Borouge lets ethylene cracker contract for UAE plant

Nov. 30, 2006
Borouge, a joint venture between Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. and European plastics provider Borealis, let a $1.3 billion, lump-sum turnkey contract to Linde Group and Consolidated Contractors Co. for construction of an ethylene cracker in the UAE.

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Nov. 30 -- Borouge, a joint venture between Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. and European plastics provider Borealis, let a $1.3 billion, lump-sum turnkey contract to Linde Group and Consolidated Contractors Co. for construction of an ethylene cracker in the UAE.

The steam cracker, having an ethylene capacity of 1.5 million tonnes/year, is planned as an expansion of a petrochemical complex in Ruwais, Abu Dhahi. The cracker will use ethane feedstock, producing polyethylene and polypropylene for export.

The project, scheduled to start in early December, is expected to be on stream by 2010.

Borouge called the contract its first step in a major expansion project that will ultimately triple the company's production capacity.