Egypt lets contracts for refinery expansion project

Egyptian state-owned Middle East Oil Refining Co. (Midor) has let two contracts worth a total of $1.4 billion to UOP LLC, a unit of a Honeywell International, for work related to a 60% expansion in the nameplate capacity of its 100,000-b/d refinery in El Amreya Free Zone, Alexandria, Egypt.

Under the two agreements, which were signed in early March, UOP will provide engineering designs and licensing for new units that will increase the refinery’s crude oil processing capacity to 160,000 b/d, Egypt’s Ministry of Petroleum said.

These latest contracts come under the framework of a broader program of the Egyptian government that aims to increase the country’s petroleum product production to meet local demand, the ministry said.

On completion of the expansion project, the Midor refinery will be able to produce 245,000 tonnes/year of LPG, 1.3 million tpy of high-octane gasoline, and 2.3 million tpy of diesel meeting European quality specifications, according to the ministry.

Government officials did not specify a timeline for the project’s implementation or the additional types of units planned as part of the refinery’s expansion.

UOP previously provided process technology and licensing to the Midor refinery for the following units already in operation at the plant: a 32,400-b/d naphtha hydrotreater, a 32,400-b/d naphtha splitter, a 21,700-b/d catalytic reforming unit, a 10,700-b/d isomerization unit, a 10,150-b/d kerosine (Merox) unit, a 28,600-b/d distillate hydrotreater, a 33,500-b/d hydrocracker, and a 336-tonne/day LPG treatment unit.