Auterra’s technology exploits the natural tendency of oil’s impurities to oxidize

Tradtional Hydroprocessing Auterra’s Flex Desulfurization
HDP reduces sulfur by heating oil to very high temperatures and adding high-pressure hydrogen to force a chemical reaction to separate impurities from the oil. Heavier oil feeds require higher temperatures, resulting in more utility usage and GHG emissions. Auterra’s process adds oxygen to remove sulfur and other impurities in oil by catalyzing an oxidizing reaction at room temperature. This process significantly reduces capital & operating costs and GHG emissions.

Auterra’s technology exploits the natural tendencies of oil’s impurities to oxidize

Traditional Hydroprocessing

HDP reduces sulfur by heating oil to very high temperatures and adding hydrogen to force a chemical reaction to separate impurities from the oil. Heavier oil feeds require higher temperatures, resulting in more utility usage and GHG emissions.

Auterra’s Flex Desulfurization

Auterra’s process adds oxygen to remove sulfur and other impurities in oil by catalyzing an oxidizing reaction at room temperature. This process significantly reduces capital & operating costs & GHG emissions.

FlexULS™

REMOVES HUNDREDS OF PPM OF SULFUR

Auterra’s FlexULS™ technology removes remaining sulfur from fuels and petrochemical streams, so producers can sell them as in-spec products with less discounting.

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FlexUP™

REMOVES PERCENTAGES OF SULFUR

FlexUP™ technology from Auterra removes sulfur and impurities in heavy oils, bitumen, and marine fuels in a two-step process that preserves oil mass and results in higher-value product.

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Auterra Successfully Reduces Sulfur

Auterra avoids a major drawback of HDP: high levels of impurities found in heaviest oil quickly deactivate HDP catalysts

Hydroprocessing’s drawbacks threaten oil producers:

Environmental Harm

HDP requires high process intensity. Units emit significant greenhouse gases and are utility-intensive.

Capital Intensive

Replacing aging HDP units will require significant capital expense with no decarbonization benefits.

Large Footprint

Hydrogen gas is only cost-effective at large scales, requiring large units that can’t treat distributed inventories

Prone to Poison

HDP is ineffective treating heavy crudes, as impurities in those fuels quickly deactivate HDP catalysts.

FLEX DESULFURIZATION PROCESS

Auterra’s sulfur oxidation & removal process

Flex eliminates many drawbacks of hydroprocessing and gives producers a greener, more cost-effective option to generate in-spec and higher value oil products

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