Refining & Marketing

In 2010 overall expenditure in R&D amounted to approximately €20 million, excluding general and administrative expenses. A total of 16 new patents applications were filed. Below are outlined the main R&D results achieved in 2010 with an impact on the Division's strategic results.

Eni Slurry Technology (EST)
The EST proprietary technology is an innovative process for hydroconversion by means of a nanodispersed catalyst (slurry)  and a peculiar process scheme to refine various kinds of heavy feedstock: residues from the distillation of heavy and extra-heavy crude (such as the ones from the Orinoco Belt in Venezuela) or non conventional products such as tar sands, characterized by high contents of sulphur, nitrogen, metals, asphaltenes and other pollutants that are hard to manage in conventional refineries. EST does not give rise to by-products and simply converts feedstocks into distillates. In 2010 testing continued mainly directed to validating the technology from the point of view of the upgrading performance and plant management, to the preparation of a customized basic on Zuata crude. The first industrial plant with a 23 kbbl/d capacity is under construction at the Sannazzaro refinery, with start-up scheduled for 2012.

Hydrogen SCT-CPO (Short Contact Time - Catalytic Partial Oxidation)
It is a reforming technology that can convert gaseous and liquid hydrocarbons (also derived from biomass) into synthetic gas (carbon monoxide and hydrogen). This technology can contribute to process intensification as it allows to produce synthetic gas and hydrogen using reactors up to 100 times smaller than those currently in use, with relevant savings. The development of this technology, that makes use of oxygen enriched air, has been completed and another version making use of pure oxygen is under development.

Nanomaterials
The use of structured nanomaterials is one of the key elements for innovation and intensification of processes because innovation thus obtained in materials is multiplied to the whole system. Projects are underway to study and enhance nanomaterials that could introduce radical improvements in conversion processes. The Dual Catalyst technology is based on nanocatalysts and its current tests could lead to breakthrough developments in EST, as it can increase productivity and quality of end products. The development of a bi-functional catalyst is underway that hydrogenates and desulphorates feesdtocks and increases the cracking rate and nitrogen removal. In the Flexible FCC (fluid catalytic cracking) line of products, new proprietary zeolite and zeolite-like materials have been developed for increasing the conversion of heavier fractions without increasing residues. This additive, associated to a new process scheme could change the gasoline/gasoil ratio in favor of the latter. In 2010 application testing continued and confirmed the results obtained so that scale up has started with the aim of finding the final formulation to be used in an industrial reactor. This application too is covered by a patent application and received the Eni Award for innovation.

In 2010, the acquisition of downstream activities in Austria was finalized. It includes a retail network, wholesale activities, as well as commercial assets in the aviation business and related logistic and storage activities.

The re-branding of Eni's service stations and the upgrading of Eni's retail network are ongoing. In 2010, 463 service stations in Italy were re-branded to the "eni" brand, corresponding to approximately 10% of the retail network, with priority awarded to high throughput service stations with non-oil activities.