ABSTRACT
In 1952 CEPSA became the first European company to license UOP Platforming at its refinery on Tenerife [1]. Many things have changed since those days, but catalytic reforming of naphtha remains one of the major processes used at refineries, with the aim of increasing the octane number of naphtha or producing aromatics. Several of the reactions in the reformer, including naphthene dehydrogenation and cracking, also produce a high hydrogen content gas useful in middle distillate hydrotreating. The reformer unit is an integral part of the overall refinery or aromatics plant flow scheme and is a key contributor to profit generation.
