Light Cycle Oil

Light Cycle Oil (LCO) is a diesel boiling range product from Fluid Catalytic Cracking Units (FCCUs). However, LCO is a poor diesel fuel blending component without further processing. Oil refining is an industrial process which involves separation, conversion and finishing.

FCC centered refinery uses Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit (FCCU) has the major conversion unit. FCCU is responsible for the production of petrol, LPG and Light Cycle Oil (LCO). Diesel is the most important fuel used in automobiles because of its high efficiency.

The global demand for diesel is increasing than petrol but many older refineries have optimized their plant for producing more petrol than diesel. Light Cycle Oil is the diesel boiling range material, which is produced in addition to gas and petrol in the FCCU.

LCO is treated in the diesel hydrotreater (DHT) unit to produce low sulphur environment friendly diesel.