Siemens equipment selected for billion-dollar crude flexibility project with ADNOC Refining in UAE

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Samsung Engineering and the Chicago Bridge & Iron Company (CB&I) - a McDermott International company - has recently selected Siemens to provide 19 process reciprocating compressors for ADNOC Refining’s crude flexibility project at Ruwais Refinery-West, as per Hydrocarbonprocessing.

Samsung Engineering and CB&I will provide EPC services to increase the refinery’s crude processing flexibility, enabling the site to process up to 420,000 barrels of oil per day of the local crude grade known as Upper Zakum, which is found offshore. The upgrade will improve the value of each barrel of oil and allow ADNOC to export more of its main onshore, lighter-grade Murban crude.

Project commissioning is expected in 2022.

Siemens will provide two 2HSE-2 net-gas reciprocating compressors; two 2HHE-VG-1 reciprocating compressors; three 2HSE-1 NL hydrogen-recycle reciprocating compressors; four 4HHE-VB off-gas reciprocating compressors; and eight 4BDC-18H3 make-up hydrogen reciprocating compressors. These API 618 process reciprocating compressors are known for their rugged design, high reliability and flexible operating range. The compressors are supplemented with a pipeline cylinder design that incorporates the company’s legacy know-how with the latest advances in design practices, materials, valves, and capacity control.

Siemens’ Dresser-Rand process reciprocating compressors are available with up to 10 crank throws, as single-throw or balanced-opposed configurations. Each compressor is custom engineered to meet customers’ specific operating requirements.

"Our design flexibility, ability to supply everything from a single source, advanced compressor technology, and competitive pricing were critical to being selected for this mega-project," said Executive Vice President New Equipment Solutions and Corporate Account Management for Siemens Oil and Gas, Matthew Chinn. "Our rugged, highly efficient compressors will help ADNOC Refining increase the economic efficiency of its operations and expand flexibility to process up to 420,000 barrels per day of another crude.

As MRC reported earlier, in May 2017, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) announced that it would work together with the Austrian producer OMV to help grow Adnoc’s downstream businesses.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Synthomer said it has formally opened its expanded nitrile latex production plant in Pasir Gudang, Johor, Malaysia, the first of a two-phase expansion, as per Apic-online.

The first phase, which required an investment of USD63.5-million, expanded the facility by 90,000 t/y.

The second phase will add a further 60,000 t/y of nitrile latex capacity and will be operational "sometime in 2020," Synthomer noted. Both expansions are based on a new reactor technology.

In addition, the company announced it will build a new USD8.5-million, state-of-the-art Asian Innovation Centre in Johor. The center is scheduled to open in early 2020.

As MRC wrote before, in H1 2017, Synthomer plc acquired Perstorp Oxo Belgium AB from the Swedish Perstorp Holding AB for EUR 78 million. Perstorp Belgium is a niche additives business serving the decorative and industrial coatings industries. In 2016, the business generated earnings before interest and tax of EUR 8 million and had gross assets of EUR 21 million. The company operates from a single site in Ghent, Belgium, and has 41 employees, who will all be transferred with the business.

Synthomer is one of the world’s major suppliers of latices and speciality emulsion polymers supporting leadership positions in many market segments including coatings, construction, textiles, paper and synthetic latex gloves. The company has its Head Office in London, UK and provides customer focused services from operational centres in Marl, Germany, Harlow, UK, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- The introduction of the first ever list of drone industry standards is expected to enable a booming market and spur economies across the globe, says the International Standards Organisation, said Compello.

The world’s first drone standards are being introduced today in a bid to provide assurance on the safety, security and “etiquette” of their use.

International Standards Organisation (ISO) is releasing the new standards, which are expected to galvanise the industry and spur considerable market growth after boosting public confidence in the technology.

They are also expected to play an essential role in guiding how drones are used safely and effectively in a complex framework of regulatory compliance.

Robert Garbett, convenor of the ISO team responsible for global drone operational Standards, said: “I am delighted that we have now reached the point where the first ever standards for the global drone industry are ready for public consultation after three years of hard work and international cooperation between standard’s bodies across the world, with final adoption expected in 2019.

“These standards will undoubtedly lead to a new confidence in safety, security and compliance within this dynamic industry, resulting in a massive expansion in the availability and use of drone technology in the years to come.”

The new standards outline a cogent set of new rules for drone use, promoting and reinforcing compliance regarding no-fly zones, local regulation, flight log protocols, maintenance, training and flight planning documentation. They also address public concerns over privacy and data protection by requiring operators to have appropriate systems to handle data alongside communications and control planning when flying.

In terms of impact on the economy, the standards are expected to enable drones to solve various transport, security, environmental and productivity challenges faced by governments and industries across the globe.

Professional services network PWC recently predicted that the UK aerial drone industry will contribute GBP42 billion and 628,000 jobs to the UK economy by 2030, while Goldman Sachs estimate that drones worldwide will be a USD100 billion (GBP78bn) market by 2020.

Mr Garbett added: “Drones represent a global phenomenon and an unprecedented economic opportunity for any country which embraces the technology. It’s very encouraging that the UK Government is a world leader in recognising the importance of this vital business sector.

The ISO Draft International Standards for Drone Operations are formally released today for public consultation, with drone professionals, academics, businesses and the general public being invited to submit comments by 21 Jan 2019 with final adoption of these Standards expected in the US, UK and worldwide in 2019.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Oman Oil Co and Oman Oil Refineries and Petroleum Industries Co (ORPRIC) have merged their downstream businesses and appointed a new group chief executive as part of plans to integrate the two companies, reported Reuters with reference to ORPIC's statement posted on its twitter account.

Musab al-Mahruqi will take over as group chief executive effective Dec. 2 and oversee the integration of the management and assets of the two companies, the statement said.

Al-Mahruqi was chief executive of ORPIC between 2010 and 2016 and led Oman’s first large-scale corporate integration between 2010-2012, it said. He earlier worked at Oman Oil.

Reuters reported in May that Oman was working with consultancy McKinsey & Co to integrate its refining and petrochemical companies into one entity, citing a senior Omani official and a financial source.

In recent years, Gulf countries have looked at ways to reform their oil firms, including through privatization, to make them more efficient during a period of low oil prices.

Oman has been considering a wide range of privatizations for several years.

As MRC informed previously, in March 2017, ORPIC announced plans to raise capacity of its polypropylene (PP) plant to 340,000 tpa of high quality PP from 200,000 tpa.

ORPIC (Oman Oil Refineries and Petroleum Industries Company) is one of the leading companies in Oman and has two refineries in that country, in Sohar and Muscat. ORPIC is owned by the Government of the Sultanate of Oman and Oman Oil Company SAOC, the trading company created by the Government of the Sultanate of Oman for managing investments in the energy sector.
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MOSCOW (MRC) -- Trinity Energy subsidiary A&A Oil and Gas Ltd has been awarded a licence to build a 50,000 bpd refinery near the Paloich oilfield, around 350 km from the border with Ethiopia, said Yourpetrochemicalnews.

Preliminary feasibility studies have been carried out by Amec Foster Wheeler and Engineers India Ltd (EIL).

East Africa imports roughly 15 million tpy of petroleum products mostly from Asian refineries.

Trinity is planning to build a modular 25,000 bpd facility that can be quickly scaled up the capacity in multiples of 25,000 bpd.

The facility is expected to produce an initial 2.5 million tpy of petroleum products, ramping up to 10 million tpy over a period of 5 years. The output will target high growth export markets in Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania.

Construction is tabbed to begin in Q1 2019, with private equity providing part of the finance for the unit.

Chinese firm Peiyang Chemical Engineering Co. (PCC) will carry out EPC work and will establish a workshop to fabricate major components for the refinery.

South Sudanese oil production is expected to reach 300,000 bpd by Q3 2019.

Trinity Energy is also in negotiations with technology companies to build a product pipeline to Ethiopia.
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