Honeywell’s UOP won a contract from Taiyo Oil Co. Ltd. to provide technology and catalysts to improve operational flexibility and boost chemical production at Taiyo’s Shikoku complex in Ehime, Japan.

UOP said its proprietary “Tatoray” process technology will be installed at the plant to increase certain petrochemical yields by more than 70% and facilitate greater flexibility to produce chemicals or gasoline, depending on demand.

The technology can enable “higher onstream efficiency” with less cracking and allow for the “lowest hydrogen consumption for petrochemical grade benzene and mixed-xylene production,” according to the announcement.

Through the Tatoray process, toluene and C9 aromatics are converted to mixed xylenes and high-purity benzene without the need for sulfolane extraction. The technology will also more than double mixed-xylene production from a given naphtha feedstock, while significantly reducing the overall cost of production, making it one of the most economical ways to increase xylene and benzene yields in an aromatics complex, according to UOP.

The new Tatoray unit is expected to produce 300,000 metric tons per year of mixed xylene and high-purity benzene. The unit is expected to start up in 2014, according to the announcement.

“Demand for petrochemicals in Asia is growing, while gasoline demand is expected to decrease due to stricter fuel specifications and increased demand for fuel-efficient vehicles,” Pete Piotrowski, senior vice president and general manager of UOP’s process technology and equipment business, was quoted as saying.

UOP said it has worked with Taiyo for about 30 years and has provided nearly all of the process units for its Shikoku operations.

“The Tatoray process will significantly increase mixed xylene and benzene production, allowing Taiyo to respond to the region’s growing petrochemical demand, and it will give them the operational flexibility to also produce high-quality gasoline as needed,” Piotrowski added. “We look forward to continuing our long-standing relationship with Taiyo as we work to complete this project.”

As of 2013, UOP has licensed more than 95 aromatics complexes, including 60 Tatoray units, according to the announcement.