Shell Rheinland R3 Project Installs Industrial Electric Tubular Heater

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 7, Shell, Schneider Electric, and Axens completed the installation of an industrial electric tubular heater at the R3 base oil project at Shell's Rheinland Energy and Chemicals Park in Germany. The equipment utilizes Axens' Heurtey Petrochem Solutions Electric Tubular Radiant Heater technology, directly serving the base oil distillation process and replacing traditional combustion-based process heaters. The project is located at the Wesseling production site, where the core electric heating equipment installation has been completed. Subsequent work will continue with on-site system integration, commissioning, and startup of the complete base oil unit.

Schneider Electric provides a modular prefabricated power supply solution for the electric heating system, with the equipment package including power distribution switchgear, transformers, and power control systems. The power control system is connected to Axens' process control system and integrated into Shell Rheinland's existing site infrastructure. The complete system enables rapid power adjustment based on base oil distillation process loads while meeting Shell's requirements for power quality and engineering design.

The R3 project is not a new standalone refinery but rather a conversion of existing crude oil processing assets in Wesseling. Shell previously decided to cease crude oil processing in Wesseling and convert part of the existing units into Group III base oil production facilities. Project scope includes the revamp of existing hydrocracking units, a new base oil distillation system, electric heating equipment, and associated utilities and control systems. Public project documentation indicates that the converted base oil facility is planned to have an annual capacity of approximately 300,000 tons, primarily producing Group III base oils.

The R3 project had already entered the on-site construction phase. In 2025, two towers with heights of approximately 54 meters and 37 meters respectively were delivered and assembled on site, after which the project continued with unit installation and system construction. With the completion of the electric tubular heater installation, the core process heating equipment for the base oil distillation section has been added, and the project continues to advance toward system integration and commissioning milestones.

The responsibilities of Shell, Axens, and Schneider Electric within this equipment package have been clearly defined: Shell is responsible for on-site operational requirements and interfaces with existing facilities; Axens provides base oil process technology and the electric tubular heater; Schneider Electric supplies power distribution, transformation, and power control systems. The electric heater itself forms a complete interface with the power system, process control system, and existing site infrastructure. Following equipment installation, electrical connections, control system integration, and operational commissioning remain to be completed.

The Shell Rheinland Energy and Chemicals Park comprises two production sites: Cologne-Godorf and Wesseling. Following the cessation of crude oil processing in Wesseling, the R3 project continues to leverage the existing industrial site and selected refining assets to build new base oil production capacity, while the Godorf site continues to handle other refining operations at the park. Once operational, the R3 project will deliver approximately 300,000 tons per year of Group III base oil capacity.