Lurgi to build CO, hydrogen, ethanol plants

Lurgi AG, Frankfurt, has been awarded separate contracts worth more than €260 million to build a carbon monoxide plant in Saudi Arabia, a hydrogen plant in Malaysia, and a bioethanol plant in the US.

May 15, 2006

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, May 15 -- Lurgi AG, Frankfurt, has been awarded separate contracts worth more than €260 million to build a carbon monoxide plant in Saudi Arabia, a hydrogen plant in Malaysia, and a bioethanol plant in the US.

Lurgi also expects additional contracts worth about €80 million for two biodiesel plants in Europe before the end of May.

The Saudi contract let by Saudi International Petrochemicals Co. (Sipchem) commits Lurgi through a joint venture with Air Liquide of France to build a 345,000 tonne/year CO plant in Jubail Industrial City. The total value of the project is €157 million, of which Lurgi's share is €137 million. The CO plant, which Lurgi said will be the largest in the world, is scheduled to be commissioned in October 2008.

In Malaysia, Petronas Melaka let a €53 million contract to Lurgi for a 45,000-cu m/hr hydrogen plant. The plant is due to come on stream in the first half of 2008.

The US contract, worth €66 million, was let by Central Illinois Energy LLC. It involves a 100,000-tonne/year bioethanol plant in Canton, Ill. The plant, which will use corn as feedstock, is due to come on stream in 2007.