Kuwait Integrated Petroleum Industries Company (KIPIC) has selected Honeywell Process Solutions (HPS) as the main automation contractor for its new Petrochemicals and Refinery Integration Al Zour Project (PRIZe) in Kuwait.

KIPIC is a subsidiary of Kuwait Petroleum (KPC) which was set up by the state of Kuwait to manage refinery, petrochemicals and LNG import operations at the Al-Zour complex.

Under the contract, HPS will provide front-end engineering design and advanced process control technology for the project that will help KIPIC to expedite the production start-up.

PRIZe project will be developed as part of the Al-Zour Complex

The PRIZe project will be developed as part of the Al-Zour complex.

Expected to become the first integrated refining and petrochemicals complex in Kuwait, the PRIZe project will help in expanding Kuwait’s domestic petrochemicals, aromatics and gasoline manufacturing capabilities.

KIPIC acting CEO Hatem Al-Awadi said: “The PRIZe project will revolutionize Kuwait’s domestic production capabilities, helping KIPIC meet the increasing demand for fuels and petrochemical products within the country.

“With Honeywell’s support, we are building a strategic project that will transform Kuwait’s domestic oil and gas market, and provide a significant accelerator for the country’s long-term economic development by improving gasoline and benzene supply to the local and international markets.”

Earlier, KIPIC had selected Honeywell UOP to revise the configuration and capacity of the Al-Zour refinery’s gasoline production facilities.

The refinery’s gasoline section will consist of 98,000 barrels per day (bpd) RFCC complex for production of propylene, gasoline, and petrochemical aromatics, and a UOP Selectfining unit to produce low-sulfur gasoline blending components.

Honeywell Kuwait president Rachad Abdallah said: “Honeywell has a long history of successfully delivering world-class automation solutions to the oil downstream industries in Kuwait, and this new agreement highlights the trust our customers have in our technologies.

“At the integrated refining and petrochemicals complex at Al-Zour, we are leveraging our experience and technologies to help develop one of the most ambitious initiatives in the region. This project will help transform Kuwait into a pioneering manufacturer in the downstream oil and gas industry.”