Libya, UAE group to upgrade Ras Lanuf refinery

March 13, 2009
Libya's National Oil Corp. and the Trusta group, a UAE energy consortium, agreed to establish a joint venture to improve the output and product quality of the 220,000 b/d Ras Lanuf refinery in Libya.

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Mar. 13 -- Libya's National Oil Corp. and the Trusta group, a UAE energy consortium, agreed to establish a joint venture to improve the output and product quality of the 220,000 b/d Ras Lanuf refinery in Libya.

The two companies will be equal partners in the $375 million Libyan Emirates Refinery Co. venture.

Sources said the first stage of the project consists of refurbishment works, and the second stage consists of installing a coker to upgrade the fuel oil into coke and vacuum gas oil. The coke will be used to produce power, and the vacuum gas oil will be converted into diesel and sold to the European market.

The project is expected to be completed in 2013. The Libyan government owns the refinery, which is operated by Ras Lanuf Oil & Gas Processing Co., an NOC subsidiary.