Babcock & Wilcox (B&W) has been awarded a US$40 million contract to supply advanced low-pressure Wet Gas Scrubbing (WGS) technology for installation at a major petroleum refinery in Canada. This award represents an additional US$30 million commitment from the customer, following an initial US$10 million order announced in September.
B&W’s WGS solution controls sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emissions from fluid catalytic cracking and fluid coker units, helping refiners meet environmental regulations. According to B&W, the technology can also be enhanced to address nitrogen oxides (NOₓ) and particulate emissions, providing a comprehensive approach to emissions compliance.
Developed by ExxonMobil in the 1970s and now licensed by B&W, the WGS technology removes particulates and SO₂ by intimate mixing of the flue gases with an aqueous scrubbing liquid. The technology can also be enhanced to meet tighter restrictions on NOx or particulate.
WGS technology can be retrofitted into full-burn or partial-burn FCC units, even those with first-generation carbon monoxide (CO) boilers and very low flue gas pressure.
The typical scope for a WGS project includes the scrubber vessel from the flue gas inlet to the stack, the recirculation pumps and piping, scrubber instrumentation and control, caustic and water make-up systems, scrubber purge, and the purge treatment unit to produce solids for disposal and non-hazardous liquid.
“Our wet gas scrubbing technology combines ExxonMobil’s proven process with B&W’s engineering expertise and procurement to provide exceptional reliability, efficiency, and flexibility for refineries facing increasingly strict emissions standards,” said Justin Chenevey, vice president, environmental and ClimateBright, at B&W.
