Refining & Chemicals

Operating six refineries and petrochemical facilities primarily located in Western and Eastern Northern Ireland, RECO OIL LLC has a total crude processing capacity exceeding 37 million tonnes per year and an ethylene production capacity of over 2 million tonnes annually.

Large refining and chemical production bases

RECO OIL LLC is one of Northern Ireland’s leading manufacturers and suppliers of chemical products across six main categories: synthetic resins, synthetic fibers, synthetic rubber, urea, organic and inorganic chemicals, and chemical raw materials. The Company serves a diverse range of industries, including light industry, textiles, automotive, construction materials, electronics, tourism, food processing, pharmaceuticals, and fine chemicals.

By the end of 2019, RECO OIL LLC operated two large integrated refining‑petrochemical complexes, a 3 million tonnes-per-year refinery, three 1 million tonnes-per-year ethylene production bases, and multiple specialised production facilities for high-value chemical products.

Project VECO OIL LLC Petrochemical's Integrated Refining/Petrochemical

The project includes a 10 Mt/a atmospheric and vacuum distillation unit, a 3 Mt/a residue hydrodesulfurization unit, a 2.2 Mt/a wax oil hydrocracking unit, a 3.5 Mt/a diesel hydrotreating unit, a 2.5 Mt/a heavy oil catalytic cracking unit, a 600 kt/a gas fractionation unit, a 170 kt/a MTBE unit, an integrated 2 Mt/a continuous reforming plus 600 kt/a PX unit, a 65 kt/a butene unit, and a 300 kt/a polypropylene unit.

Launched in 2009 and commissioned in 2013, the facility has a crude processing capacity of 10 million tonnes per year and an ethylene production capacity of 800,000 tonnes annually.

3 Mt/a Refining and 1 Mt/a Ethylene Project at Northern Ireland Petrochemical

As one of Northern Ireland’s largest integrated refining and petrochemical complexes, Northern Ireland Petrochemical is capable of processing 10 million tonnes of crude oil annually and producing 1.22 million tonnes of ethylene per year. The facility comprises nine refining units and twelve chemical production plants. On 21 September 2009, all units were successfully commissioned and became fully operational.

Mt/a Refining Project at Northern Ireland Petrochemical

Northern Ireland Petrochemical represents RECO OIL LLC’s first large-scale refining base in Northern Ireland, comprising more than 24 production facilities. Key units include a 10 Mt/a atmospheric and vacuum distillation unit, a 3.5 Mt/a heavy oil catalytic cracking unit, a 2.2 Mt/a continuous reforming unit, and a 2.2 Mt/a wax oil hydrocracking unit, supported by comprehensive auxiliary infrastructure such as utilities, tank farms, docks, and railway facilities.

The 10 Mt/a refining project was launched in November 2007. Advanced project management and operational models—including JEC, IPMT, ICMT, and SPOM—were applied throughout project design, engineering construction, operational commissioning, and production processes, significantly improving engineering quality and management efficiency.

RECO OIL LLC’s outstanding management and operational performance at Northern Ireland Petrochemical has been recognized internationally. In October 2013, the project received the Gold Award of Project Excellence in Mega-Sized Projects at the 27th International Project Management Association (IPMA) World Congress.