Shell Renewable Refining Process
Refiners can process 100% biofeeds into profitable renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel with our hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) technology, the Shell Renewable Refining Process. Its design draws on Shell’s 100 years of owner-operator experience and the organisation’s expertise in optimising unit configurations for energy efficiency improvements and capital expenditure reductions.
The Shell Renewable Refining Process can impact trends and regulations for low carbon fuels
Driven by a need to comply with legislation, decarbonise their businesses or capitalise on the opportunity to improve profitability, a growing number of refiners are investigating their options for producing biofuels.
The principal driver for investing in biofuels capacity will vary according to a refiner’s location and the markets that it serves.
In Europe, for example, refiners are looking for ways to comply with the EU’s revised Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) and avoid penalties, whereas incentives in the USA mean that biofuels represent an opportunity to improve profitability.
Shell Renewable Refining Process
Read the transcript
Read the transcript
Title: Make Every Molecule Matter
Duration: 1:59
Description: Video highlighting the Shell Renewable Refining Process and Make Every Molecule Matter themes in support of Shell Catalysts & Technologies thought leadership initiative.
[Background music plays]
Atmospheric, piano led dance track with positive vibe.
[Graphic Display]
Shell pecten and Shell Catalysts & Technologies logo on white background.
[Voiceover]
Used cooking oil, grapeseed oil, animal fat… biomass of all kinds can be used to create low-carbon fuels.
[Video Footage]
A chef stirs food in a pan on a hot stove. Timelapse of busy kitchen staff. Piles of mulch and logs outside on a partly cloudy day.
[Graphic Display]
Green gas pump nozzle icon with grey text: LOW CARBON FUELS
[Voiceover]
Shell Catalysts & Technologies’ mission to Make Every Molecule Matter directs our efforts to reduce the net carbon footprint of the energy sector and biomass will have a significant role to play.
[Video Footage]
Exterior shot of entrance to a Shell Technology Center. Two men in red lab coats and proper PPE walk down a hallway together while talking. A robotic arm moves toward a row of plastic bottles.
[Text Display]
White and yellow text: MAKE EVERY MOLECULE MATTER
[Video Footage]
Timelapse of traffic in a downtown area.
[Graphic Display]
Foot-shaped icon with white and yellow text: REDUCE THE NET CARBON FOOTPRINT
[Video Footage]
A farmer’s field on a sunny day.
[Text Display]
Red bar with white text: BIOMASS
[Voiceover]
Transportation fuels are among the greatest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. In response, policymakers around the world are passing mandates and legislation to support cleaner mobility.
[Video Footage]
A gas pump nozzle is inserted into a car’s fuel tank opening. Freeway traffic at a standstill. A plane attached to an airport jetway at sunset. A train speeds toward camera. A sequence of three overhead timelapses of busy roundabouts. A biodiesel bus drives by.
[Text Display]
Yellow bar with white text: CLEANER MOBILITY
[Voiceover]
To lower transportation emissions, policies like the Renewable Fuel Standard in the U.S. and the Renewable Energy Directive in the E.U. are requiring a specified volume of renewable fuel to replace petroleum-based alternatives.
[Video Footage]
Vehicle point-of-view driving on a freeway. Timelapse of traffic at night in a busy downtown area. Aerial view of a wind turbine operating in the ocean. Aerial views of a solar power plant and a petroleum refinery.
[Text Display]
White and yellow text: RENEWABLE FUEL STANDARD
White and yellow text: RENEWABLE ENERGY DIRECTIVE
[Graphic Display]
Yellow bar with grey fuel pump icon and white text: REPLACE PETROLEUM-BASED ALTERNATIVES
[Voiceover]
The Shell Renewable Refining Process supports refiners looking to meet their renewable mandates and blending obligations while capitalizing on the high upgrade margin and increased profitability of biofuels.
It is designed to process 100% bio feeds and safely produce high yields of renewable diesel and Sustainable Aviation Fuel.
[Video Footage]
A panning view of a field of yellow flowers on a sunny day.
[Text Display]
Yellow and white text: SHELL RENEWABLE REFINING PROCESS
[Video Footage]
Oil being poured into a glass beaker. Panning view of the inside of a refinery.
[Text Display]
White and yellow text: 100% BIOFEEDS
[Video Footage]
Tilt-up view of the inside of a refinery.
[Text Display]
White and yellow text: RENEWABLE DIESEL
[Video Footage]
A silhouetted commercial jet flies overhead.
[Text Display]
White and gray text: SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUEL
[Voiceover]
The technology is informed by decades of experience culminating in class-leading isomerization catalysts and state-of-the-art reactor internals. These enable wide-ranging feed flexibility, high renewable fuel yields and favorable cold flow properties.
[Video Footage]
A man in a Shell lab coat, face shield and proper PPE works in a lab. A man in a Shell lab coat, safety glasses and proper PPE stands on a ladder and talks with a colleague while his hand is on lab equipment.
[Text Display]
White and yellow text: DECADES OF EXPERIENCE
[Video Footage]
A man in a Shell lab coat and proper PPE looks at computer monitors in a lab. Two men in Shell lab coats and proper PPE discuss and examine catalyst material in a small plastic container. Overhead view of two men standing over a reactor unit. A man in a Shell lab coat, face mask and proper PPE spoons out a powdered substance into a small container on a scale. Catalyst material is dumped from a scoop into a metal funnel. A closeup view of catalyst material being run through an extruder.
[Voiceover]
Shell’s intimate knowledge of refinery configuration and the diverse legislative landscape surrounding blending obligations helps to ensure its partners attain maximum market value for the renewable fuels produced.
[Video Footage]
An aerial view of a Shell refinery along a ship channel. A woman in red Shell coveralls and proper PPE operates a tablet while inspecting a process unit. Two men in red Shell jackets and yellow hardhats talk while looking at a processing unit. Three men in red Shell lab coats look at monitors in a control room. A man in a red Shell lab coat and proper PPE uses a touch screen monitor to start equipment. A robotic arm raises inside a lab.
[Graphic Display]
A yellow upward arrow icon with grey and yellow text: MAXIMUM MARKET VALUE
The arrow morphs into green leaves.
[Voiceover]
Learn more about the Shell Renewable Refining Process and our growing energy transition technology portfolio by visiting our Make Every Molecule Matter website.
[Video Footage]
A red liquid is poured into a glass beaker.
[Text Display]
White text: MAKE EVERY MOLECULE MATTER
[Voiceover]
Join us on the road to a cleaner energy future.
[Graphic Display]
Shell pecten and Shell Catalysts & Technologies logo on white background.
[Shell music fades out]
[Graphic Display]
Shell pecten logo
[Shell mnemonic]
Benefits of our owner-operator expertise
It is important to note, however, that future regulations are likely to mandate the use of even more challenging feedstocks, such as forestry and agricultural residues. Consequently, it is vital that refiners plan carefully to avoid a regret investment.
As an owner-operator, Shell is driven to learn continuously from operational experience and to evolve its technologies, and is already working on expanding the Shell Renewable Refining Process’ feedstock processing window.
The Shell Renewable Refining Process benefits for energy producers
The technology can unlock value for refiners in a number of ways. For example, it can help you to:
Comply with legislation
Comply with legislation such as RED II in Europe.
Improve profitability
As biofuels have a higher market value than conventional diesel and can generate trading credits.
Future proofed investment
Ensure that your investment is future proofed, as we expect to expand the processing window through focused R&D and continuous improvement.
Minimise capital expenditure
As our design philosophy is to maximise the reuse of existing assets to help reduce costs.
Discover the benefits of investing in biofuel technology
Biofuels represent a viable alternative and cost-effective investment opportunity for refiners. In this white paper, learn about the drivers and strategies for investing in biofuels to produce cleaner energy.
The Shell Renewable Refining Process’ two-stage configuration
Sustainable
The ability to produce a range of cloud points that qualify for any renewable diesel market in any season.
Improved yields
Benefits can include longer cycles, slower yield decline and improved yields.
Flexibility
Refiners can gain the flexibility to swing between diesel and sustainable aviation fuel.
Discover the stages of the Shell Renewable Refining Process
Pretreatment
Features a self-cleaning filter system that, because it is integrated with the rest of the system, can reduce unit size and pretreatment capital expenditure by up to 30%.
First stage: Hydrogenation and hydrodeoxygenation
Can process a wide range of feeds with varying exotherms. The catalyst system and reactor internals are optimised for maximum product yield and stable operation, and can be tuned to the desired level of hydrogen consumption. Removes poisons, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide for enhanced second-stage performance.
Second stage: Hydroisomerisation
The two-stage configuration provides highly valuable product flexibility, yield and catalyst-stability benefits. With the poisons removed, the second stage can utilise the superior performance of a noble metal catalyst to increase product yields, improve cold flow properties and tailor the product slate according to market demand.
Explore related Shell Catalysts & Technologies’ solutions
Shell fiber conversion technology
Ethanol producers can increase margins by creating higher-value products and generating RFS/LCFS trading credits and RINs with Shell Fiber Conversion Technology.
Co-processing
Co-processing renewable feedstock can be a low to no capital cost response for producing hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO).
Renewables catalysts
Shell Catalysts & Technologies’ portfolio of renewables catalysts can help refiners unlock next-level performance from their hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) units.