While people naturally associate refineries with the production of fuels and bitumen, solvents that are required for the manufacture of a variety of everyday products are also produced at Viva Energy’s Geelong Refinery. Senior Associate Technologist with Viva Energy’s Specialities team, Andrew Duthie, explains the valuable role that solvents play in supporting Australian industries.
Geelong炼油厂是澳大利亚制造业景观的重要组成部分，自1954年以来，在过去五年中投入了超过4.5亿美元的工厂，拓展到新的能源供应和生产领域。
Viva Energy CEO, Scott Wyatt, recently announced that Viva Energy is assessing a number of future energy development projects that could be co-located with the refinery, to diversify and strengthen its operations over time. If implemented, these would establish Geelong as a future ‘Energy Hub’ for Victoria and South East Australia, providing ongoing employment for skilled workers in Geelong, support the transition to lower carbon energies and enhance Australia’s energy security.
炼油厂的制造范围已经超越了燃料，因为它一直在提供澳大利亚行业，持续六十多年。事实上，今天吉朗炼油厂是澳大利亚唯一一个碳氢化合物溶剂的主要生产国。
Essential for Australian industries
在化学综合博士学位，Andrew Duthie是Viva Energy的化学品技术经理的高度资格。雷电竞鉴于在炼油厂制造的溶剂用于各种应用和产品中，他对所有碳氢化合物溶剂的质量控制负责。他在炼油厂制造的溶剂中使用至关重要的作用。雷电竞
Andrew sees these products all around us, and knows the contribution they make to a multitude of Australian industries.
“If you go down to your local hardware store, almost every aisle you walk down will contain a product made with one of our solvents,” he says. “That’s because we supply chemicals to such a wide range of industries, from adhesives and coatings to the mining, agriculture chemistry, pharmaceutical, timber treatment and cleaning sectors.
“Paints and varnishes do more than enhance appearance. They improve durability and extend the life of the material’s use. Metal components of cars and structures would rust without their protective coatings. Timber would rot without protective treatment.
“Our solvents are also used to produce the copper piping that carries our water supply, and the nickel and cobalt used to make rechargeable batteries. They’re vital for the manufacture of many different products that we rely on every day.”
Providing technical support
Andrew and his team have a strong focus on the needs of their customers. For a product manufactured with a solvent to be effective, the solvent used must have very specific properties. The team at the Geelong Refinery has the resources, technical capability and skill to ensure the chemicals they manufacture and supply are fit for purpose and on-grade.
安德鲁的团队可以帮助开发新配方pplications that customers might be pursuing, and performs tests to help customers monitor their production processes. They also analyse customer product samples. This level of technical support is only possible because of the laboratory at the Geelong Refinery.
“Our customers typically don’t have access to the equipment required to analyse and measure properties of solvents, even basic instruments like a densitometer or a conductivity meter. That’s where we can help.
“In the lab we can perform all the standard tests on solvents, as well as more advanced analysis such as gas chromatography, which we use to check the purity of our solvents and ensure compliance with the components’ concentrations limits. It can also be used to determine the composition of samples from our customers.
“我们已经设置为真正分析产品深入，这对客户来说是一个巨大的好处 - 以及我们的主要差异。”
应用专业专业知识
安德鲁被驱使为尽可能最优质的化学产品，因此在制造源质量控制方面是细致的。
他与Gelong炼油厂密切合作，制造符合特定规格的溶剂。“我为我们每个产品设置了要求，并开发技术数据表，描述了产品规范及其典型特性。如果产品不符合某些财产，我与炼油厂运营商合作，在加工单位内进行更改，这些处理单元将为客户提供服务。
“At the end of the day it comes back to product quality. Producing and supplying high-quality products that meet the requirements of our customers is ultimately how Viva Energy makes a positive difference to their businesses.”
骄傲的理由
Andrew is proud of the way his tight-knit team collaborates, and of the new product innovations they’ve been responsible for manufacturing at the Geelong Refinery.
“2017年，我们推出了一种叫做Vivasol X55的新溶剂，用于粘合剂，稀释剂，自动变速箱和制动器清洁，轮胎重新踏板和轮胎闪耀。
“我们最近开发了另一种称为己烷的产品，用于提取油菜油，”他解释道。“压制油菜籽之后，己烷有助于进一步提取油并最大化产率。我们也在寻找己烷的其他应用，如粘合剂。
“我们一直在寻找我们可以在吉朗制造的其他溶剂。我们有良好的能力，可以生产各种烃溶剂，无论是从原油中直接切割的还有碳氢化合物溶剂，还是需要进一步精炼或混合。“
安德鲁认为,他的团队的决心ind new products that meet changing customer demands will stand Viva Energy in good stead for years to come. “In the last few years we’ve seen a general transition to lower aromatic solvents, especially in wood treatment products. We’ve taken up that challenge and now supply VivaSol D80 for use in low odour timber treatment products. We’re also exploring other areas it might be used, like in firelighters.”
He’s also proud to be part of a successful team. “I’m extremely proud of the Specialties team, but also of Viva Energy as a whole. It’s great to see everyone in the company helping our customers to achieve their goals, with whatever products they’re manufacturing and supplying, and succeeding in that.”
Learn more about the
溶剂that Viva Energy manufactures.