2021
Integrated
Report

Feedstocks and production processes

In its refining and petrochemical operations, the Group processes various raw materials and semi-finished products. Crude oil is the principal raw material used in production, and other feedstocks include biocomponents and chemicals.

GRI Disclosures:

SDGs:

  • Goal 7
  • Goal 9
  • Goal 12

Capitals:

Consumption of raw and other materials

  • 301-1

Non-renewable raw materials [t]

PKN ORLEN ORLEN Lietuva Unipetrol
2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020
Crude oil 14,529,024 15,305,739 7,953,859 7,847,448 7,122,513 6,075,865
Othe 1,766,200 1,884,392 697,348 389,255 1,829,355 2,005,919

 

Renewable raw materials [t]

PKN ORLEN ORLEN Lietuva Unipetrol
2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020
Biocomponents 771,237 732,079 109,633 105,434 296,939 277,040

 

Crude oil consumption

Crude oil consumption [t] Share of crude in total feedstocks [%]
2021 2020 2021 2020
PKN ORLEN 14,529,024 15,305,739 83% 83%
ORLEN Lietuva 7,953,859 7,847,448 93% 96%
Unipetrol 7,122,513 6,075,865 77% 77%

 

Crude oil, a non-renewable resource, is purchased for all ORLEN Group refineries as part of an integrated procurement process handled by PKN ORLEN, which buys oil from external suppliers.

Other materials used in our plants include natural gas, biocomponents and semi-finished products, exchanged mainly between the refinery and the petrochemical plants (they are not primary feedstock).

For information and data on major feedstock types in the Power Generation segment, see ’Energy Management’.

Consumption of biofuels meeting the sustainability criteria

  • OG-14

In order to protect the environment and in view of the national requirements to ensure the mandatory minimum share of biofuels in transport, in 2021 the ORLEN Group used over 800,000 tonnes of methyl esters, over 250,000 tonnes of bioethanol and over 40,000 tonnes of synthetic bio-hydrocarbons. All the biofuels used by the ORLEN Group in its markets met the sustainability criteria specified in the RES Directive and Fuel Quality Directive.

All the biofuels used by the ORLEN Group in its markets met the sustainability criteria specified in the RES Directive and Fuel Quality Directive.

Volumes of biofuels used by the ORLEN Group – biofuels meeting the sustainability criteria on the Polish, Czech and Lithuanian markets

2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020
Poland* Poland* Czech Republic** Czech Republic** Lithuania*** Lithuania*** Total Total
Esters [t] 608,798 570,435 133,834 126,190 65,159 68,695 807,792 765,320
of which: produced by ORLEN Południe [t] 280,196 239,793 – – – – 280,196 239,793
Bioethanol [t] 174,291 166,731 55,136 46,270 23,524 30,092 252,951 243,093
Synthetic hydrocarbons for diesel oil – HVO [t] – – 19,450 21,310 18,714 6,639 38,164 27,949
Synthetic hydrocarbons for diesel oil – co-HVO [t] 4,210 2,060 – 135 727 4,210 2,922
Synthetic hydrocarbons for gasoline [t] – – – – – – – –

2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020
Poland* Poland* Czech Republic** Czech Republic** Lithuania*** Lithuania*** Total Total
Esters [m3] 682,509 639,578 151,590 142,911 73,793 77,797 907,893 860,286
of which: produced by ORLEN Południe [m3] 314,121 268,826 – – – 314,121 268,826
Bioethanol [m3] 224,024 214,369 69,441 58,275 29,740 38,043 323,205 310,687
Synthetic hydrocarbons for diesel oil – HVO [m3] – – 24,936 27,321 24,023 8,522 48,959 35,843
Synthetic hydrocarbons for diesel oil – co-HVO [m3] 5,448 2,666 – 174 875 5,448 3,715
Synthetic hydrocarbons for gasoline [m3] – – – – – – – –

Note: Biocomponents not produced by ORLEN Południe were purchased from third-party suppliers.
*To maintain consistency with the NIT report to the Energy Regulatory Office, the conversion of tonnes into thousand of litres for PKN ORLEN S.A. was based on densities calculated in accordance with the Minister of Economy’s Regulation on heating values of biocomponents and liquid fuels of October 21st 2014. For the Czech Republic and Lithuania, standard densities were used.
**Biocomponents used for blending fuels for the Czech market.
***Biocomponents marketed on the Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian markets.

Benzene, lead and sulfur content in fuels

  • OG-8

The key function of the ORLEN Group refinery is to produce liquid fuels meeting the applicable regulatory requirements and technical standards. All processes along the production chain are designed to obtain high-quality fuel components to be processed into fuels meeting the applicable requirements.

The benzene, lead and sulfur content in liquid fuels, by Group company, is presented in the TABLE.

Crude oil is separated into fractions (distillates) in fractional distillation units.

At subsequent stages, the distillates are further processed in:

  • Cracking unit
  • Alkylation unit
  • Reforming unit
  • Isomerisation unit
  • Diesel fuel hydrodesulfurisation unit
  • Hydrocracking unit
  • Petroleum tar hydrodesulfurisation unit

where the following processes occur: hydrogenation, conversion of nitrogen and oxygen compounds, cracking of paraffin, olefinic and aromatic hydrocarbons with side chains into hydrocarbons having lower molecular mass, conversion of low-octane C5-C6 aliphatic hydrocarbons into higher-octane isomers, dearomatisation, and demetallisation.

Also, sulfur and benzene are removed to achieve concentration levels ensuring the components meet the required quality standards. The fuel components do not contain lead.

Liquid fuels are made by blending selected components (including biocomponents in the case of some fuel types) and adding boosters and additives according to a blending formula.

The main purpose of the plant is to produce biodiesel (fatty acid methyl esters; FAMEs).

The key steps in FAME production include:

  • Chemical degumming,
  • Continuous refining,
  • Esterification of fatty acids,
  • Transesterification of rapeseed oil,
  • Washing and drying of biodiesel

during which the following processes occur: removal of phosphorus compounds and free fatty acids from rapeseed oil, reduction of acidity, reacting oil with methanol to form methyl esters, biodiesel washing and drying. There is no need for desulfurisation or benzene and lead removal processes.

Crude oil is separated into fractions (distillates) in fractional distillation units.

At subsequent stages, the distillates are further processed in:

  • Cracking unit,
  • Reforming unit,
  • Isomerisation unit,
  • Visbreaking unit,
  • Oligomerisation unit,
  • Diesel fuel hydrodesulfurisation unit,

where the following processes occur: hydrogenation, conversion of nitrogen and oxygen compounds, cracking of paraffin, olefinic and aromatic hydrocarbons with side chains into hydrocarbons having lower molecular mass, conversion of low-octane C5-C6 aliphatic hydrocarbons into higher-octane isomers, dearomatisation, and demetallisation.

Also, sulfur, benzene and lead are removed to achieve concentration levels ensuring the components meet the required quality standards.

Liquid fuels are made by blending appropriate components (including biocomponents in the case of some fuel types) and adding boosters and additives in accordance with a blending formula.

Crude oil is separated into fractions (distillates) in fractional distillation units.

At subsequent stages, the distillates are further processed in:

  • Cracking unit,
  • Reforming unit,
  • Isomerisation unit,
  • Diesel fuel hydrodesulfurisation unit,
  • Hydrocracking unit,
  • Visbreaking unit,
  • Hydrocracking unit,

where the following processes occur: hydrogenation, conversion of nitrogen and oxygen compounds, cracking of paraffin, olefinic and aromatic hydrocarbons with side chains into hydrocarbons having lower molecular mass, conversion of low-octane C5-C6 aliphatic hydrocarbons into higher-octane isomers, dearomatisation, and demetallisation.

Also, sulfur and benzene are removed to achieve concentration levels ensuring the components meet the required quality standards. The fuel components do not contain lead.

Liquid fuels are made by blending selected components (including biocomponents in the case of some fuel types) and adding boosters and additives according to a blending formula.

In order to meet the environmental requirements, biocomponents characterised by lower CO2 emissions are used in the processes.

!1fk_201203_00096 !1fk_201203_00096

Product and service labelling

  • 417-1

Requirements for product and service information and labeling REACH Regulation, are the basic source of information on the classification and hazards for the chemicals manufactured or imported by the ORLEN Group companies. Products are classified based on research and expert knowledge of their properties, and the classification makes it possible to label them correctly (in accordance with the CLP Regulation) and identify risks in transport, based on which the dispatchers prepare the ADR labels (hazard warning labels). Safety data sheets are mainly a source of information on products intended for industrial and professional applications.

In the case of products marketed directly for use by general consumers, the relevant information is provided by ORLEN Group companies by appropriate labelling of product packaging. In addition to pictograms, labels on product packaging contain appropriate hazard and precautionary statements (H and P statements). Given the wide range of applications of ORLEN Group products, information on product packaging is supplemented with detailed data required under specific legal provisions applicable to detergents, fertilizers, etc. Starting from January 1st 2021, ORLEN Group companies are obliged to notify hazardous mixtures to Poison Centres in accordance with the provisions and deadlines set out in Annex VIII of the CLP Regulation. Such notifications will be made through an IT tool developed by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). To make a notification, a UFI code will have to be generated for each mixture. The UFI code will then be placed on the packaging or/and safety data sheet.

 

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