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Transcripción del resumen publicado por el autor: The need to reduce sulfur levels in both gasoline and diesel has forced most U.S. refiners to consider a wide range of strategies for upgrading fuel quality in the next few years. For a few refiners, the need for sulfur reduction will probably be an added incentive for a major refinery upgrade. Many large refiners embarked upon or have recently completed significant investments in heavy oil upgrading processes, such as delayed coking. But what about the small refiner, struggling to make ends meet, that is suddenly faced with the need to invest simply to stay in business? Should small refiners consider projects such as delayed coking, which could yield a positive return on investment, but would require additional investment beyond desulfurization processes? Can small refineries benefit from increased margins by installing such a project? We believe some small refineries should make these investments, but they need to consider a number of issues. This article illustrates those issues and shows how they are playing out right now in a heavy oil upgrade project underway in a small U.S. refinery.