The Low Sulfur Gasoline Project will include construction of an access road and refinery treatment units over a four-acre site at the refinery's March Point refinery, according to county planning documents. New federal regulations will require refineries in the United States to begin producing low-sulfur gas. Sulfur dioxide is created from the sulfur content in the fuel when the gasoline is combusted. Sulfur dioxide is a concern because its presence in the atmosphere can result in acid rain with potential for environmental damage. New catalytic distillation hardware will be added to the refinery, which will allow for the removal of sulfur from gasoline.
Sulfur is removed using a catalyst and hydrogen.
The sulfur that is removed is converted to liquid elemental sulfur and is sold primarily to the fertilizer industry. The upgrades are part of clean fuel regulations. With the major process enhancements in place, the sulfur content in gasoline produced at PSRC will be reduced to 30 parts per million from the current 600 parts per million. The air separation unit will produce nitrogen and oxygen from ambiant air. The two elements are used in the refining process - at the ROSE unit.