5th March downstream update: Middle East and Asia

Pakistan

Installation and start up of the Pakistan Trans Asia refinery is now closer, following the issue of tenders for engineering and construction and the successful completion of a health check of all equipment.

Once completed, the Trans Asia refinery is to produce four million t of petroleum products every year. Its output will include 80 000 t of LPG, 455 000 t of naphtha, 410 000 t of motor gasoline, 422 000 t of jet fuel and 1 million t of gas oil, of which 630 000 t will be treated diesel.

The facility will additionally produce 1.05 million t of fuel oil and 200 000 t of bitumen.

Malaysia

Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) is to make a final investment decision on the Refinery and Petrochemicals Integrated Development (RAPID) project in Johor by the end of this month. This is despite resident relocation issues.

Petronas President, Tan Sri Shamsul Azhar Abbas has indicated that the state government if taking steps in providing alternative shelters for the people of Pengerang.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia plans to build a plant capable of turning crude directly into chemicals, without first having to refine the oil, according to Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi.

ExxonMobil started up the world’s first plant that processes crude oil into chemicals in Singapore last year. Now the Saudi Arabian government plans to build its own in Yanbu, in conjunction with Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC).

Development of the Saudi petrochemicals sector is part of Riyadh’s strategy for diversifying the economy away from heavy dependence on crude oil exports.

Edited from various sources by Emma McAleavey.

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/gas-processing/05032014/downstream_news_232/