Borouge, a joint venture between ADNOC and Borealis, has awarded three major contracts for the fourth phase expansion of the Ruwais petrochemical complex in the UAE to TechnipFMC, Maire Tecnimont and WorleyParsons.
Image: Signing of the key contracts for Ruwais petrochemical complex phase 4 expansion. Photo: courtesy of Borealis AG.
The fourth phase expansion of the Ruwais petrochemical complex will see the addition of a new mixed feed cracker with a capacity of 1.8 million tons per year of ethylene. It will be the fourth cracker in the complex.
The contracts awarded by Borouge are front-end engineering and design (FEED), project management contract (PMC) and license contract related to the mixed feed cracker complex.
Borealis chief executive Alfred Stern said: “The mixed feed cracker is not only a new milestone in Borouge’s history, it is also a new step forward in Borealis’ growth strategy in the Middle East.
“The project, which reflects the strength of our strong partnership with ADNOC, ideally embodies Borealis’ commitment and willingness to continue contributing to the development of the UAE through Borouge.”
Overall, the new mixed feed cracker at the Ruwais petrochemical complex will have a production capacity of 3.3 million tons per year of olefins and aromatics using a range of feedstocks like Ethane, Butane and Naphtha sourced from ADNOC’s refinery and gas processing plants.
ADNOC and Borealis expect to finalize the downstream configuration within three months, after the FEED award.
ADNOC downstream directorate executive director Abdulaziz Alhajri said: “The mixed feed cracker is unique as it enables many new petrochemical building blocks to be available in Ruwais for the first time, thereby transforming Ruwais into an even more advanced integrated refining and petrochemicals complex.
“The new project will significantly contribute to achieving ADNOC’s growth ambitions as well as those of Borouge.”
Maire Tecnimont revealed that the overall value of the FEED contract is about $45m on a reimbursable basis and that the project is expected to be completed by 2020.
In September 2018, the company was given an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract by Borouge for the fifth polypropylene (PP5) plant at the Ruwais complex. Construction of the fifth polypropylene plant began in December 2018 and once commissioned will boost the polypropylene capacity of the complex by more than 25% to 2.24 million tons per year.