Petrom advances Petrobrazi refinery upgrade

April 13, 2010
Petrom SA, OMV AG’s Romanian subsidiary, has let key contracts in its delayed modernization of the 4.5-million tonne/year Petrobrazi refinery in Ploesti (OGJ, June 15, 2009, p. 22).

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Apr. 13
-- Petrom SA, OMV AG’s Romanian subsidiary, has let key contracts in its delayed modernization of the 4.5-million tonne/year Petrobrazi refinery in Ploesti (OGJ, June 15, 2009, p. 22).

Foster Wheeler AG will provide front-end engineering and design (FEED) modification services and engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) for the revamp of an atmospheric/vacuum distillation unit.

Foster Wheeler also received an EPCM contract for a new amine unit and a FEED contract for revamp of a delayed coking unit.

The company plans this year to increase Petrobrazi capacity to 6 million tpy, expand the refinery’s coker, add a hydrocracker, and increase integration with the nearby Arpechim refinery.

Petrom said it is proceeding with the Petrobrazi upgrade after modernizing the Arpechim refinery, which has nameplate capacity of 3.5 million tpy but is operating this year only as needed.