Page 11 - DMEA Week 03 2020

DMEA REFINING DMEA
Axens to license out tech for Ruwais petchem expansion
UAE
ADNOC is targeting a significant increase in its petrochemical capacity.
FRANCE’S Axens has won a contract to supply technologies for new facilities at the Ruwais pet- rochemical complex in the UAE.
The contract was awarded by the Ruwais plant’s owner, Abu Dhabi Polymers (Borouge), a joint venture between UAE national oil firm ADNOC and Austria-based Borealis.
In a statement last week, Axens it would license out technologies for a 124,000 tonne per year methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) unit, a 50,000 tpy 1-Butene unit and a 75,000 tpy 1-Hexene unit. It will also provide technologies for methyl acetylene and propadiene (MAPD), C4 hydrogenation and Pygas-2 stages hydro- genation units.
The facilities are to be built as part of a fourth-stage expansion of the Ruwais complex, known as Borouge-4. The project involves the construction of the world’s largest mixed-feed cracker, along with various units to process its output into finished products. Early last year Borouge also handed front-end engineering and design (FEED), project management and licence
contracts to TechnipFMC, Maire Tecnimont and WorleyParsons for the cracker.
ADNOC has plans to triple its petrochemical production to 14.4mn tpy by 2025, in order to add more value to its hydrocarbon exports.
The Ruwais complex currently manufactures 4.5mn tpy of petrochemical products, includ- ing 2.3mn tonnes of polyethylene and 1.76mn tonnes of polypropylene. But its owners aim to double this output by 2030.
“Today marks a significant step towards the expansion of Borouge’s facilities,” Axens’ vice-president for its global process licensing business, Patrick Sarrazin, said in a statement. “Our extensive technology expertise, global capabilities in the basic design, catalysts, equip- ment and services supply make Axens the ideal partner to deliver this important contract for Borouge.”
Axens also announced last week it had signed an alliance deal with ExxonMobil, allowing the latter to use its Flexicoking technology and inte- grated residue conversion solutions. ™
PETROCHEMICALS
Jordan plans refining, petchem hub
JORDAN
It is understood the venture will involve Jordanian, Kuwaiti and US investors.
THE Jordan government has unveiled plans for a new oil refining and petrochemical complex near its southern city of Ma’an.
The country’s energy ministry said this week it had given its initial approval to a plan to build a complex capable of processing around 150,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil into products that can be exported, according to local press. The project is slated to start production in the second half of 2024.
The ministry did not say which investors it was courting for the project. However, Kuwaiti investor Sheikh Mishaal Al Jarrah Al Sabah con- firmed his involvement in a press conference on January 22. The project has the support of Jorda- nian King Abdullah II, and Kuwaiti Emir Jaber Al Ahmad Al Sabah, he said.
It will be a joint investment between Jordanian, Kuwaiti and US investors, he
continued, adding that funding for the pro- ject, which he estimated would cost $8bn, “was available,” without divulging details. The “best contractors” would be selected for its construction.
According to the ministry’s decision, the project will be built without the government providing any guarantee of supplies of oil. The government will also be exempt from any finan- cial obligations.
Jordan currently has only one refinery, a 100,000 bpd facility in Zarqa, in the country’s north. The plant’s capacity is due to be expanded over the next few years to 120,000 bpd, at a cost of $1.6bn.
According to Al Sabah, the latest project will transform Jordan into “a source instead of an importer of energy.” ™
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