The study involved 134 operating refineries in the United States and Canada. The desulfurization capacity of gas oil has increased from 2,834,800 barrels/day in 2000 to 3,821,600 barrels/day in 2008 and is expected to reach 3,799,000 barrels/day in 2013.
Therefore, the study believes that the average growth rate of gas oil desulfurization capacity will slow from the annual rate of 3.7% in 2000~2008 to 0.8% in the forecast period.
According to GlobalData's forecast, naphtha desulphurization capacity in the United States and Canada will increase from 4,342,800 barrels/day in 2000 and 4,898,300 barrels/day in 2008 to 4,639,900 barrels/day in 2013.
Therefore, the average growth rate of naphtha desulfurization capacity will slow from the annual rate of 0.7% in 2000-2008 to 0.2% in 2008-2013.
The study pointed out that the United States and Canada together account for 22% of the distillation capacity of the world's refineries, but the gas oil desulfurization capacity of the two countries accounted for 36%. The combined naphtha desulphurization capacity of the two countries accounts for 40% of the world total.
The United States has a share of world gas oil desulphurization capacity of 32.8% and Canada accounts for 3.1%.
The increase in desulfurization capacity of refineries is mainly to meet the demand for production of ultra-low sulfur diesel and gasoline.
U.S. and Canadian refinery desulfurization capacity will slow down
According to a research report released by UK-based GlobalData Corporation in early November 2009, the desulfurization capacity of gas oil and naphtha in US and Canadian refineries will continue to grow, but the growth rate will be slower than that in 2000~2008.