December 11, 2006—BP broke ground in October on a 250-megawatt addition to the existing 750-megawatt cogeneration facility at its refinery in Texas City, Texas. Cogeneration facilities, also called combined heat and power facilities, create steam and power, both of which are generally used on-site, according to the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE).
The $100 million BP project, which should be complete in mid-2008, will allow BP to more fully utilize its refinery fuel gas, which is a mixture of lightweight gases generated within the refinery.
According to BP, the new facility will not only increase the energy efficiency of the refinery, but will also enhance its operational flexibility, improve its environmental performance, and increase the safety of the BP employees. Any power generated at the plant that is not needed for refining operations will be sold into the local power markets.
For more information visit BP/US.
