The FDH joint venture (JV) comprising Fluor, Daewoo Engineering & Construction and Hyundai Heavy Industries, has generated first steam into Kuwait National Petroleum’s (KNPC) Clean Fuels Project in Kuwait.
Image: KNPC Clean Fuels Project in Kuwait. Photo: courtesy of Business Wire.
The $16bn Clean Fuels Project has been implemented on three KNPC-owned and operated refineries located in Kuwait. As part of it, KNPC is looking to retire existing processing facilities at the Shuaiba refinery and take up a significant upgrade and expansion of the Mina Al Ahmadi and Mina Abdullah refineries.
The major upgrade at the two Kuwaiti refineries will be to integrate the refining system into one complex equipped with full conversion operation.
The Fluor-led FDH JV is responsible for engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) and also associated pre-commissioning and testing support for the Mina Abdullah Package 2 of the Clean Fuels Project in southern Kuwait. The EPC contract worth $3.4bn was awarded by KNPC to the joint venture in early 2014.
The Mina Abdullah Package 2 involves renovation and installation of a total of 30 units in the refinery.
Upon completion of the upgrade, the Mina Abdullah (MAB) and Mina Al Ahmadi (MAA) refineries will increase their combined capacity to 800,000 barrels-per-stream day to meet local and global demand for clean fuels, while adhering to the most stringent environmental requirements.
One of the goals of the KNPC Clean Fuels Project is to reduce the sulphur content of petroleum products produced from the Kuwaiti refineries to 5%.
While the Mina Abdullah is located 60km south of Kuwait City, the Mina Al Ahmadi refinery is located 45km south of Kuwait City.
Fluor Europe, Africa and the Middle East Energy & Chemicals business president Al Collins said: “This significant milestone marks the completion and turnover of the first utility units by the Fluor-led joint venture and KNPC is advancing these units into operation with our ongoing support.
“The 12,000-plus craft workers at site have been backed by joint venture project team members across three continents, a global operation for a mega-sized project. Accomplishing this milestone shows we are set to deliver the remaining units in the project to support KNPC’s ambitious Clean Fuels Program.”