Siemens Energy said it has won a major order to supply a new compressor train for expansion of the IbnRushd purified terephthalic acid (PTA) plant in Saudi Arabia.

The order was placed by the Taiwani construction company CTCI Corporation for petrochemical giant Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic), said the German firm in a statement.

As per the contract, Siemens will deliver the compressor train in May 2012 to the plant at Yanbu´ al Bahr, a major Red Sea port in Saudi.

In addition, Siemens will also modernize the plant’s existing PTA compressor train, the statement added.

PTA, a white granulate, is mainly used for polyester yarn for clothing, but is also used in tire cord and as a resin in plastic (PET) bottle molding, the company statement said.

“The excellent performance of the existing train paved the way for this order,” said Ralf Kannefass, head of the Turbo Equipment business segment in the Siemens Energy Oil and Gas Division.

“With this follow-up order for a PTA compressor train and modernization of the existing train Sabic can extend and revamp its PTA production capacities,” he explained.

 The new compressor train consists of a gear-type air compressor, an expander, a steam turbine and a motor with auxiliaries and control systems.

The equipment is designed for the production of 350,000 tpa of PTA, which represents a duplication of the currently installed capacity at the Yanbu site.

Siemens Energy is the world’s leading supplier of a complete spectrum of products, services and solutions for the generation, transmission and distribution of power and for the extraction, conversion and transport of oil and gas.-TradeArabia News Service