France-based Nexans, a leader in cables and cabling systems, has been awarded a major contract by Rexel to supply lead-free Hypron cables for Oman’s Liwa Plastics Industries Complex (LPIC) project.

Nexans is playing a vital role in the LPIC project by providing a variety of instrumentation and fibre-optic telecommunication cables that will be supplied via Rexel, a leading global cable distributor.

LPIC will be equipped with Nexans’ instrumentation, fibre-optic telecommunication cables and fieldbus cables, supplied through the group’s established partnership with Rexel. These cables feature Nexans’ innovative Hypron design developed and tested to provide an alternative to lead-sheath cables for onshore oil and gas installations, especially within refineries and petrochemical installations in moist areas where corrosive aromatic hydrocarbons are present.

The $4.5-billion LPIC project by Oman Oil Refineries and Petroleum Industries Company (Orpic) is aiming to meet the increasing worldwide demand for high and low density polyethylene, especially within Asia.

The project is an example of the transformation journey undertaken by Orpic to diversify its business. The cutting-edge complex will include a refinery, aromatics plant, steam cracker and downstream polypropylene and polyethylene plants, making it one of the best integrated refinery and petrochemical facility combinations in the world, it said.

Due to the new facility, Orpic's plastics production will increase by 1 million tonnes, allowing it produce a total of 1.4 million tonnes of polyethylene and polypropylene by 2020. It is anticipated that 150 technicians and 350 operators will be required to manage the new facilities, which are also expected to create more than 1,200 jobs in the local area, it added.

Nexans Hypron cables contribute to cleaner environment by avoiding lead exposure and emissions thanks to three concentric, co-extruded sheaths which provide water tightness as well as resistance to inorganic and organic chemicals (such as chlorine and synthetic oils as well as aromatics, benzene, petrol).

Orlando Vaquero, O&G downstream ISP global market director, Nexans, said: “It is a big honour for us to contribute to the development of Oman by bringing our global expertise to the sultanate’s large-scale and forward-looking projects, such as the LPIC.”

“The scope of our technical capability, together with the complete ‘one stop shop’ we offer in cooperation with Rexel, made the difference in persuading Orpic that we can deliver the quality, performance and fast response they require,” he added.

The LPIC project will enter the commissioning phase at the end of 2018 and be ready for commercial operation from 2020, said the statement.

The Hypron cables for the LPIC project are manufactured and delivered by Nexans South Korea’s facility in Cheongwon, it stated. – TradeArabia News Service