildings since the refinery started up in 1969.
On the site of a former carpark, the move allowed the siting of a new
No.3 Vacuum Unit.

The lab received about 250 samples every day, carrying out more
than 700 tests on them, providing an early warning system for product
quality. They ensure statutory specifications are met, for example,
testing premium unleaded petrol samples for density, octane rating,
distillation, lead, sulphur, copper corrosion and more. The new
building also contained a medical centre, which included a health
monitoring room, a shower room where in an emergency any chemical
or burn injuries can be initially treated, and a garage for the refinery’s
ambulance.

The No.3 Vacuum Unit saw upstream and downstream pass a real
acid test in cooperation to score another European refining first. The
Humber Refinery became the only one in Europe with a unit capable
of processing 100 per cent of acidic crude oils coming out of the North
Sea. The story began when Conoco was searching for the best ways to
market the output from its giant Heidrun field in the Norwegian North
Sea. Prior to this development, the refinery restricted acidic crude oil Above: First (SMPT) Self Propelled Modular Transport System carrying
processing to no more than 7,000 barrels a day because when heated, No.3 Vacuum Unit modules.
these oils are corrosive. However, predictions were made that, as new Left: Testing coke levels in oils (Ramsbottom carbon residue test).
oilfields came on stream in forthcoming years, the percentage of acidic
crude oil produced in the North Sea would double.