Refinery Announces $250 Million Expansion to Cut Emissions

HollyFrontier’s Woods Cross Refinery in Utah announced plans to add pollution control equipment that could reduce sulfur dioxide emissions by more than 90 percent.

The new pollution control equipment is part of an estimated $250-million expansion that will reduce refinery emissions, HollyFrontier officials said.

The move comes in a show of support for Gov. Gary R. Herbert’s U-CAIR initiative to improve the state’s air quality. The new equipment will reduce sulfur dioxide emission by about 150 tons per year, according to company officials.

The pollution control upgrade by HollyFrontier is not required under its current air-quality permit, said Division of Air Quality Director Bryce Bird.

The refinery staff is to be credited for coming up with the innovative control technique, which will redirect effluent from the sulfur recovery unit to a wet gas scrubber in another unit, Woods Cross Refinery Manager Lynn Keddington said.