Asia is expected to drive new-build crude distillation unit (CDU) capacity growth in the global refinery industry from planned and announced (new-build) projects between 2019 and 2023, contributing around 36 per cent of global CDU capacity growth by 2023, according to GlobalData.

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The data and analytics company’s new report reveals that Asia is expected to have a new-build refinery CDU capacity of 5,571 thousand barrels per day (mbd) by 2023. The approved planned projects account for 62 per cent of the new-build capacity or 3,431mbd while the remaining 2,140mbd is expected to come from early-stage announced projects. 

 

“Asia is expected to add 43 new-build refineries during the outlook period 2019–2023,” informed Dipayan Chakraborty, Oil and Gas Analyst at GlobalData. “Among these, Pulau Muara Besar in Brunei is the largest new-build refinery, which is expected to start operations in 2019 with a CDU capacity of 175mbd. The CDU capacity of the coking-type refinery is expected to reach 500mbd by 2023.” 

 

Africa and Middle East follow with new capacity addition

 

Following Asia, GlobalData identifies Africa as the second highest country in terms of global refinery CDU capacity growth, adding a new-build CDU capacity of 3,857mbd by 2023. The Lagos I refinery in Nigeria is Africa’s largest upcoming refinery, with a new-build CDU capacity of 650mbd by 2023.

 

The Middle East stands in third place with expected new-build CDU capacity growth of 3,188mbd by 2023. The Al-Zour refinery in Kuwait is the largest upcoming refinery with new-build CDU capacity of 615mbd by 2023.