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In total, 32 heavy oil upgrading construction projects were identified as recently announced. Despite the fact that two of the recently announced projects in Canada have been indefinitely put on hold, the region remains the leader in terms of projected heavy oil upgrading projects. All of the Canadian units are focused on the production of oilsands-derived synthetic crudes, which can be sold and further processed in refineries around the globe. The second most active region in terms of recently completed or planned projects is the Latin America and the Caribbean; the projects in Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela are a mix of upstream heavy oil upgrading units to produce synthetic crude and refinery revamp/expansion projects to allow for increased heavy oil processing. In the US, three of the four projects listed are related to refinery expansions, while the BP Project in Milne Point, AK involves the installation of a heavy oil upgrading unit. In Western Europe, the Teesside, England project will mark the first installation of a heavy oil refinery. Similarly, the projects listed in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East are related to refining facilities in an effort to increase the processing capacity of heavy crudes....Log-in for complete content
