Honeywell International, a diversified technology and manufacturing leader, said its unit UOP has won a contract from Abu Dhabi Oil Refining Company (Takreer) to provide technology for expanded petrochemical production.

As per the deal, UOP will provide engineering design, technology licensing, catalysts, adsorbents and equipment for the Takreer project, which is expected to start up by the end of 2013.

The new propane dehydrogenation (PDH) unit will use UOP's C3 Oleflex (TM) technology to convert propane to propylene, a material used in the production of materials such as films and packaging, said a statement from Honeywell.

The unit is expected to produce 500,000 metric tons of propylene per year, it added.

"This is the world's first PDH unit to be implemented within a refinery, a significant milestone that indicates refineries are moving toward production of higher-value petrochemical products to achieve the most value from their operations," said Pete Piotrowski, senior vice president and general manager for UOP's process technology and equipment business unit.
"UOP has a successful history with Takreer, and we are pleased to embark on this new venture together," he added.

Jasem Al-Sayegh, general manager for Takreer, said, "We look forward to continued collaboration with UOP, which will help meet the world's growing demand for propylene and also help strengthen our business regionally."

The UOP Oleflex process uses catalytic dehydrogenation to convert propane to propylene.

Compared to competing PDH processes, Oleflex provides the lowest cash cost of production and the highest return on investment, enabled by low operating and capital costs, high propylene yield and reliability, and maximum operating flexibility.

Since the technology was commercialized in 1990, UOP has commissioned nine C3 Oleflex units for on-purpose propylene production, said the Honeywell in a statement.

The UOP was recently selected by Takreer to provide process technology for its Ruwais facility located in the UAE, it added.-TradeArabia News Service