Page 8 - MEOG Week 24 2021
P. 8
MEOG PIPELINES & TRANSPORT MEOG
Kuwait looks for first LNG
cargo for Al-Zour terminal
KUWAIT STATE-OWNED Kuwait Petroleum Corp. tpy of paraxylene (PX), 940,000 tpy of polypro-
(KPC) was reported this week to be searching pylene (PP) and 420,000 tpy of gasoline.
for a cargo with which to commission its new KIPIC had set a target commissioning date
permanent LNG import terminal at the south- of late 2020 for the refinery but this was pushed
ern port of Al-Zour. back to Q1 2021 as restrictions relating to Covid-
A report by Reuters quoted trade sources as 19 slowed progress.
saying that KPC sought bids by July 14 for cargo Several services firms and contractors
delivered ex-ship (DES) for delivery on July 5 or involved in the development of Al-Zour were
6 at the LNG import terminal known as LNGI. reported to have attempted to invoke force
The 22mn-tonne-per-year (tpy) facility is part majeure with restrictions having made it impos-
of a massive new downstream hub at Al-Zour sible to meet deadlines, while Kuwait recently
developed by KPC subsidiary Kuwait Integrated re-introduced measures to halt the spread of
Petroleum Industries Co. (KIPIC) which was set Covid-19 and restricted travel into the country
up for the purpose. The $16.1bn complex will be in early February.
home to a 615,000-bpd refinery which is due for Test runs are understood to be ongoing,
commissioning in November, with a 2.8mn-tpy while oil feedstock began flowing to the refinery
petrochemical facility expected to follow with a through a dedicated pipeline on December 1.
provisional date set for 2024. Imports of LNG are seen playing a major role
LNGI is home to eight storage tanks with a in Kuwait’s aim to increase the use of cleaner
capacity of 225,000 cubic metres and a regasifi- fuels, with the same aim aided by the recent com-
cation facility capable of processing 3bn cubic pletion of its $15.7bn Clean Fuels Project which
metres per day of gas. covered the overhaul and expansion of its two
Al-Zour’s petchem slate will include 1.4mn key existing oil refineries.
P8 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 24 16•June•2021
