Petronas lets technology contract for RAPID project

June 22, 2015
Malaysia’s state-run Petronas has let a contract to Axens to provide processing technology for its proposed refinery and petrochemical integrated development (RAPID) complex at Pengerang in southeastern Johor, Malaysia (OGJ Online, May 13, 2011).

Malaysia’s state-run Petronas has let a contract to Axens to provide processing technology for its proposed refinery and petrochemical integrated development (RAPID) complex at Pengerang in southeastern Johor, Malaysia (OGJ Online, May 13, 2011).

Under the contract, which was awarded following an open bid in January 2012, Axens will supply a series of its proprietary processing technologies for the refining portion of the RAPID complex, the service provider said on June 22.

The contract package includes delivery of the following technologies:

• A 21,000-b/d hydrotreater equipped with Axens’ naphtha hydrotreating process.

• A 14,000-b/d continuous catalytic regenerator equipped with Axens’ Octanizing process.

• A 30,000-b/d catalytic hydrotreater equipped with Axens’ Prime-K technology.

• A two-trained, 140,000-b/d residue fluid catalytic cracking unit, which includes a propylene recovery section, equipped with Axens’ R2R technology.

• A 75,000-b/d cracked-gasoline desulfurization unit equipped with Axens’ Prime G+ catalytic process. The unit includes a selective hydrogenation reactor-splitter and hydrodesulfurization reactor-stabilizer.

This latest contract follows a previous award to Axens for RAPID’s detailed feasibility study in October 2010, Axens said.

With a planned capacity of 300,000 b/d, the proposed RAPID refinery will produce naphtha and liquid petroleum gas feedstock for the petrochemical complex, as well as gasoline and diesel meeting European specifications to help address Asia-Pacific’s growing need for petroleum and petrochemical products (OGJ Online, Mar. 27, 2014).

The refinery and petrochemical complex will have a combined capacity to produce 7.7 million tonnes/year of various grades of products, including differentiated and specialty chemicals products (OGJ Online, Oct. 23, 2014).

Most recently, Petronas said it currently estimates RAPID will cost $16 billion, while associated installations for the project will involve an additional investment of about $11 billion (OGJ Online, July 25, 2014).

RAPID’s refinery start-up is to take place by early 2019.

Contact Robert Brelsford at [email protected].