Egypt’s Alexandria National Refining & Petrochemicals Company (ANRPC) will use technology and equipment provided by UOP, a Honeywell company, in its $300-million new state-of-the-art gasoline production facility.

The facility will meet growing domestic demand for high-octane gasoline.
 
ANRPC will add a second UOP CCR Platforming process unit, including a modular CCR section, at the facility in Alexandria to produce high-quality reformate, which is used to produce high-octane, low-sulfur gasoline. ANRPC installed the first UOP CCR unit at the site in 2001.

Egypt became a net importer of gasoline in 2008, as domestic supply has not kept up with demand, which has grown by an average of 3 per cent annually over the past 10 years, it said.

Ahmed Abo El Rooh, chairman, ANRPC, said: “This expansion is critical as it will significantly reduce the amount of high-octane gasoline imported by Egypt.”

“We selected a second continuous catalytic reforming unit from Honeywell UOP, which will be delivered in modular form, to help ensure reliable operations and the shortest possible project schedule,” he said.

Mike Millard, vice president and general manager of Honeywell UOP’s process technology and equipment business, said: “A second CCR Platforming process unit will help Egypt meet its own growing demand for fuel and provide cleaner-burning, high-octane fuels to address air quality issues in large cities such as Cairo.”

“Since commercialising the technology, UOP has brought more than 250 CCR Platforming units on stream worldwide, with a combined capacity of more than 6 million barrels per day,” he added.

UOP modular equipment is often ideal for remote locations, short project timelines and regions with limited resources. The modules are built under controlled conditions in fabrication shops and fully inspected prior to shipment. UOP modular equipment is designed to reduce installation time and can result in earlier start up, further improving project economics. UOP offers a full suite of modular refining equipment for a wide range of applications, said the statement.

Honeywell UOP has worked with refining companies throughout the Middle East for more than 80 years. Today, there are nearly 400 UOP-designed process units operating in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan and Pakistan, it said.

ANRPC establishes, manages and operates refining, manufacturing and petrochemical plants to produce high-octane gasoline, LPG, propane, hydrogen, heavy naphtha and light reformate, among others. Founded in 1999, ANRPC is based in Alexandria, Egypt and sells products domestically and internationally. – TradeArabia News Service