Venezuela's Petroleos de Venezuela SA (Pdvsa) has earmarked almost $3.2 billion to upgrade and expand its two biggest refineries.
The plants, operated by Pdvsa units Maraven SA at Cardon and Lagoven SA at Amuay, have a combined throughput capacity of 950,000 b/d. Both are on the Paraguana Peninsula in western Venezuela.
Although cuts are expected in Pdvsa's operating and capital budgets this year, the main thrust of refining investments planned through 1994 remains unchanged.
The projects are a top priority because Venezuela's refineries need to increase production of light products to boost profits and to begin producing more environmentally benign products for export, notably to the U. S.
CARDON PROJECT
Maraven will spend $2.3 billion at Cardon for a delayed coker, hydrotreater, catalytic reformer, isomerization plant, an experimental hydrogenation/hydroconversion unit, methyl tertiary butyl ether plant (MTBE), tertiary amyl methyl ether (TAME) unit, and expanded power generating and water capacities.
Cardon's crude processing capacity is 300,000 b/d. Dependent on a lighter crude slate than Amuay, the Cardon refinery is spending heavily to improve its yield of light products and slash the fraction of high sulfur fuel oil (HSFO).
Cardon currently produces 70% distillates and 30% HSFO. After the revamp is complete in 1994, the yield will be 90-95% distillates and 5-10% fuel oil. To speed the entire design/engineering/procurement/construction process, Maraven is using designs of existing plants in the U.S. and Europe for key facilities.
Maraven oversees general project management at Cardon. It let contract to Foster Wheeler Corp. for engineering, procurement, and construction of process units for a 60,000 b/sd delayed coker, 45,000 b/sd catalytic platformer, 15,000 b/sd isomerization unit, and related facilities. Badger Co. is providing technical services for the MTBE and TAME units.
AMUAY REFINERY
At Amuay, at 650,000 b/d the world's biggest refinery in terms of nameplate capacity, Lagoven will spend more than $818 million for a delayed coker, MTBE and TAME units, a diesel fuel recovery system, coke combustion system, coke flue gas treating unit, a sulfur recovery unit, and increased capacity for electrical power, water demineralization and cooling, and water transportation.
Planned investments at Amuay will boost profits by adding capacity for processing heavy crudes, improve product quality to meet new environmental standards, and minimize sulfur dioxide emissions and coke disposal.
Amuay's Flexicoker produces about 360 metric tons/day of coke.
Lagoven is responsible for general project management at Amuay.
Tecnofluor, a joint venture of Fluor Daniel and Venezuela's TecnoConsult, won the contract for general engineering, procurement, and construction management. Foster Wheeler also is playing a major role in the project.
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